Bhagavad Gita - Chapter 10 - Shloka (Verse) 3

व्याख्या --'यो मामजमनादिं च वेत्ति लोकमहेश्वरम्'-- पीछेके श्लोकमें भगवान्के प्रकट होनेको जाननेका विषय नहीं बताया है। इस विषयको तो मनुष्य भी नहीं जानता, पर जितना जाननेसे मनुष्य अपना कल्याण कर ले, उतना तो वह जान ही सकता है। वह जानना अर्थात् मानना यह है कि भगवान् अज अर्थात् जन्मरहित हैं। वे अनादि हैं अर्थात् यह जो काल कहा जाता है, जिसमें आदि-अनादि शब्दोंका प्रयोग होता है, भगवान् उस कालके भी काल हैं। उन कालातीत भगवान्में कालका भी आदि और अन्त हो जाता है। भगवान् सम्पूर्ण लोकोंके महान् ईश्वर हैं अर्थात् स्वर्ग, पृथ्वी और पातालरूप जो त्रिलोकी है तथा उस त्रिलोकीमें जितने प्राणी हैं और उन प्राणियोंपर शासन करनेवाले (अलग-अलग अधिकार-प्राप्त) जितने ईश्वर (मालिक) हैं, उन सब ईश्वरोंके भी महान् ईश्वर भगवान् हैं। इस प्रकार जाननेसे अर्थात् श्रद्धा-विश्वासपूर्वक दृढ़तासे माननेसे मनुष्यको भगवान्के अज, अविनाशी और लोकमहेश्वर होनेमें कभी किञ्चिन्मात्र भी सन्देह नहीं होता।

तथा --, क्योंकि मैं महर्षियोंका और देवोंका आदिकारण हूँ? मेरा आदि दूसरा कोई नहीं है? इसलिये मैं अजन्मा और अनादि हूँ। अनादित्व ही जन्मरहित होनेमें कारण है। इस प्रकार जो मुझे जन्मरहित अनादि और लोकोंका महान् ईश्वर अर्थात् अज्ञान और उसके कार्यसे रहित ( जाग्रत? स्वप्न? सुषुप्ति -- इन तीनों अवस्थाओंसे अतीत ) चतुर्थ अवस्थायुक्त जानता है? वह ( इस प्रकार जाननेवाला ) मनुष्योंमें ज्ञानी है अर्थात् मोहसे रहित श्रेष्ठ पुरुष है और वह जानबूझकर किये हुए या बिना जाने किये हुए सभी पापोंसे मुक्त हो जाता है।

For this reason also, only some rare person knows the Lord's power, He says — with 'Kincha' (Moreover) etc.

Upon the expectation of 'What is that power of the Lord which many do not know?', He states the absolute power and the fruit of that [knowledge] — 'Yo mam' (Who Me) etc.

He states the non-repetition of the two terms — 'Anaditvam' etc.

Knowledge of Me as the Unborn and the Great Lord of all beings belongs to a few undeluded ones, such as the gods. Such is the power of the Lord that merely by knowing 'this is the birth of the Supreme Lord,' they are liberated from all sins, although they are not capable of fully describing My power. Therefore, with the intention 'I alone shall describe My own power,' He speaks with the word 'Yah' (He who).

He who knows Me—the Lord, the cause of all, devoid of a cause and therefore Unborn (aja), the Great Ruler of the worlds possessed of unsurpassable opulence; he who knows the Supreme Self as Unborn because He is beginningless, and as the Great Lord of all worlds—he is undeluded among mortals.

'Delusion' (Sammoha) is the lack of manifestation of one's own true nature, which is distinct from the body and senses, distinct from the Lord etc., and is the 'non-doer' and 'non-enjoyer'. Being free from that delusion through My grace, he is liberated from all sins—known and unknown, accumulated (sanchita) and current (kriyamana)—preceded by the complete cessation of ignorance.

'Ana' means the energizer (mover/impeller), and 'Adi' means the beginning (source) of all; thus, He is 'Anadi'.

Alternatively, by being established as 'Aja' (unborn), the other attribute (beginningless-ness) is established.

