The Cause of All Causes
Sukadeva Goswami now delves into a profound philosophical discussion about the nature of the Supreme Absolute Truth and how all things in creation emanate from Him. He explains the concept of Brahman as being simultaneously one and many - one in essence but unlimited in manifestations. Just as countless rays emanate from the sun but the sun remains one, countless worlds, beings, and atoms emanate from the Supreme Lord but He remains one, unchanged, and complete. The Lord is the cause of all causes - the reason why anything exists at all. Nothing can exist or function without His presence and permission. Even the greatest demigods, the most brilliant philosophers, and the most powerful kings are merely servants executing the plans of this Supreme Cause.
The chapter explains the relationship between the Lord and His creation in terms of simultaneous oneness and difference (Acintya-Bheda-Abheda-tattva). The creation is not separate from the Lord in the sense that nothing can exist without Him, yet it is different from Him in the sense that the Lord is not the creation itself. The Lord is like the dreamer, and creation is like the dream - fully dependent on the dreamer yet appearing as something separate. The Supreme Lord is completely transcendental to the material creation yet intimately present within it. He is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest, pervading everything while remaining detached from everything.
Sukadeva describes how the Lord manifests His creative energy through the three gunas (qualities of nature): sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance). These three qualities are like the three strands of a rope that make up all material manifestation. From these gunas arise the five great elements (ether, air, fire, water, and earth), the senses, the mind, the ego, and the intellect. All of creation is born from these combinations and permutations of the gunas and elements. However, the Lord Himself is beyond these qualities and is never affected by them, though He creates and controls them. His energy is so immense that it expands to create and maintain entire universes, yet He remains whole and undivided.
The chapter emphasizes that the ultimate purpose of understanding the Cause of all causes is not merely intellectual satisfaction but practical transformation. When one truly understands that everything is the Lord's energy and that everything happens under His direction, one stops blaming others for problems and stops seeking credit for achievements. One understands that the Lord is running the show, and all one's duty is to execute their prescribed role to the best of their ability while remaining humble and grateful to the Supreme Controller. This understanding brings tremendous peace and freedom from unnecessary worry and anxiety.
Sukadeva concludes by explaining that the highest philosophical knowledge is not merely to know that the Lord is the cause of all causes in an abstract sense, but to develop a personal relationship with this Supreme Cause. The Lord is not a distant, impersonal force but a living reality with whom one can interact, communicate, and develop love. The path of devotion teaches one to approach this Supreme Cause not with intellectual arguments but with the heart full of love, gratitude, and the desire to serve. Those who achieve this understanding and cultivate love for the Supreme Cause experience the ultimate fulfillment and are freed from all fear and anxiety, for they know that they are in the hands of the most loving, most powerful, and most merciful reality in existence.