DESCENT OF THE SUPREME BEING

Note: The following explanation is only for advanced readers who have studied Gita for several years and are familiar with some Sanskrit terms. Readers should also visit our website:

http://www.gita-society.com/pdf/genesis.pdf

for a diagram showing this hierarchy of cosmic control that will make the following explanations more clear.

        In Vedic cosmology, the cosmic space (Ak|sha) is divided into five major zones: 1. Chid|k|sha, 2. Sad|k|sha,  3. Param|k|sha,  4. Brahm|nd|k|sha, and 5. Ghat|k|sha. The Supreme Being (1) resides in ParamaDh|ma (Supreme Abode, Gita 15.06), located in Chid|k|sha, the uppermost space. ShriKrishna is known here as Param|tm|, Supreme Being, Supersoul, ParaBrahma, Purushottama, Saccid|nanda, Absolute, Father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by various other names.

 (2) Akshar Brahma (Eternal Being or Atmā) is the expansion of   the SAT (or existence) nature of   Supreme   Being in Sadākāsha, as explained in Gita 10.42 and 14.27. Akshara Brahma, mentioned in Gita 8.03 and 15.16, has three major expansions (Pāda or natures). They are: (2a) Sat, (2b) Chitta or Sabal Brahma, and (2c) Ananda or Keval Brahma. Sat nature is also called Atmā or Parameshvara. Chitta nature has various other names, such as Chaitanya Braham, Consciousness, ParamaShiva, cosmic intellect, and Parātmā. Ananda, the blissful energy of Keval Brahma, is also called YogaMāyā (Gita 4.06, 7.25).

(2b) Chitta and (2c) Ananda natures combine to give rise to the fourth Pāda, the Avyakta Brahma or (3) Avyakta Akshara Brahma in Paramākāsha. This is known by various names such as the inexplicable Brahma, Avyakta, Adi Purusha, Adi Prakriti, Pradhān, Sarva Kārana Kārnam (the cause of all causes). Avyakta Brahma, a small fraction of the Absolute, expands into infinite cosmos, as mentioned in Gita 8.18 and 10.41. Paramākāsh is also the abode of major powers of YogaMāyā, such as: power to veil the real nature of things (Avaran Shakti), power to place obstructions (Vikshep Shakti), powers to multiply and become many (Vigrah Shakti), powers of cosmic intellect, knowledge, and action, and power of converting energy into matter and vice versa.

Lord Krishna is known as Golokinātha in Paramākāsha. Golokinātha (or Avyakta Brahma) has two  major  expansions: (3a) PranavaBrahma  (or BrahmaShiva) and (3b) Māyā Brahma. PranavaBrahma expands into (3a.1) Omkāra (or Nādashiva). Omkāra expands into (3a.1a) AUM (or Shiva) (Gita 10.25). PranavaBrahma also gives rise to (3a.2) Gāyatri (Gita 10.35) which is the abode of the Vedas (Gita 7.08).

 (3b) MāyāBrahma is a reflection of (2c) YogaMāyā in Paramākāsha.  It undergoes further successive transformations as: MahāMāyā, KālaMāyā and (3b.1)  Māyā (Gita 7.14).

The creative power of Māyā creates Brahmāndākāsha by a small fraction (Residual Energy) of her power. A Golden Egg or HiranyaGarbha (4) is also created by Māyā Devi in Brahmāndākāsh. AdiNārāyana (or Adi Purusha, Shambhu,  MahāDeva) and  MahāDevi (or Mother Nature/Ambā) remain in an inactive (YogaNidrā) state for over 311 trillion years (verse 9.07) in the Golden Egg until the cosmic sound vibration (or a big bang) of AUM activates the Golden Egg giving rise to (4a) Purusha (also known as Kshara Purusha, Nārāyana, MahāVishnu, Gita 7.05, 15.16) and (4b) Prakriti (also known as Nature, Gita 7.04). MahāVishnu creates infinite Cosmic Eggs (Brahmāndas) by His breathing power. Nature has three Gunas or modes (see Chapter 14). The combination of these three Gunas of Nature is called (4b.1) the Cosmic Mind (Mahatatattva, Tannamātrā or Mahat).

In Ghatākāsha (or Vishnu Loka), Nārāyana/MahāVishnu of Brahmāndākāsha appears as (5) Lord Vishnu where he is also called Kshirodak Vishnu, and he further expands his role as (5b) Brahmā and (5c) Shankara. Brahmā creates seven heavens, seven lower planets (Pātāls), Jambu islands, earth, and other hellish planets. During partial dissolution (Gita 8.17), the entire creation of Brahmā rests in the abdomen of Kshirodak Vishnu. Nārāyana also expands as Niranjan Deva and Ishvara. Niranjan Deva activates the cosmic mind (4b.1) and creates (5d) five basic elements (earth, water, fire, air, subtle space, also see Gita 7.04) that are further transformed into a body mass (Pind) made up of twenty four elements (See Gita 13.06 for more details), out of which physical bodies of living beings, Jeeva, on the earth are created when the Supreme Lord Krishna puts His seed of life force (see verses 7.10, 10.39, and 14.04) into the body mass (Pind) and resides in the inner psyche of all beings as Ishvara (see Gita verses 15.07 and 18.61). Jeeva transmigrates into 8.4 million species of life on the earth as long as it remains in bodily concept due to the veil of ignorance created by Māyā. Jeeva attains salvation when, by virtue of one’s good Karma, one obtains the grace of God, Gita, or a SadGuru, and truly realizes that he or she is not this physical body or a doer; but Atmā, a divine instrument and an integral part and parcel of the Supreme Being.  

Everything in Brahmāndākāsha and Ghatākāsha is called Kshara or temporal. Everything in Sadākāsha and  Paramākāsha, is called Akshara or eternal. The Supreme Being is beyond both temporal and eternal as stated in verse 15.18.

Reference: Fourth Revised English and Hindi Edition of the Gita Published by Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi