Beginning, middle and ending of all beings

First mode of meditating on the LORD is as ATMA, the antaryami, the in dweller or SOUL.
The other mode as taking up an external entity as he is beginning, middle and end of all beings (living and non living).

Lord states:
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च।।10.20।।

Again:
सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन।
अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वादः प्रवदतामहम्।।10.32।।

Bhutanam in 10.20 means the living beings; sarganaam in 10.32 means the creation(s) as a whole. This includes all living and non living beings.... He is the beginning, middle and end of living beings (microcosms) as well as the worlds (macrocosms) in different cycles of time....


There are other great symbols:
Among Adityas he is Vishnu
Among Rudras he is Sankara
Among Vasus he is Pavaka (fire)
Among the maintainers of law and order He is Yama
Among daemons he is Prahlada
Among counters he is Time. (He is Time of Time also)
Among wielders of weapons, he is Rama, son of Dasaratha.
Among senses (indriyas) he is Manas.

All these vibhutis are very useful to continuously remember the LORD. The very thought that among the "senses" he is the mind!

So, every "thought" is rooted in him, moves in him and finally rests in him alone. But due to the way it is put to grow, it may be taken by the evil tendencies for a temporary period. When the thoughts are controlled by the evil tendencies, due to ignorance (i.e., not acknowledging the true source, abode and final goal of thoughts as LORD) they lead to unwanted results that cause harm to the individual and the the environment. {remember that the evil tendencies due to ignorance are only temporary. They have no endurance to exist forever! }

The thought (of psychological plane) manifests as word and action in the emotional and physical planes.

Just by acknowledging the fact that not even a single action/thing, word or thought exists beyond the LORD himself gives eternal peace.

om tat sat.

How to meditate upon LORD?

Arjuna asks this question in six verses 10:12 - 10:18

The most important of the six verses is:
कथं विद्यामहं योगिंस्त्वां सदा परिचिन्तयन्।
केषु केषु च भावेषु चिन्त्योऽसि भगवन्मया।।10.17।।

10.17 O Yogi, katham, how; aham vidyam, shall I know tvam, You; sada pari-cintayan, by remaining ever-engaged in meditation? Ca, and; kesu kesu bhavesu, through what objects; bhagvan, O Lord; cintah asi, are You to be meditated on; maya, by me?

Lord Answers this question in several verses from 10:19 till 10:42 (end of Tenth Chapter)

There are primarily two methods of meditation of Lord:
अहमात्मा गुडाकेश सर्वभूताशयस्थितः।
अहमादिश्च मध्यं च भूतानामन्त एव च।।10.20।।
10.20 अहम् I, आत्मा the Self, गुडाकेश O Gudakesa, सर्वभूताशयस्थितः seated in the hearts of all beings, अहम् I, आदिः the beginning, च and, मध्यम् the middle, च and, भूतानाम् of (all) beings, अन्तः the end, एव even, च and.

1. As all-pervading atma (the very subject). If one can't do that then
2. As most glorious object in a specific class of objects.

(10:21)adityaanaam aham vishnu .... jnanam jnanvataamaham (10:38) lord gives different objects that can be used for the most glorious object for meditation.

in 10:39 Lord states, "I am the primeval seed from which all creation has come into existence. I am the seed of everything. I am the Self of everything. Nothing can exist without Me. Everything is of My nature. I am the essence of everything. Without Me all things would be mere void. I am the soul of everything."

again in 10:41
10.41 यत् यत् whatever, विभूतिमत् glorious, सत्त्वम् being, श्रीमत् prosperous, ऊर्जितम् powerful, एव also, वा or, तत् तत् that, एव only, अवगच्छ know, त्वम् thou, मम My, तेजोंऽशसंभवम् a manifestation of a part of My splendour.

and finally concludes:
अथवा बहुनैतेन किं ज्ञातेन तवार्जुन।
विष्टभ्याहमिदं कृत्स्नमेकांशेन स्थितो जगत्।।10.42।।
विष्टभ्य supporting, अहम् I, इदम् this, कृत्स्नम् all, एकांशेन by one part, स्थितः exist, जगत् the world.

