Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 32 (BG 10.32) — Meaning, Translation & Commentary

10.32 सर्गाणाम् among creations? आदिः the beginning? अन्तः the end? च and? मध्यम् the middle? च and? एव also? अहम् I? अर्जुन O Arjuna? अध्यात्मविद्या the science of the Self? विद्यानाम् among sciences? वादः logic? प्रवदताम् among controversialists? अहम् I.Commentary I am the metaphysics among all sciences. I am knowledge of the Self among all branches of knowledge. I am the argument of dators. I am the logic of disputants. I am the speech of orators.In verse 20 above the Lord says? I am the beginning? the middle and the end of the whole movable and immovable creation. Here the whole creation in general is referred to.As the knowledge of the Self leads to the attainment of the final beatitude of life or salvation? it is the chief among all branches of knowledge.Pravadatam By the word controversialists? we should here understand the various kinds of people using various kinds of argumentation in logic such as Vada? Jalpa and Vitanda. Yada is a way of arguing by which one gets at the truth of a certain estion. The aspirants who are free from RagaDvesha and jealousy raise amongst themselves estions and answers and enter into discussions on philosophical problems in order to ascertain and understand the nature of the Truth. They do not argue in order to gain victory over one another. This is Vada. Jalpa is wrangling in which one asserts his own opinion and refutes that of his opponent. Vitanda is idle carping at the arguments of ones opponents. No attempt is made to establish the other side of the estion. In Jalpa and Vitanda one tries to defeat another. There is desire for victory.

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# BG 10.32 I am the beginning, the end, and the middle of all creation. Among all beings, I am the Self. Among the sciences, I am the science of the Self. Among arguments, I am the conclusive debate. --- ## Commentary Before describing His divine manifestations, the Blessed Lord Krishna makes this general declaration. He has already revealed that He is the Self dwelling within every creature and object. Now He presents Himself as the very foundation and substratum of all existence. No substance can exist apart from its essential material cause. An ornament cannot exist without gold, a wave cannot exist without the ocean, and a pot cannot exist without clay. In the same way, the material cause must necessarily underlie all names and forms. Through this declaration, the Lord speaks from the perspective of His presence in all beings—He is the beginning, middle, and end of all creation. The birth, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe all occur within Him. Just as all objects are illuminated by the light of the sun, and become visible only through the sun's reflection upon them, so too is the sun the eye of all eyes in perceiving material objects. Similarly, among all branches of knowledge, the knowledge of the Self is called the royal science—the supreme knowledge that illuminates all other sciences. The three types of argumentation in life are: jalpa (debate for victory), vitanda (mere refutation without establishing one's own position), and vada (rational discussion for determining truth). In jalpa and vitanda, both parties aim only at victory or testing strength. But vada aims at and results in the determination of truth. Therefore, the Lord declares: Among the forms of argumentation, I am vada—the conclusive debate that seeks truth.