हरि सर्वोत्तम । वायु जीवोत्तम । श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः ।
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Bhagavad Gita 15: Puruṣottama Yoga
हरि सर्वोत्तम । वायु जीवोत्तम । श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः ।
अथ पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः
पुरुषोत्तमयोगः
श्रीभगवानुवाच
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥ १५।१ ॥
Śrī Bhagavān said –
It is said that this world is called the indestructible Aśvattha tree – so called because it does not remain tomorrow as it is today and is constantly changing – and has upward roots which are the Supreme ones, Viśṇu, the intelligent and nonintelligent Prakṛti and that its branches are the inferior entities viz., the five Bhūtas, Mahat, Ahankāra and Buddhi Tattvas and that its leaves are the Vedas – He who knows that is the knower of Vedas.
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः ।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥ १५।२ ॥
The branches of that tree nourished by the Guṇas of which the objects of the senses are the tender sprouts, are spread downwards (connected with the bodies) and upwards (connected with the Prakṛti their original cause): the roots of this tree spread completely over the branches and yield fruits in accordance with the Karma of the beings (Hence they are said to follow karma).
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते
नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा ।
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलं
असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥ १५।३ ॥
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं
यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः ।
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये ।
यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ॥ १५।४ ॥
The nature of this world-tree (Aśvattha) is not perceived, as it is ever undergoing modifications nor is that Lord perceived Who is the beginning and end of this Univese though He has well entered into the tree of the Univese. This Aśvattha tree which is firmly established is to be cut by the knife of knowledge born out of non-attachment (i.e. it should be well understood that God and Prakṛti are different and that this changeable universe is ever subordinate to God). Thereafter that Brahman after attaining Whom the souls do not return back to this world should be sought after by studying, thinking and contemplating so that one may be directly released. That original Puruṣa from whom streamed forth the original current of Samsāra should be resorted to.
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा
अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः ।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैर्-
गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ॥ १५।५ ॥
Those who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are constantly devoted to the Supreme Lord, whose sensual desires have completely disappeared and who are free from the pairs of opposites (such as gain and loss, success and defeat, pleasure and pain) and who get over delusion caused by Rajas and Tamas) attain the imperishable Supreme State of Mokṣa.
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः ।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥ १५।६ ॥
The sun does not illuminate that Divine form nor the Moon, nor the Fire; having reached that Supreme form of Mine, they do not return to Samsāra.
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः ।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥ १५।७ ॥
The entities that dwell on the bodies of Brahma and others are eternal and are separate Amśas of Mine (being similar to Me); that Jīva draws towards sense objects the senses which are six in number including the mind, and which rest in Prakṛti.
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः ।
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ॥ १५।८ ॥
The Lord carries with Him the six senses along with the Jīva both at the time of entry into Jīva’s body and departure therefrom, just as the wind carries fragrance from flowers, their abode.
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च ।
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥ १५।९ ॥
Standing as the guide in the ear, eye, touch, taste, smell and mind, the Lord enjoys the object of the senses.
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् ।
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥ १५।१० ॥
The deluded do not perceive Him when He departs from this body or stays within it or enjoys that which is excellent. Those however, that possess the eye of wisdom perceive Him.
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् ।
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ॥ १५।११ ॥
Yogis that strive, perceive Him residing in their self, but those ignorant persons whose minds are impure do not see Him though they strive.
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम् ।
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ॥ १५।१२ ॥
That lustre in the Sun which illuminates the whole world, that which is in the Moon, that which is in the Fire, know them all to be Mine (as being under My control and emanated from Me).
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा ।
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः ॥ १५।१३ ॥
Entering into the earth, I support all beings by My Vital Energy; and being in Moon who is of the nature of ambrosia, I nourish all plants.
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः ।
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥ १५।१४ ॥
Under the name of Vaiśvānara (Who is Agni in every one’s stomach) and united with Prāṇa and Apāna (life-breath forms of Mukhyaprāṇa) I digest the four kinds of food.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो
मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनञ्च ।
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो
वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ॥ १५।१५ ॥
I am lodged in the hearts of all; from Me proceed memory, knowledge and misapprehension. I am indeed He who is to be known by all the Vedas; I am the author of Vedānta (Brahmasūtra which give the correct interpretation of all Vedas) and I alone possess the knowledge of what the Vedas proclaim.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च ।
क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते ॥ १५।१६ ॥
In this world, there are two kinds of Puruśās – the Kṣara (perishable) comprising all beings and the Ākṣara (imperishable) that is unchanging like the sky.
Note : The Kṣaras are all Jīvas from Brahma downwards as their physical bodies perish and Akṣara is Mahālakṣmī who is unchanging like Ākāśa (the sky). She possesses the activity and the energy of a male person, hence, the use of masculine gender.
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः ।
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः ॥ १५।१७ ॥
The most exalted person is different from both Kṣara and Akṣara and is described as Paramātman, the Supreme Lord. He, entering the three worlds, sustains them and is the Imperishable Ruler of Supreme Powers that stagger imagination.
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः ।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ १५।१८ ॥
For the reason that I surpass the Kṣara the perishable, and that I am far superior to Akṣara the imperishable Mahālakṣmī, I am known as Puruṣottama, both in the world of works written by the seers and in the Vedas.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् ।
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत ॥ १५।१९ ॥
O Bhārata, he who undeluded knows Me thus to be the Supreme Lord, he is the knower of the meaning of all sastras and worships Me with full fledged devotion.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ ।
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत ॥ १५।२० ॥
O Bhārata, thus this most secret Śāstra (teaching) has been imparted to you by Me. O sinless one, having known this, a man will become wise, realise the Lord and attain salvation.
ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे
पुरुषोत्तमयोगो नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १५॥
Thus ends the Fifteenth Chapter of the Upanisads of the Bhagavad Gīta entitled “Puruṣottama Yoga”, the Yoga of the Supreme Person.
Reference: Srimad Bhagavad Gita pocket book published by Suguna Samsath with English translation by Shri Bannanje Govindacharya (Received with blessings from HH Shri Shri Sugunendra Tirtha Swamiji of Puttige Matha in Austin, TX, Nov 1997)
Transliterated by Krishna Rao Vijayanagar and Raghunath Rao
“Do your Best … and leave the Rest … “
॥ सर्वं श्री कृष्णार्पणं अस्तु ॥