"Having established or pervaded this whole world with one fragment of Myself, I remain."

om tat sat

My Notes
Note 1: The Universe is called a foot of His by virtue of His having the limiting adjunct of being its efficient and material cause. (figuratively!) A Form constituted by the whole of creation has been presented in this chapter for meditation. In absolute reality, HE has no limiting adjunct. The limiting adjunct belongs to the one who is meditating on him.... called ignorance.

Note 2: Second method is no inferior to the first one. Both are equally effective, but one should choose most effulgent object in the chosen group of objects for the meditation.

The purpose of Manifestation

We have seen in the last post, all the "manifestation" spring forth from the mind born beings of the first principle (the Rishis, kumaras and Manus) who have the root in the SEED eternal i.e., LORD himself.

1 cosmic Manas or "Brahma the creator with four heads"
4 kumaras representing the highest knowledge / the silent link between macro & microcosms
7 Rishis representing principles behind the macrocosm
14 manus representing the principles behind the microcosm

The teaching of kumaras is silence
The teaching of Rishis are called shruti
The teaching of manus are called smriti (or LAW)

From the manus all the microcosmic being are born or brought into manifestation. Each manu has his own code of conduct and he also enforces that law over his manvantara (his period of rule over this loka - current manvantara is of vaivasvata) The time period of each manu is 71 maha yugas consisting 10 charanas (4 krita + 3 treta + 2 dvapara + 1 kali yuga charana making up 10 charanas, each charana is 432000 Earth years)

14 such manvantaras make up a day time + 14 manvantaras make up night time making up a ahoratra

360 such ahoratras make up one year and 100 such years is the life-span of Brahma (the creator) which is the first principle that came out of the LORD effortlessly which is called as "cosmic mind". At the end of that time-span, the next Creator Brahma effortlessly emerges out of the SEED eternal!

The question here comes is WHY? What is the purpose of these beings emerging out?

The primary purpose:
The sole purpose of manifestation is for "mutual enlightenment" of wise beings! The Rishis, Kumaras and manus having completed their respective prescribed duties, merge back into the LORD alone by getting the buddhi yogam as mentioned by LORD. They have attained those positions by carrying out the suitable actions in the past KALPA, manvantara, yuga etc.,

In Lord's own words:
अहं सर्वस्य प्रभवो मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते।
इति मत्वा भजन्ते मां बुधा भावसमन्विताः।।10.8।।

मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम्।
कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च।।10.9।।

तेषां सततयुक्तानां भजतां प्रीतिपूर्वकम्।
ददामि बुध्दियोगं तं येन मामुपयान्ति ते।।10.10।।

तेषामेवानुकम्पार्थमहमज्ञानजं तमः।
नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता।।10.11।।

The secondary purpose: (my own notes)
This manifestation is an eternal cycle. There is no first manifestation and neither there will be a last manifestation.

As the Manu's let the microcosmic beings manifest based on their past actions and pre-dominant qualities, each being is unique and on its own point on the path of spiritual evolution. They, through their actions, make the "events" happen in this world. All the suitable beings that can manifest in the current yuga (time period) are allowed their own respective bodies to work out their own karmas (pending actions) by the current Manu. (in their respective loka)

There are infinite microcosmic individual beings and only a finite number of them are allowed to manifest based on suitability at the discretion of the current Manu in this current set of lokas. Also, new dormant beings start accumulating the likes and dislikes by misusing the witnessing capability to "judge" the "events" in these lokas.

