Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada

Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan

Now Krishna explains how He pervades all aspects of existence 

Bg 9.17

pitāham asya jagato
mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ
vedyaṁ pavitram oṁ-kāra
ṛk sāma yajur eva ca

Word for word: 

pitā — father; aham — I; asya — of this; jagataḥ — universe; mātā — mother; dhātā — supporter; pitāmahaḥ — grandfather; vedyam — what is to be known; pavitram — that which purifies; oṁ–kāra — the syllable oṁ; ṛk — the Ṛg Veda; sāma — the Sāma Veda; yajuḥ — the Yajur Veda; eva — certainly; ca — and.

Translation: 

I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

 

pitāham asya jagato, that I am the father of this whole universe, and not only I am the father mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ, I am the mother, I am the sustainer, I am the grandfather also, vedyaṁ pavitram oṁ-kāra, I am the one what is to be known and I am the sacred syllable, and pavitram, Krishna only purifies and ṛk sāma yajur eva ca, I am also the Vedas. 

So what is the point here what is the connection?

The point is in Vishwa Rupa Upasana, one starts conceiving of everything in universe as ultimately connected with and manifesting the Absolute Truth. 

So in this world we have different supports, different shelters, and Krishna is saying I am all of them, so I am the father, I am the mother, I am the grand father. So is this to be taken literally? So sometime statement were mentioned Matri Deva Bhava Pitri Devo Bhava, so is it literal sense that they are god, if they were god then we had two gods, mother wanted the son to become engineer and father wanted him to become doctor then which god the son would have followed the mother god or the father god? So the point is not to disrespect the parents but the point is to recognise in context, so in this world there are many which help us in advancing materially and spiritually so we are grateful to them but we have to also recognise that there is something which is ultimate reality so we are grateful to our parents but here the point Krishna is making is whoever are the shelters of this world ultimately it is manifestation of Him. So it is He who is benefitting us through those things. So it is He who is giving us shelter, so it is Krishna who is giving love, shelter strength through mother father and others. It is He who is giving us knowledge who is purifying us, He is giving us Vedas. So ultimately everything is coming form Him, ultimately everything gets its potencies through Him, that is how this verse is to be understood. And we will see this concept repeated in 10th Chapter in terms of Vibhuti, so here the focus is on seeing everything as connected with Him. 

SP Purport: may look bit confusing but he is emphasising Achintya Beda Abeda, the part is non different form the whole, because the part is also manifestation of the whole and the part is qualitatively similar to the whole.

End of transcription.