ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
aham — I;
sarvasya — of all creation;
prabhavaḥ — the origin of;
mattaḥ — from me;
sarvam — everything;
pravartate — proceeds;
iti — thus;
matvā — having known;
bhajante — worship;
mām — me;
budhāḥ — the wise;
bhāva-samanvitāḥ — endowed with great faith and devotion
In this verse, Krishna tells us that He is the origin of everything, both the physical world we see around us and the spiritual world we cannot see. Imagine a fountain: the water that flows out represents all of existence, and the fountain itself is like Krishna. Everything in the universe—living beings, nature, the stars, and even the laws that govern how everything works—comes from Him.
When wise people truly understand this, they don’t just believe it in passing; they deeply grasp that Krishna is at the heart of all that exists. Their knowledge leads them to worship Krishna wholeheartedly. This isn't just any worship; it's a kind of devotion that comes from a genuine belief and love for Krishna. For these wise individuals, their connection with Him is paramount, reminding us of the importance of being grounded in truth instead of getting distracted by misleading ideas.
Krishna being the source signifies that He created great beings like Brahma and Shiva, important figures in the spiritual world. For instance, Brahma, who is responsible for creation, received this knowledge directly from Krishna. There are texts, like the Atharva Veda, that explain how Krishna shared this wisdom with Brahma at the beginning of time. It’s like a teacher passing knowledge to a student to help them create a beautiful work.
The interpretation also mentions that even other gods and divine beings sometimes don't realize this connection clearly because they are influenced by Krishna's divine energy that can create illusions. It’s like being in a dream state where what you see doesn’t reflect reality perfectly.
The verse underlines a central teaching: recognizing Krishna as the ultimate source brings clarity and deepens our understanding of existence. With that realization, devotion naturally follows. So, by understanding and accepting Krishna as the basis of everything, we are encouraged to live in a way that honors that truth by developing a loving relationship with Him through our thoughts and actions.
In everyday life, this means focusing our minds and hearts towards understanding this deep connection and acting with love and devotion despite life’s distractions. This verse serves as a reminder that understanding the origins of existence can lead us to a more meaningful and joyful life.