Chapter XVI - 90 Home | Index | Previous | Next

At this point, Arjuna interrupted Krishna. He asked, "Lord! You said, He is a Kavi! There are Kavis among ordinary mortals too. How then can you call the Lord too a Kavi and discredit Him? Or, does Kavi denote something special when applied to Him? Make that point a little clearer." Krishna said, "Kavi does not mean merely a poet; it means also one who is aware of the past, present and future and so it is a description of the Lord. He knows all; He sees all. Hence, the derivation of Kavi is mentioned as 'Sarvajna, Kraantha-darsi,' He who sees the next step. It is the Lord who revolves in every heart and effects changes from step to step. For all creation the Kavi is the motivator, the prime basis. He is the poet; His poem is all this." Arjuna again inquired, "Lord, secondly, you said 'Puraana,' that He is Puraana, or ancient; what is the significance of that?" Krishna replied, "Of course, the Lord is the most ancient, but He is as modern as He is ancient. He is Sanathanaa, primeval, beyond the beginning; He is also Noothana, new every moment. Puraana means, Puraa navamithi, formerly new, new every minute of the past and the present."

"What about the word, Anusaasitha?"

"Independent, unchecked, master. He lays down the conduct of all. The five elements execute His orders. They cannot overstep the limits laid down by Him. His laws govern also the inner world of all beings as no human law can. He operates in the regions of the mind."

"The fourth expression you used was that He is Anoraneeyan, subtler than the subtle."

"Subtle...? Perhaps, you thought that subtle indicates a diminutive microscopic body! No, no. The expression, 'subtler than the subtle' means, Nirguna, characteristicless, devoid of qualities; something that you cannot fathom with the help of the eye and the ear and the rest of the senses. A thing becomes subtler with the reduction of its characteristics; if it has more it is less subtle."

"Sabda Sparsa Roopa Rasa Gandha - these are the characteristics of the five elements - Akasa, Vayu, Agni, Jala, and Prithvi. Prithvi has all the five; Jala has only for; Agni has three: Roopa Sparsa and Sabda; Vayu has just Sparsa and Sabda; Akasa has only one, Sabda. That is to say, each of these is subtler than the rest and Akasa is the subtlest of all."

"This is self-evident. Prithvi or the earth is just stationary; water or Jala is subtler and so it flows. Agni or fire is subtler than water and so it rises up. Vayu or air which is even more subtle can travel on all sides. Akasa has just one characteristic, Sabda; it has no touch, or form or taste or scent; the Lord who is beyond these five elements has none of these characteristics. He is subtler than the subtlest. He is all-pervasive, immanent in all. It is the characteristic that makes a thing heavy. The Lord has no such burden; so, He is subtler than everything else."

Next