Then who knows You? To this, He says—'Yah' (He who). He who is undeluded knows Me. The connection is that he alone is liberated from all sins.

One who is confused by the mutual superimposition (adhyasa) characterized by the unification of the inert (jada) and non-inert (ajada)—the intellect and the Self—is 'deluded' (sammudha). The opposite of him is the 'undeluded' (asammudha), whose superimposition has been negated by true knowledge.

Being a knower of the Self, while perceiving the birth of others, he knows Me—the Innermost Self, the Great Lord of the worlds, the Beginningless (devoid of 'adi' or cause), and therefore Unborn; he is liberated from all sins, whether committed in the past or being committed, among mortals.

'He does not take birth,' hence He is 'Aja' (Unborn). By this, His distinctness from modifiable non-sentient matter and the bound sentient souls connected with it is stated; for the birth of a bound sentient soul is its connection with non-sentient matter caused by karma. By the word 'Anadi' (Beginningless), His distinctness from the 'Aja' souls who have a beginning (i.e., the liberated souls) is stated. For the 'unborn-ness' of liberated souls has a beginning (since their liberation occurs in time); because their connection with abandonment-worthy qualities (heya-sambandha) existed previously, the potential for it was there. Therefore, by 'Anadi', His antagonism to such qualities due to His unworthiness for them is stated, as confirmed by texts like 'Niravadyam' (Spotless - Svetasvatara Up. 6.19).

Thus, he who knows Me—who am unworthy of such defects due to My nature being opposed to any connection with evil, and who am the Great Lord of the worlds (Loka-Maheshwara), the Ruler even of the lords of the worlds—is undeluded among mortals. 'Sammoha' (Delusion) is the confusion of considering Me as being of the same nature as others; he who is free from this is 'undeluded'. He is liberated from all sins that oppose the origin of devotion to Me.

The meaning is this: In the world, a king of men is of the same species as other men, obtaining sovereignty through some karma. Similarly, the lord of the gods, and even the lord of the cosmic egg (Brahma), are of the same species as other transmigratory beings, because they too fall within the 'three bhavanas' (subject to karma); and also because of the scripture 'He who creates Brahma...' (Svet. Up. 6.18). Likewise, others who have attained powers like Anima etc.

But this 'Loka-Maheshwara' is distinct from the non-sentient in cause and effect states, and from the sentient beings (both bound and liberated) who are to be ruled, because He is the sole abode of infinite, unsurpassable, innumerable auspicious qualities opposed to all evil, and because His unique nature is to rule. He who knows Me thus, free from the delusion of seeing similarity with others, is liberated from all sins.

Thus, having explained the removal of sins opposing bhakti through the contemplation of His nature, and thereby the generation of bhakti, He now speaks of the mode of increasing bhakti through the contemplation of the expanse of His opulence and auspicious attributes.

He states the fruit of such knowledge of the Self—'Yo mam' etc.

Because He is the cause of all, He has no 'adi' or cause; hence He is 'Anadi' (Beginningless). Therefore, he who knows Me as 'Aja' (Unborn/void of birth) and as the Great Lord of the worlds, he, being undeluded among men, is liberated from all sins.

Indicating the utility of stating His unknowability even by gods etc., he explains the purport of the verse 'Yo mam'. Although 'Yo vetti' (he who knows) seems like a translation/restatement, the intention is to prescribe the means (upaya) through the restatement of the fruit; hence the commentator said 'upayam aha' (He states the means).

To show what is excluded by the word 'Aja' (Unborn), he first gives the etymology 'na jayate' (does not take birth). He explains the exclusion of the appropriate object implied by the power of the adjective with 'anena' etc. The suitability of excluding both mutable matter and the soul connected with it is shown.

