Meaning
Supreme God Krishna spoke
Intelligence, knowledge, freedom from delusion, forgiveness, truth, control of sense organs, tranquility of mind, joy, sorrow, birth, death, fear, and courage (—all these various attributes of mind and body originate from Me). (10:4)
Non-injury, equality, contentment, austerity, benevolence, renown, and dishonor—all these diverse states emerge from Me. (10:5)
Sanskrit
श्रीभगवान् उवाच
बुद्धिर्ज्ञानमसम्मोहः क्षमा सत्यं दमः शमः ।
सुखं दुःखं भवोऽभावो भयं चाभयमेव च ॥
Word-by-word
बुद्धिः, ज्ञानम्, अ-सम्-मोहः, क्षमा, सत्यम्, दमः, शमः,
सुखम्, दुःखम्, भवः, अ-भावः, भयम् च, अ-भयम् एव च;
Commentary
Among the various conditions of body and mind mentioned here, sorrow, death, and infamy may be considered as “undesirable” states. These states are manifestations of the triadic Nature (Prakriti). Typically, God is perceived as transcending these natural states. Nevertheless, it is crucial to bear in mind that the very source of Nature is God. Hence, indirectly, He becomes the origin of all aspects of both good and evil, regardless of whether they are actual or perceived.
It is important to note that, unlike the Abrahamic faiths, the Bhagavad-Gitā and the Bhagavad-Dharma do not attribute all evil to Satan, thus relieving God of sole responsibility. Instead, in the Bhagavad-Gitā, God takes direct or indirect responsibility for both good and evil. However, it’s crucial to recognize that notions of good and evil are subjective and shaped by human perspectives. What appears good from one viewpoint may seem bad from another.
In the absence of death, the world would become uninhabitable, leaving no room for new life. The existence of evil is essential for the concept of goodness to hold meaning. Nevertheless, the presence of significant evil in the world remains a perplexing issue, often referred to in Western philosophy and theology as the Problem of Evil. Further insight into this matter will be provided in the note on verse 10:36.