BG 14.3

The total material substance, called Brahman, is the source of birth, and it is that Brahman that I impregnate, making possible the births of all living beings, O son of Bharata.

14.3. The mighty Brahman is a womb for Me; and in That I lay seed; therefrom is the birth of all beings, O descendant of Bharata !

14.3 The eternal Cosmos is My womb, in which I plant the seed, from which all beings are born, O Prince!

14.3 Mama etc. For Me : [For Me] Who am of the nature of the inexplicable Supreme Bliss, the mighty Brahman : the Brahman that is identical with My own energy, allowing expansion [of all in It]. Taking hold of just My own energy of Self-consciousness, I cause the beginningless tiny [individual] Souls to pass through the cycle of birth and death by way of favouring them. Therefore-

14.3 In that great brahman forming my womb, I lay the germ. The non-conscient Prakrti is alluded to in the text 'Earth, water, fire, air, ether, Manas, Buddhi and Ahankara - thus My Prakrti is eightfold' (7.4-5). This Prakrti is designated here by the name 'the great brahman' by reason of its being the cause of modifications like the Mahat, the Ahankara etc. In the Srutis also, here and there, even the Prakrti is designated as brahman, as in: 'He who is all-knowing, all-wise, whose austerity consists of knowledge - from Him are produced this brahman as also food, i.e., the universe of name and form' (Mun. U., 1.1.9) The higher Prakrti, which is the mass of conscient selves, alluded to in the passage, 'Know My higher Prakrti to be distinct from this; it is the life-principle' (7.5). It is here expressed by the term 'Garbha', the source or womb in which all living beings originate. I lay the germ, constituting the mass of conscious beings, in that great brahman, which is non-conscient and forms the womb. From that conjunction between the two Prakrtis, brought about by My will is brought forth the origin of all entities from Brahma down to tuft to grass. He continues to say: 'I Myself bring about the conjunction of the conscient and unconscient Prakrtis in the manifested state of effect'.

14.3 Mama, My own Maya, i.e. Prakrti consisting of the three alities, which belongs to Me; is the yonih, womb [Here Ast. adds 'karanam, cause' (-off all the creatures).-Tr.] for all the creatures. Since it (Prakrti) is great (mahat) as compared with all its effects, and it is the sustainer (brahma) [Prakrti is brahma since it permeates all of its own products.-A.G.] of all its own transformations, therefore the womb itself is alified as mahat brahma. Tasmin, in that, in the womb which is the great-sustainer; aham, I, God, possessed of the power in the form of the two aspects, viz the field and the Knower of the field; dadhami, place, deposit; garbham, the seed-the seed of the birth of Hiranayagarbha, te seed which is the cause of the birth of all things-; i.e., I bring the field into association with the Knower of the field who conforms to the nature of the limiting adjuncts, viz ignorance, desire and activity. Tatah, from that, from that deposition of the seed; O scion of the Bharata dynasty, bhavati, occurs; sambhavah, the birth, origination; sarva-bhutanam, of all things, following the birth of Hiranyagarbha.

14.3 My womb is the great brahman (i.e. Prakrti). In that I lay the germ. From that, O Arjuna, is the birth of all beings.

14.3 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.