Since the eternal soul is also called 'Aja, nitya, shashvata' (Katha Up 1.2.18), how can it be excluded by the word 'Aja' merely due to contact with non-matter? To this, he says 'samsarichetanasya' (of the transmigratory sentient). Even Ishwara, being the soul of all, has contact with respective non-matter; to rule that out, the term 'karmakrita' (caused by karma) is used. Even the liberated soul has a beginningless nature, so how is it excluded? He says, 'muktatmano hyajatvam adimat' (for the unborn-ness of the liberated soul has a beginning). Here, beginninglessness is intended in the guise of unborn-ness. If mere beginninglessness of the essential nature were intended, it would be a repetition.

Is there no contact with non-matter in the liberated state? If prior contact is intended, it would exclude the bound souls etc., so how is the exclusion from the current nature stated? He says 'tasya' etc. The meaning is that 'capability' also implies the nature of acting when auxiliaries are present, and the absence of action due to the absence of auxiliaries. This meaning is also established by scripture prescribing faultlessness devoid of limitation by specific time; hence he says 'niravadyam'.

Explaining the syntax, he says 'evam'. Knowledge rare even for gods and sages arises in some mortal of dull intellect by luck; this is the force of the determination. In the second half, there is no proper syntax between 'asammudha' and 'martya' with the instruction of the fruit, but the shade of the future verse 'Yo mam evam asammudho janati purushottamam' (15.19) is appropriate here; hence 'martyeshu asammudho yo vetti' is said. To explain the meaning of 'asammudha', he reveals the meaning intended by the prefix—'itara' etc.

Since it will be said immediately after 'Etam vibhutim yogam ca...' (10.7), the release from sins suitable for that (Yoga/Bhakti) is intended here; hence 'madbhakti-utpatti-virodhibhih' (opposed to the origin of devotion to Me) is said.

Is there no context of delusion regarding the Supreme Lord, whether known or unknown, which needs to be negated? And while Brahma, Rudra, Sanaka, etc., are living, how is the Supreme Person alone the Great Lord of the worlds? Or how is there an exclusion from the class of Nityasuris (eternal angels) even if He is distinct from bound/liberated? Answering these doubts, he details the mode of the rise of delusion and its absence—'etad uktam'.

In the world, rulers are seen to be of the same species, so there is room for doubt here upon general knowledge. Like human and divine kings, even the Lord of the Cosmic Egg (Brahma) possesses opulence dependent on the Lord's will, rooted in specific karma and limited by time and space; thus, the Lord alone has opulence without an upper limit. The exclusion of Nityas (eternals) is also established because 'Loka-Maheshwara' implies opulence over everything.

How is a superior status of a same-species being established? It is said 'kenachit karmana' (by some karma). How is the Lord of the Cosmic Egg, whose nature/status/activity is dependent, of the same species as other samsarins? He says 'tasyapi'. The three bhavanas are Karma-bhavana, Brahma-bhavana, and Ubhaya-bhavana. Their connection to the three bhavanas is elaborated by Parasara, Shaunaka, etc. As beginning with Hiranyagarbha in Vishnu Purana (6.7.7): 'All those gods etc. are impure and born of karma.' 'Creatures arranged within the universe from Brahma down to a blade of grass are subject to transmigration born of karma. Therefore, they are not helpful to meditators in meditation.'

Their unsuitability for worship by the enlightened and their dependence on the Lord is clear in the Fifth Veda (Mahabharata): 'The enlightened do not serve Brahma, Shiva, and other gods remembered, because the fruit is limited' (12.341.36). 'These two best of gods (Brahma/Rudra) are known to be born of Grace and Anger. They follow the path shown by Him and are agents of creation and destruction' (12.341.19). The word 'cha' implies the accumulation of created-ness etc. of Hiranyagarbha along with the connection to the three bhavanas.

Referring to the group of Brahma-kumaras like Sanaka, Sanatkumara, Rudra, he says 'tatha anye api'. The eight siddhis like Anima etc. belong to one disciplined in yoga, and they are dependent on the Lord's will which is subject to karma. Statements about the 'natural' (akritrima) lordship of Rudra etc. in some places refer to it being established from birth; otherwise, it would contradict texts like 'Mahadeva, having offered himself in the Sarvamedha sacrifice, became the God of gods' (MB 12.20.12).

