Question: Bhagavad Gita (BG) 7.4 purport indicates, “Intelligence refers to the total material creation, called the mahat-tattva.” What is the explanation behind this statement?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
The word “Buddhi” in the list of elements means “mahat-tattva” according to Baladeva Vidyabhusana. Buddhi is a common term used to indicate mahat-tattva in other scriptures.
Buddhi is commonly translated as “INTELLIGENCE.” These two terms are 100% identical: simply one term is in Sanskrit, and the other term is in English.
Read SB 3.5.27, which is part of a description of the unfolding of creation.
Note especially the first sentence from the purport below:
“The mahat-tattva is the total consciousness because a portion of it is represented in everyone as the intellect. The mahat-tattva is directly connected with the supreme consciousness of the Supreme Being, but still it appears as matter. The mahat-tattva, or shadow of pure consciousness, is the germinating place of all creation. It is pure goodness with the slight addition of the material mode of passion, and therefore activity is generated from this point.”
The “intellect” mentioned above is material intellect.
As mentioned above, Buddhi is commonly translated as “INTELLIGENCE.”
There is spiritual intelligence in the spiritual world or material intelligence as one of the material elements in the material world. This spiritual intelligence has its reflection or shadow within the material atmosphere, contaminated by the modes of nature.
The SB 3.5.27 purport above reads: “[mahat-tattva] is pure goodness with the slight addition of the material mode of passion.” Later in chapter 5 of Canto 3, we find that ahankara (false ego) mixing with the mode of passion manifests material intelligence.
