Chapter 15
Puruṣottama-yoga
Knowing the Supreme Person
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: They speak of an imperishable Aśvattha tree having roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns—one who knows that tree knows the Vedas.
śrī-bhagavān uvāca ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam | chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit || 1 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Nourished by the guṇas, its branches extend both above and below, with sense objects as shoots. The roots, which bind to action, extend downward into the human world.
adhaś cordhvaṁ prasṛtās tasya śākhā guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ | adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke || 2 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Its form as thus described cannot be perceived in this world—neither its beginning, end, nor foundation. After cutting down this deep-rooted Āśvattha tree with the firm weapon of detachment, thereafter that abode should be sought, from which, once attained, one does not return, declaring, “I surrender to the primordial Lord, from whom this ancient cosmic manifestation has emanated.”
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā | aśvattham enaṁ suvirūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā tataḥ || 3 || padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ | tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī || 4 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The undeluded ones who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the defect of attachment and are constantly devoted to the spiritual path, who have rejected selfish desires and are liberated from the dualities of pleasure and pain, attain that imperishable abode.
nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ | dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñair gacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat || 5 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
That realm is not illumined by the Sun or the Moon, nor by fire. Having reached that supreme abode of Mine, one does not return again.
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ | yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama || 6 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
An eternal particle of Myself becomes embodied as the jīva in the world of mortal beings. It takes on the six senses, including the mind, which are situated in prakṛti.
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ | manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati || 7 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
When the ātmā departs from one body and acquires another, it leaves, carrying along these six senses, just as the wind carries fragrances from a source.
śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ | gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt || 8 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Using the ear, the eye, the sense of touch, the tongue, the nose, and the mind, the jīva experiences the sense objects.
śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ | sparśanaṁ ca rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva ca adhiṣṭhāya manaś cāyaṁ viṣayān upasevate || 9 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The deluded ones cannot perceive the Self associated with the guṇas as it remains in the body, experiences sense objects, or departs from the body. Only those who possess the eye of knowledge can perceive it.
utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam | vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ || 10 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
The striving yogīs can perceive this ātmā residing within themselves, but those who have not perfected their mind and lack awareness cannot behold it, despite striving.
yatanto yoginaś cainaṁ paśyanty ātmany avasthitam | yatanto ’py akṛtātmāno nainaṁ paśyanty acetasaḥ || 11 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Know that the light of the Sun, which illumines the entire universe, as well as the brilliance in the Moon and in fire, are Mine alone.
yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam | yac candramasi yac cāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam || 12 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Pervading the Earth, I sustain all beings with My energy. Becoming the Moon, full of nectar, I nourish all herbs.
gām āviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā | puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ || 13 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
As the digestive fire dwelling in the body of living beings, and joining with the prāṇa and apāna, I digest the four kinds of food.
ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśritaḥ | prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pacāmy annaṁ catur-vidham || 14 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
I dwell in the hearts of all. From Me arise knowledge, memory, and forgetfulness. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas. I am the creator of Vedānta and the sole knower of the Vedas.
sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca | vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham || 15 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
There are two puruṣas in this world: the perishable and the imperishable. All material beings are perishable, while the immutable Self is imperishable.
dvāv imau puruṣau loke kṣaraś cākṣara | eva ca kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ’kṣara ucyate || 16 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
But different from these is the Supreme Puruṣa, described as the Paramātma, the unchanging Lord who pervades and maintains the three worlds.
uttamaḥ puruṣas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛtaḥ | yo loka-trayam āviśya bibharty avyaya īśvaraḥ || 17 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Because I am beyond the perishable and also higher than the imperishable, I am known as the Supreme Puruṣa in the world and in the Vedas.
yasmāt kṣaram atīto ’ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ | ato ’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ || 18 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
One who is not deluded and thus understands Me as the Supreme Puruṣa knows all and worships Me with the entirety of their being, O descendant of Bharata.
yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam | sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata || 19 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
O sinless one, in this way, the most secret teaching has been revealed by Me. By understanding it, one becomes truly wise and accomplished in all respects.
iti guhyatamaṁ śāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha | etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛta-kṛtyaś ca bhārata || 20 ||
↓ Word-for-word meaning
Continue Exploring
Continue to the next chapter or move into chanting and reflection.