The word 'Loka' is all-encompassing by the etymology 'lokyate' (that which is perceived); hence he says 'karya' etc. 'Nikhila' etc. is the intended explanation of the word 'Mahat', and 'niyamana-eka-svabhavataya' (by the sole nature of ruling) is that of the word 'Ishwara'.

जो मुझे जानता है यह जानना केवल भावना के प्रवाह में अथवा बुद्धि के विचारों से जानना नहीं है? वरन् यह पूर्ण और वास्तविक आत्मानुभूति है? जो आत्मा के साथ घनिष्ठ तादात्म्य के क्षणों में होती है। आत्मा को किसी दृश्य के समान नहीं किन्तु स्वस्वरूप से इस प्रकार जानना है कि वह अजन्मा? अनादि और सर्वलोकमहेश्वर है। जो लोग वेदान्त दर्शन की प्राचीन परम्परा से कुछ परिचित हैं? उनके लिए उपर्युक्त ये तीन विशेषण अत्यन्त सारगर्भित हैं? जबकि उससे अनभिज्ञ लोगों को ये विशेषण निरर्थक ही प्रतीत होंगे। अनात्म जड़ जगत् परिच्छिन्न है? जहाँ कि प्रत्येक वस्तु? प्राणी या अनुभव अनित्य हैं? अर्थात् समस्त वस्तुएं आदि (जन्म) और अन्त (मत्यु) से युक्त हैं।असीम अनन्त परमात्मा का कभी जन्म नहीं हो सकता? क्योंकि जो उत्पन्न हुआ है? वह परिच्छिन्न है और किसी भी परिच्छिन्न वस्तु में अनन्त तत्त्व कभी अपने अनन्त स्वरूप में व्यक्त नहीं हो सकता। स्थाणु (स्तम्भ) में जब भ्रान्ति से पुरुष (या प्रेत) की प्रतीति होती है? तब पुरुष का नाश (अप्रतीति) हो सकता है? क्योंकि वह उत्पन्न हुआ था। परन्तु? वास्तव में यह नहीं कहा जा सकता कि स्थाणु ने प्रेत को जन्म दिया? अथवा स्तम्भ से प्रेत की उत्पत्ति हुई। स्थाणु तो वहाँ पहले भी था? है और रहेगा। आत्मा नित्य सनातन है? इसलिए वह जन्मरहित है। अन्य वस्तुओं का जन्म? स्थिति और नाश इस आत्मा में ही होता है। तरंगे समुद्र से उत्पन्न होती हैं? परन्तु समुद्र स्वयं अजन्मा है। प्रत्येक तरंग का आदि है? मध्य है और अन्त भी। किन्तु उन सबका सारतत्त्व इन समस्त विकारों से सर्वथा मुक्त है और इसलिए? इस श्लोक में आत्मा को अनादि विशेषण दिया गया है।लोकमहेश्वर लोक शब्द का अर्थ जगत् करने से इस संस्कृत शब्द के व्यापक आशय की उपेक्षा हो जाती है। लोक शब्द जिस धातु से बनता है उसका अर्थ है देखना? अनुभव करना। अत इसका सम्पूर्ण अर्थ होगा अनुभव का क्षेत्र। हमारे दैनिक जीवन में भी इसी अर्थ में लोक शब्द का प्रयोग किया जाता है? जैसे धनवानों का लोक? अपराधियों का लोक? विद्यार्थी लोक? कवियों का लोक आदि। इसलिए? उसके व्यापक अर्थ में लोक शब्द से मात्र भौतिक जगत् ही नहीं? बल्कि भावनाओं एवं विचारों के जगत् का भी बोध होता है।