So, World serves as:
a platform to carryout the actions and enjoy the fruits according to each individual's tendencies within the LAWs of the current Manu. As per the LAWS, the beings are divided into the respective categories and assigned their own duties. Those who follow the natural laws of manu will skillfully complete all the pending actions (or the damages caused to this world from infinite past) and strive to attain the absolute on the path of YOGA. The rest of the beings keep on taking different bodies/minds and continue to go on and on in the never ending cycles of time.

Lord gives the wise ones who have thoroughly washed away all the sins with the "buddhi yogam" or jnana yogam to finally attain the absolute Truth. The primary purpose of this world is for mutual enlightenment of those wise ones! Out of sheer compassion on those wise ones, LORD allows the rest of non-perfect beings also to workout their own karmas giving everyone an equal opportunity to realize the absolute TRUTH.

om tat sat

(On Sri Sankara Jayanti)

Note: There are several other points that can be elaborated from these four verses. I have elaborated only the phrase "bodhayanta parasparam" in 10.9. It is advised for serious seekers to meditate on each verse to get the complete meaning of it!

The secret of Creation

Lord gives a recap of creation:

महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे चत्वारो मनवस्तथा।
मद्भावा मानसा जाता येषां लोक इमाः प्रजाः।।10.6।।
10.6 महर्षयः the great Rishis, सप्त seven, पूर्वे ancient, चत्वारः four, मनवः Manus, तथा also, मद्भावाः possessed of powers like Me, मानसाः from mind, जाताः born, येषाम् from whom, लोके in world, इमाः these, प्रजाः creatures.

From Swami Sivananda's commentary:

"The seven great sages represent the seven planes also. In the macrocosm, Mahat or cosmic Buddhi, Ahamkara or the cosmic egoism and the five Tanmatras or the five root-elements of which the five great elements, viz., earth, water, fire, air and ether are the gross forms, represent the seven great sages. This gross universe with the moving and the unmoving beings and the subtle inner world have come out of the above seven principles. In mythology or the Puranic terminology these seven principles have been symbolised and give human names. Bhrigu, Marichi, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasishtha are the seven great sages. In the microcosm, Manas (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Chitta (subconsciousness) and Ahamkara (egoism) have been symbolised as the four Manus and given human names. The first group forms the base of the macrocosm. The second group forms the base of the microcosm (individuals). These two groups constitute this vast universe of sentient life. Madbhava: with their being in Me, of My nature."

The "ancient four" are the mind born sons of Lord who are described as follows:

"The four Kumaras (chaste, ascetic youths) declined to marry and create offspring. They preferred to remain perpetual celibates and to practise Brahma-Vichara or profound meditation on Brahman or the Absolute."

We can also see from a later verse lord stats that out of maharshis, he is Bhrigu.
From the seventh chapter, we see the eight fold lower nature (that pertains to macrocosm) has MANAS -> buddhi, ahamkaara, kham, vayu, anala, apa, bhumi as eight fold prakruti.

Key point:
All the macrocosm and microcosm has its origin in the Lord alone. (or born out of Lord's MANAS = MIND) That is his Vibhuti.

So,
एतां विभूतिं योगं च मम यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः।
सोऽविकम्पेन योगेन युज्यते नात्र संशयः।।10.7।।

My Comments:
1. Lord's thoughts "manifest" without any effort as seven great Rishis or fundamental principles of macrocosm, as well as four kumaras, and as manus originating the microcosm.

2. Lord's manifestation is non-different from his nature in its true essence.

3. Only through the process of "yoga" one can realize the oneness of Lord's manifestation and his true nature.

om tat sat

psycho-emotional dispositions of beings

बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसंमोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः।
सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च।।10.4।।

अहिंसा समता तुष्टिस्तपो दानं यशोऽयशः।
भवन्ति भावा भूतानां मत्त एव पृथग्विधाः।।10.5।।

buddhi = intellect, jnanam = wisdom, a-sammoha = non-delusion, kshama = forgiveness, satyam = truth, dama = control of external nature, sama = control of internal nature, sukham = happiness, dukham = sorrow, bhava = birth or existence, a-bhava = death or non-existence, bhayam = fear, a-bhayam = fearlessness, ahimsa = non-injury, samata = equanimity, tusti = satisfaction, tapa = austerity, dana = charity, yasa = fame, a-yasa = ill-fame
भवन्ति arise, भावाः qualities/moods/dispositions, भूतानाम् of beings, मत्तः from Me, एव alone, पृथग्विधाः of different kinds.

