Devanagari
सर्गाणामादिरन्तश्च मध्यं चैवाहमर्जुन ।
अध्यात्मविद्या विद्यानां वाद: प्रवदतामहम् ॥ ३२ ॥
Verse text
sargāṇām ādir antaś ca
madhyaṁ caivāham arjuna
adhyātma-vidyā vidyānāṁ
vādaḥ pravadatām aham
Synonyms
sargāṇām
—
of all creations
;
ādiḥ
—
the beginning
;
antaḥ
—
end
;
ca
—
and
;
madhyam
—
middle
;
ca
—
also
;
eva
—
certainly
;
aham
—
I am
;
arjuna
—
O Arjuna
;
adhyātma-vidyā
—
spiritual knowledge
;
vidyānām
—
of all education
;
vādaḥ
—
the natural conclusion
;
pravadatām
—
of arguments
;
aham
—
I am.
Translation
Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
32. I am the creation, destruction and maintenance of all elements. Among types of knowledge, I am knowledge of the soul. Among types of debate I am vāda.
Translation (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
32. I am the creation, destruction and maintenance of all elements. Among types of knowledge, I am knowledge of the soul. Among types of debate, I am vāda.
Purport
Among the created manifestations, the first is the creation of the total material elements. As explained before, the cosmic manifestation is created and conducted by Mahā-viṣṇu, Garbhodaka-śāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodaka-śāyī Viṣṇu, and then again it is annihilated by Lord Śiva. Brahmā is a secondary creator. All these agents of creation, maintenance and annihilation are incarnations of the material qualities of the Supreme Lord. Therefore He is the beginning, the middle and the end of all creation.
For advanced education there are various kinds of books of knowledge, such as the four Vedas, their six supplements, the Vedānta-sūtra, books of logic, books of religiosity and the Purāṇas. So all together there are fourteen divisions of books of education. Of these, the book which presents adhyātma-vidyā, spiritual knowledge – in particular, the Vedānta-sūtra – represents Kṛṣṇa.
Among logicians there are different kinds of argument. Supporting one’s argument with evidence that also supports the opposing side is called jalpa. Merely trying to defeat one’s opponent is called vitaṇḍā. But the actual conclusion is called vāda. This conclusive truth is a representation of Kṛṣṇa.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
I am the creation (adiḥ) and destruction (antaḥ) of ether and other elements (sargāṇām), and the maintenance of them as well. One should meditate upon creation, maintenance and destruction as My vibhūtis. This means that I, the Supreme Lord, am the creator, maintainer and destroyer. Among types of knowledge, I am knowledge of the self. Among types of argumentation in order to establish ones own idea and defeat others ideas, such as jalpa and vitaṇḍa, I am vāda, which attempts to discern actual truth with the goal of coming to a conclusion. [Note: Vāda, jalpa and vitaṇḍa are famous as the three types of argument. When both parties desire to win by establishing their own opinion with proofs and arguments, and refuting the opponent’s view with circumvention (chala), false generalization (jāti) and syllogistic fault (nigraha-sthāna), it is called jalpa. When one party refutes the opponent’s view (by the above means), without establishing his own opinion, it is called vitaṇḍa. These two types of debate, with a desire to win, simply display skill in debating and bear no result. That discussion having a desire for truth is called vāda.]
Purport (Baladeva Vidyabhusana)
Among the things created out of matter, starting from mahat tattva, I am the beginning, the end and the middle. Their creation, maintenance and destruction should be thought of being My vibhūtis. In verse 20 Kṛṣṇa said aham ādiś ca madhyaṁ ca bhūtānām anta eva ca. His vibhūtis of creation, maintenance and destruction were in reference to the living entities, His conscious parts, in that verse. Thus there is no repetition in the present verse, since this refers to the material elements.
aṅgāni vedāś catvāro mīmāṁsā nyāya-vistaraḥ
dharma-śāstraṁ purāṇaṁ ca vidyā hy etāś caturdaśa
The four Vedas with its six aṅgas, [Note: Sikṣa (pronunciation), chanda (meter), vyākaraṇa (grammar), nirukta (meaning), jyotiṣa (astrology), and kalpa (ritual)are the six vedāṅgas.] mīmāṁsā, nyāya, [Note: It is unclear what these are nyāya can refer to Brahma Sūtras, or Gautama’s Nyāya, or logic in general. Mīmāṁsā can refer to karma mīmāṁsā doctrine.] dharma śastra, and purāṇas are considered the fourteen types of knowledge. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.6.28
Among these types of knowledge, I am the knowledge concerning ātmā, the knowledge of Vedānta with four chapters (catur lakṣāṇī vidyā) which defines paramātmā and His associates. [Note: The first chapter of Vedānta shows Brahman as the subject of the Vedas. The second chapter solves all contradictions with other scriptures. The third chapter deals with sādhana for attaining Brahman. The fourth chapter describes the attainment of Brahman.]
I am vāda of those who debate. Vāda, jalpa and vitaṇḍa are famous as the three types of argument. When both parties desire to win by establishing their own opinion with proofs and arguments, and refuting the opponent’s view with circumvention (chala), false generalization (jāti) and syllogistic fault (nigraha sthāna), it is called jalpa. When one party refutes the opponent’s view (by the above means), without establishing his own opinion, it is called vitaṇḍa. These two types of debate, with a desire to win, simply display skill in debating and bear no result. That discussion having a desire for truth is called vāda. Being outstanding for being fruitful in determining truth, vāda is My vibhūti.
Surrender Unto Me
In text 20, Krsna also said: "I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings (sentient beings)." Here He refers to non‑sentient beings.
In 'nyaya', or logic, there are different types of ways to get the truth. They are called: 'vitendra', 'vada', and 'jalpa'. Krsna here says: "I am vada, the natural conclusion." The difference is: 'vitendra' is when someone is arguing just concerned to defeat the other party, not really very concerned to find the truth. 'Jalpa' means that one wants to proof that he is correct and the others are wrong, regardless of who is actually correct. In 'vada' one wants to find out what the actual truth is by using argument and discussion to do that.