इस प्रकार? मेरा लोक वह है? जो मैं अपने शरीर? मन और बुद्धि के द्वारा अनुभव करता हूँ। यह तो स्पष्ट है कि जब तक मुझे इनका निरन्तर भान नहीं होता तब तक ये अनुभव मेरे नहीं हो सकते। यह चैतन्य तत्त्व? जिसके कारण ही मैं जीता हूँ और जगत् का अनुभव करता हूँ? वास्तव में मेरे लोक का ईश्वर होना ही चाहिए।जो मेरे व्यष्टि के विषय में सत्य है? वही जगत् के समस्त प्राणियों के विषय में भी सत्य है? क्योंकि आत्मा सर्वत्र एक ही है। इस समष्टि लोक का शासक? महान् ईश्वर स्वयं परमात्मा ही हो सकता है। यह लोक महेश्वर शब्द का वास्तविक अर्थ है। ईश्वर कोई निरंकुश एवं क्रूर शासक अथवा आकाश में बैठा कोई सुल्तान नहीं। आत्मा हमारे लोक का ईश्वर ऐसे ही है? जैसे? दिन के समय सूर्य इस बाह्य जगत् का स्वामी है? क्योंकि वही जगत् को प्रकाशित करता है।जो मुझे अजन्मा? अनादि और लोक महेश्वर के रूप में जानता है? वह संमोहरहित हो जाता है। स्थाणु में प्रेत देखकर भयभीत व्यक्ति जैसे ही उस स्थाणु को पहचानता है? वैसे ही वह मोह और भ्रान्ति से मुक्त हो जाता है। हिन्दू धर्म में पाप की कल्पना किसी विकराल अवश्यंभाविता का भयंकर चित्र नहीं है। मनुष्य अपने पापों के लिए दण्डित नहीं? वरन् अपने पापों के द्वारा ही दण्डित होता है। पाप वह स्वअपमानजनक कर्म है? जिसका कारण है मनुष्य को अपने वास्तविक स्वरूप का अज्ञान।जब कोई व्यक्ति अपने शुद्ध आत्मस्वरूप से भटक कर दूर चला जाता है? तब वह जगत् की घटनाओं के साथ तादात्म्य कर सुखदुख का अनुभव करता है। वह जगत् में इस प्रकार व्यवहार करता है? मानो वह एक घृणित मांसपिण्ड ही है? अथवा स्पन्दनशील भावनाओं की गठरी अथवा विचारों का समूह मात्र है। उसका यह व्यवहार अपनी एकमेव अद्वितीय ईश्वरीय? दिव्य प्रतिष्ठा का अपमान ही है। ऐसे कर्म और विचार मनुष्य को निम्न स्तर के भोगों में आसक्त कर बाँध देते हैं? जिसके कारण वह उनसे ऊपर उठकर वास्तविक पूर्णत्व के शिखर तक कभी नहीं पहुँच पाता।आत्मस्वरूप को पहचान कर उसमें दृढ़ निष्ठा प्राप्त कर लेने पर वह व्यक्ति पुन कभी पापकर्म में प्रवृत्त नहीं होता। पापवृत्तियाँ वे विषैले फोड़े हैं? जिनके कारण हम अपनी परिच्छिन्नताओं की पीड़ा और बंधनों के दुख सहते रहते हैं। जिस क्षण हम अपने आत्मस्वरूप को पहचानते हैं कि वह अजन्मा और अनादि है तथा उसका विकारी और विनाशी उपाधियों के साथ कोई सम्बन्ध नहीं है? उस समय हम वह सब कुछ प्राप्त कर लेते हैं जो जीवन में प्राप्तव्य है? और वह सब कुछ जान लेते हैं जो ज्ञातव्य है। ऐसा सम्यक् तत्त्वदर्शी पुरुष स्वयं ही लोकमहेश्वर बन जाता है।निम्न कारण से भी आत्मा लोकमहेश्वर है --