This is said in the sense that none of these dispositions can exist without the Self. (From LORD, in accordance with their actions.)

Notes:
There are multiple dispositions enumerated that includes all possible microcosmic psycho-emotional energies. All these are from the LORD alone. The basis of all these modifications is called "cit" or consciousness (none other than LORD). The single cit appearing as all these multiple moods (pruthak-vidhaah) simultaneously is called "vivarta" without any real transformation. Similar "vivarta" was explained in seventh adhyaya where multiple macrocosmic differentiated elements as LORD's lower nature and the problem of evil.

om tat sat

vibhuti - again and again

A devotee having reached a state of "ananya chintana" of LORD, would take delight in listening to the glories of Lord again and again.

Lord offers another round of "shravana" to Arjuna in the start of 10th Adhyaya of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

श्री भगवानुवाच
भूय एव महाबाहो श्रृणु मे परमं वचः।
यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया।।10.1।।
10.1 O mighty-armed one, srnu, listen; bhuyah eva, over again; me, to My; paramam, supreme; vacah, utterance, which is expressive of the transcendental Reality; yat, which supreme Truth; aham, I; vaksyami, shall speak; te, to you; priyamanaya, who take delight (in it). You become greatly pleased by My utterance, like one drinking ambrosia. Hence, I shall speak to you hita-kamyaya, wishing your welfare.

Why should Lord speak again? The answer is in the next verse:

न मे विदुः सुरगणाः प्रभवं न महर्षयः।
अहमादिर्हि देवानां महर्षीणां च सर्वशः।।10.2।।
10.2 Na sura-ganah, neither the gods-Brahma and others; viduh, know;-what do they not know?-me, My; prabhavam (prabhavam), majesty, abundance of lordly power-or, derived in the sense of 'coming into being', it means origin. Nor even the maharsayah, great sages, Bhrgu and others Bhrgu, Marici, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasistha.-Tr. devanam, of the gods; ca, and; maharsinam, of the great sages.

So, no one knows the "prabhavam" of the LORD other than the LORD himself. The only way to know him is to hear directly from him (or another REALIZED SAGE who has directly heard from him)

The truth was told in 7th Adhyaya, and again in 9th Adhyaya and again now in 10th Adhyaya as follows:
यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम्।
असम्मूढः स मर्त्येषु सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते।।10.3।।
10.3 Yah, he who; vetti, knows; mam, Me; ajam, the birthless; and anadim, the beginningless: Since I am the source of the gods and the great sages, and nothing else exists as My origin, therefore I am birthless and beginningless. Being without an origin is the cause of being birthless. He who knows Me who am thus birthless and beginningless, and loka-maheswaram, the great Lord of the worlds, the transcendental One devoid of ignorance and its effects; sah, he; the asammudhah, undeluded one; martyesu, among mortals, among human beings; pramucyate, becomes freed; sarva-papaih, from all sins-committed knowingly or unknowingly.

Key Points:

1. The opportunity of "shravana" comes to those who take absolute delight in listening to it directly. (Lord comes forward on his own; no need to ask him for such a shravana)

2. No one other than the LORD, or someone who has directly realized the TRUTH of LORD can give such a delighting "shravana" to a deserving disciple. Shravana is not a speech from someone who can eloquently talk theory of LORD.

3. Only by KNOWING the LORD properly as ajam, anadim and loka-maheshwaram and getting rid of delusion (asammudhah), one gets freed from ALL SINS. There is no better cleanser than Knowledge.

om tat sat