Sampoorna Mahabharata • సంపూర్ణ శ్రీమహాభారతము • Episode 705

Episode 705: BG Chap 7

bījaṁmāṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ viddhipārthasanātanambuddhirbuddhimatāmasmi tejastejasvināmahamǁ10ǁ

Know me to be the eternal cause of all beings. Understand that, I am the intelligence in the intelligent & the courage in the valourous.

Seed is the cause of germination. Paramatma is the eternal seed that is the cause of the birth of all beings.

The viveka-shakti of the inner faculty is intellect (buddhi). He is the wisdom in those who have it. Tejas in the radiant implies He is the intelligence.

It is essential to understand that all beings are born from the same Lord. He is responsible for our intelligence. Hence, we must not be proud that we are educated. In fact, pride must weaken as knowledge increases, and we must realize that our intelligence is Paramatma. If we pride in our intelligence, it weakens.

balaṁ balavatāṁ cāhaṁ kāmarāgavivarjitamdharmāviruddhobhūteṣu kāmosmibharatarṣabhaǁ11ǁ

O scion of the Bharata lineage! In the strong, I am the strength devoid of desire & attachment. In living beings, I am desire that is not against dharmic injunctions.

The strength in strong men is called ojas, sāmarthya. This is Paramatma. That strength is devoid of desire & attachment. The Trishna (intense longing) for objects not yet attained is kāma (desire). The trishna for objects already owned is rāga (attachment).

Strength untouched by desire & attachment implies strength that is purely for bodily sustenance. Such strength is Paramatma. It means, in worldly people, the strength coupled with attachment & desire is not Paramatma.

Desire unagainst Shastras can also exist. Eg., desire for food and bare essentials for survival. This is Paramatma.

As against this, if we turn conceited considering strength etc. to be our own, we will fall. Kenopanishad narrates a wonderful story.

Once, the Devatas won a fearsome war against the demons, due to which they turned conceited thinking, ‘This is the outcome of our strength. Our efforts granted us victory’. Each Devata boasted of his smartness and achievement & tried to desperately prove that he was the smartest of all.

The truth was that Paramatma was responsible for their might & victory. In their arrogance, they forgot this & celebrated their victory. Their boasts crossed the boundaries of all universes. Agni said, ‘I threw a small spark which burnt all demons to ashes. My abilities granted us this victory’.

Vayu said, ‘With wind I caused them to lose their lives. Hence, I was responsible for this win’. In this way, each Devata boasted. Mother Goddess observed their demeanour & pride & decided to show them their real strength, & competence.

She manifested as a fearsome Yaksha. The Devatas who were exhilarated by that victory did not notice her for long. Slowly they came to their senses and noticed a Yaksha. Seeing its brilliance, they trembled & were confounded. They pressurized Agni saying, ‘You are the best among us. You burnt all the demons with merely a spark. Help us now. We are unable to comprehend who that Yaksha is. O brave one! Go and enquire’.

Agni said, ‘Just see my might. I will accomplish the task in a jiffy. I will rescue you all’. In great pride he walked to the yaksha. Seeing Agni approaching, the Yaksha laughed boisterously and asked, ‘Who are you?’

Agni said, ‘I am Agni, popularly known as Jātaveda’. The Yaksha said, ‘What is your power?’

Agni said, ‘In a second I can burn any object to ashes’. The Yaksha said, ‘If so, burn this straw’.

‘After all a blade of grass’- with that negligent attitude, Agni created a fire. But the straw did not burn. He then created fiery fumes. But it did not burn. He used all his energy and created a devastating fire, but it did not burn. In great shame he silently walked back to the Devatas and said, ‘My energy is insufficient to know who that energy is’.

Now the Devatas glanced at Vayu. Vayu said, ‘I will complete this task for you. I am your refuge’- proudly he walked to the Yaksha who asked, ‘Who are you?’

Vayu said, ‘I am the wind-god. As I wander in space I am known as Mātarishva’.
Yaksha asked, ‘What is your capacity?’ Vayu said, ‘I can blow away any object’.

Yaksha said, ‘See this straw. Blow it away’.

Vayu caused devastating winds. But the straw did not move. Ashamed he returned to the Devatas and said, ‘My energy is inadequate to know that energy’.

The Devatas reported everything to Indra and said, ‘. Please find out about that energy which has manifested in Yaksha form’. In all humility, Indra neared the Yaksha. When he arrived, the Yaksha vanished & a feminine form stood there. She was Himavan’s daughter Hymavati or Uma. Indra asked, ‘O Mother! Who was the Yaksha?’

Uma said, ‘That was Paramatma’s energy. It was responsible for your victory over the demons”.