The very meaning that was indicated in the previous nine chapters is being expanded in this chapter through word-by-word readings.

And so He says—'Bhuya eva' (Again indeed). 'Listen to what is being told again to clarify the meaning already spoken.' Arjuna will also say the same thing—'Bhuyah kathaya' (Tell me again) (10.18). This is the purport of the chapter.

The rest is clearly explained by the text itself, so what is the use of repetition? However, what is doubtful will be decided.

From 'Bhuyah' up to 'Prithagvidha'. 'Asammoha' (freedom from delusion) means Enthusiasm (Utsaha).

To avoid redundancy with the meaning of the word 'Aja', he explains the word 'Anadi' as 'Ana' etc. 'Of all' (Sarvasya) applies to both parts. 'Ana' is derived from the root 'an' (to breathe/move) with the causative meaning implied, using the affix 'ach' (Pachadi class); (meaning the Energizer/Impeller).

Others say 'He who has no adi (cause) is Anadi'; that is incorrect, because it does not avoid the redundancy of meaning (with Aja). Hence he says 'Ajatvena' etc. By being 'Aja', the 'other' (causelessness) is established.

If it is said that this (Anadi) is stated as the cause for being Aja? Not so, because of the absence of grammatical cases (inflections) indicating that. Such an interpretation is resorted to only when there is no other way.

If it is objected, 'How can being the Energizer (cheshthakatva) be restated if it was not mentioned before?', we say no, because everything is included in 'Prabhava' (power).

Because the fruit is great, only a rare few know the Lord's power; so He says—

He who knows Me as 'Anadi'—having no 'adi' or cause because I am the cause of all; and because of being Anadi, as 'Aja' (birthless); and as the Great Lord of the worlds—

he, among mortals (men), being undeluded (devoid of delusion), is liberated from all sins, even those committed knowingly (mati-purva). 'Pramuchyate' (is liberated well) implies that by the uprooting of the cause, he becomes free in the form of the absence of even the impressions (samskaras) of sins.

Thus, having stated that without His grace, due to ignorance of Him, even the godhood of gods is born in vain; He now says that by knowledge through His grace, even humans attain excellence—'Yo mam ajam' etc.

He who, among men, knows Me as 'Aja'—free from defects like birth etc.; as 'Anadi'—eternal through His Leelas (divine plays) etc.; and as 'Loka-Maheshwara'—the Supreme Lord of the worlds capable of doing and undoing things; being 'Asammudha' (undeluded/free from negligence)—he is liberated from all sins, specifically those that obstruct devotion to Me. 'Pramuchyate' means he is liberated exceedingly; meaning he becomes devoid of human nature and attains a divine form.

He who knows Me as 'Aja' (Unborn) and 'Anadi' (Beginningless)—since I am the source (Adi) of the gods and great sages, and there exists no other source for Me, therefore I am Unborn and Beginningless (here, beginninglessness is the cause for being unborn)—he who knows Me thus as Unborn, Beginningless, and 'Loka-Maheshwara' (the Great Lord of the worlds)—the Turiya (Fourth state), devoid of ignorance and its effects; he, being 'Asammudha' (undeluded/free from delusion) among mortals (men), is liberated from all sins, whether committed knowingly or unknowingly.

And for this reason also I am the Great Lord of the worlds—

Therefore, since My origin is not obtainable even by the seers of Mantras, I am indeed 'Aja' (Unborn), to be known through Vedic experience. Everything else—qualities, nature (prakriti), ether (akasha), etc.—is indeed born, as per the Sruti 'From that Atman, ether was born' (Taittiriya Up. 2.1). And the souls connected with them, and even Hiranyagarbha, as per the Sruti 'Hiranyagarbha existed in the beginning; born, he was the one lord of beings' (Rig Veda 10.121.1).

I alone am 'Anadi'; I become the Unborn liberated soul (in Leela). The word 'Anadi' is used to signify that (the soul/others) are not beginningless; otherwise, if they conveyed the same meaning, a separate description would not have been made.

Therefore, I am the 'Maheshwara' (Controller) of all those worlds born below and connected with the Gunas. He who, being undeluded among mortals, knows Me thus—knows Me as distinct and unique in every sense, appearing among mortals by My own will—he is liberated from all sins that are the cause of Samsara and oppose the generation of Bhakti. The sentiment is, 'May you have such knowledge.'

