The 5 things mentioned above namely Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether are the creations of God which are sensed by us using our materialistic senses. The last three things namely Mind, Intelligence and False Ego are the mental activities which also lead to dillusion. These all things are just offshoot’s from Krishna’s energies and are his separated materialistic energies.

Let’s look at another verse as given below:

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ

prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām

jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho

yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

In this verse Shri Krishna explains that apart from his inferior nature which includes matter which is manifested in different forms using elements such as fire, earth, water, ether, air, mind, intelligence and false ego, there is also another side which is his superior energy which controls all the matter and the entire cosmos. Without his superior energy the cosmos cannot function.

Another verse explains this idea further:

etad-yonīni bhūtāni

sarvāṇīty upadhāraya

ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ

prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā

In this verse the great lord tells to Arjun that anything that is present in this universe whether materialistic or spiritual has it’s origin as well as dissolution in him. Everything comes out of him and at last goes into him.

Let’s look at the next verse:

mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat

kiñcid asti dhanañjaya

mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ

sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva

In this verse he explains that there is no truth superior to Lord Krishna. Everything is present in him like the pearls are strung on a thread. He tells that there is nothing superior to him and everything exists upon him.

Lets look at the next verse:

raso ‘ham apsu kaunteya

prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ

praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu

śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu

In this verse he tells that he is the taste in water, the light in the Sun and the Moon, he is OM in the Vedic hymns. He is the all pervading sound and he is the ability in a man. It is due to him that the sun and the moon have light. OM is the representation of Shri Krishna which is spoken before every Vedic mantra(hymn).

Let’s look at the next verse:

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca

tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau

jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

In this verse Shri Krishna explains that he is the aroma of the earth as well as the heat in the fire. It’s due to him that life exists within every living being and he is the penance of ascetics.

Stay tuned for part 2.