Bhagavad Gita Chapter 14, Verse 3

English Translation

My womb is the great-sustainer. In that I place the seed. From that, O scion of the Bharata dynasty, occurs the birth of all things.

Detailed Commentary

Māma yonir mahad-brahma – Here, the primordial Prakriti is referred to as Mahad-Brahma. There can be several reasons for this, such as – (1) The Supreme Being is devoid of both small and large things; He is the subtlest of the subtle and the greatest of the great, as stated in 'aṇoraṇīyān mahato mahīyān' (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 3.20). From the perspective of the world, primordial Prakriti is the largest entity; hence, it is called Mahad-Brahma. (2) It is called Mahad-Brahma because it is situated between Mahat (intellect) and Brahma (the Supreme Self). (3) Through the Sarga (creation) and Pralaya (dissolution) mentioned in the previous verse, the day and night of Brahmā can be understood. The term Mahad-Brahma is used to indicate that enlightened beings (Mahapurushas) sever their connection with primordial Prakriti, and therefore, the Mahasarga (great creation) and Mahapralaya (great dissolution) have no effect on them. Being the origin of all, this primordial Prakriti is called Yoni (womb/source). From this, infinite universes originate and merge back into it. Infinite powers arise from this. Bhagavān says that this Prakriti is Mine and can do nothing without My will (Gita 9.10). To convey that 'I am Parabrahma, superior even to primordial Prakriti (Mahad-Brahma),' Bhagavān used 'Māma mahad-brahma'. The Jiva, turning away from the Paramatma, associates itself with Prakriti and becomes bound by its connection with the actions of the Gunas. Therefore, Bhagavān says that the Jiva's true connection is with Me, the Paramatma; hence, one should not fall by becoming bound to Prakriti. Tasmin garbham dadhāmyaham – The term 'garbham' (embryo/seed) refers to Jivas accompanied by their Karmic impressions (sanskāras). Bhagavān does not place new embryos. The Jivas who have been in the cycle of birth and death (samsara) since time immemorial merge into Prakriti at the time of Mahapralaya (Gita 9.7). When the Karmas of the Jivas ripen and are ready to bear fruit, Bhagavān re-establishes their connection at the beginning of the Mahasarga. This is Bhagavān placing the aggregate of Jivas, in the form of a garbha, into Prakriti, the yoni. Sambhavah sarvabhūtānām tato bhavati Bharata – After Bhagavān's action, all beings originate; they take on subtle and gross bodies. This origination itself is Bhagavān's 'tyāga' (relinquishment) and 'ādikarma' (primordial action) (Gita 8.3). As long as the Jiva is not liberated, it merges into Prakriti along with its causal body (Kāraṇa Sharīra). Connection – The origin of the world has been explained in the previous verse; now, the next verse will describe the origin of bodies.