यः who? माम् Me? अजम् unborn? अनादिम् beginningless? च and? वेत्ति knows? लोकमहेश्वरम् the great Lord of the worlds? असम्मूढः undeluded? सः he? मर्त्येषु amongst mortals? सर्वपापैः from all sins? प्रमुच्यते is liberated. Commentary As the Supreme Being is the cause of all the worlds? He is beginningless. As He is the source of the gods and the great sages? there is no source for His existence. As He is beginningless He is unborn. He is the great Lord of all the worlds.Asammudhah Undeluded. He who has realised that his own innermost Self is not different from the Supreme Self is an undeluded person. Through the removal of ignorance the delusion which is of the form of mutual superimposition between the Self and the notSelf is also removed. He is freed from all sins done consciously or unconsciously in the three periods of time.The ignorant man removes his sins through the performance of expiatory acts (Prayaschitta) and enjoyment of the results. But he is not completely freed from all sins because he continues to do sinful actions through the force of evil Samskaras or impressions because he has not eradicated ignorance? the root cause of all sins? and its effect? egoism and superimposition or the feeling of I in the physical body. As he dies? swayed by the forces of evil Samskaras? he engages himself in doing sinful actions in the next birth. But the sage of Selfrealisation is completely liberated from,all sins because ignorance? the root cause of all sins? and its effect? viz.? the mistaken notion that the body is the Self on account of mutual superimposition between the Self and the notSelf? is eradicated in toto along with the Samskaras and all the sins. The Samskaras are burnt completely like roasted seeds. Just as burnt seeds cannot germinate? so also the burnt Samskaras cannot generate further actions or future births.For the following reason also? I am the great Lord of the worlds.

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.
'For the following reason also I am the great Lord of the worlds:'

He who exists 'without being born' at any particular time unlike other beings is 'unborn' in the sense of being eternal. For, this attribute denotes a unie state distinct in kind both from insentient things which are subject to modifications, and from the self in Its state of involvement in Samsara when It is united with insentient matter. In that state the birth of the self involved in matter is generated by Karma. The temr 'Anadi', or without beginning, is used to distinguish the state of the Lord, which is distinct in kind, from that of the liberated state which is birthless but can be said to have a beginning. For, to the liberated self, the state of liberation has a beginning, because, in regard to this, conjunction with matter which deserves to be abandoned, existed previously. Hence the term 'Anadi' implies that the Lord is without such conjunction and does not deserve the same description. The Sruti also says: 'Him who is stainless' (Sve. U., 4.19).
Thus, he who is undeluded among the mortals understands Me as 'the great Lord of the worlds,' as the Lord of the lords of the worlds. My nature is incompatible with association with evil which has to be given up. What is called 'delusion' is the wrong knowledge of taking Me as one among other entities of the same kind. To be bereft of this delusion is to be 'undeluded'. Such a person is released from all sins which stand against the rise of Bhakti to Me.
The meaning is this: In this world, the king who rules over men is only like all those men. He has become a ruler by some good Karma. Such is not the case with the Lord of the gods (the Supreme Being). Even the lord of the cosmic egg (Brahma) is of the same class as other beings in Samsara, because he too is a created being coming within the threefold classification of beings according to the three innate tendencies for growth - namely Karma-bhavana, Brahma-bhavana and Ubhaya-bhavana. These three are described respectively as fitness to practise work alone, fitness to practise meditation alone and fitness to practise both together. Brahma comes under the third group. The Sruti also says, 'He who creates Brahma' (Sve. U., 6.18). The same is the case with all those who have acired the eight superhuman powers like becoming atomic etc. But I, the Supreme Being, is the great Lord of the worlds. He who is not subject to the delusion of regarding Me as of the same order as others, - such a person knows Me as distinct in kind from non-conscient matter in its states as cause and effect, from the self whether bound or free, and from everything else, on account of all of them being subject to My control. I am antagonistic to all that is evil and I am the sole centre of innumerable auspicious attributes, unsurpassed and incomparable. It is also My inherent nature to be the controller of everything. One who understands Me to be all this is released from every sin.
Thus, after showing the annihilation, by meditation on His nature, of all evil impeding the rise of Bhakti, and also of the rise of devotion, through implication, by the destruction of such opposing factors, Sri Krsna now explains the way in which Bhakti develops by meditation on His sovereign power and on the multitude of His auspicious attributes: