Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 – Puruṣottama Yoga
atha paṃcadaśo'dhyāyaḥ
śloka 1
śrībhagavānuvāca |
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam |
chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit ||15-1||
Translation
The blessed Bhagavan said: (The wise person) speaks of this world-tree as having roots above and branches below, as the Ashvattha and imperishable; its leaves are the Vedas; he who knows this (world-tree) is a knower of the Vedas.
śloka 2
adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā
guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ |
adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke ||15-2||
Translation
The branches of that tree, nourished by the qualities, spread below and above; the (five) sense-objects are its shoots; its other roots, which follow actions in the human world, extend downward.
śloka 3 and 4
na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādirna ca sampratiṣṭhā |
aśvatthamenaṃ suvirūḍhamūlaṃ
asaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ||15-3||
tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavyaṃ
yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ |
tameva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye |
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī ||15-4||
Translation
The form of this (world-tree) as described is not perceived here as such, for it has neither beginning nor end nor foundation. Having cut down this Ashvattha tree with roots firmly fixed, using the firm weapon of non-attachment... (Thereafter) one should seek that abode, having attained which people do not return to the world again. "I take refuge in that primal Purusha from whom this ancient flow has emanated."
śloka 5
nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā
adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ |
dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṃjñair-
gacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat ||15-5||
Translation
Those whose pride and delusion have ceased, who have overcome the defect of attachment, who are established in the Self, whose desires have ceased, and who are free from the dualities of pleasure and pain—such wise persons free from delusion attain that imperishable abode.
śloka 6
na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ |
yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama ||15-6||
Translation
Neither the sun illumines it, nor the moon, nor fire. That which, having attained, people do not return (to the world) again—that is My supreme abode.
śloka 7
mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ |
manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ||15-7||
Translation
In this world of beings, an eternal portion of Mine alone has become the jiva. Dwelling in Prakriti, it (at the time of leaving the body) draws the five senses and the mind toward itself—that is, gathers them in.
śloka 8
śarīraṃ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ |
gṛhītvaitāni saṃyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt ||15-8||
Translation
When the Lord (the Jiva) departs from (one body), He takes these (senses and mind) and carries them to another body, just as the wind carries fragrance from its abode (flowers, etc.).
śloka 9
śrotraṃ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ ca rasanaṃ ghrāṇameva ca |
adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṃ viṣayānupasevate ||15-9||
Translation
(This Jiva) dwells in and experiences objects through these senses—hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell—and through the mind.
śloka 10
utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam |
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ ||15-10||
Translation
The deluded do not see the Atman united with the Gunas—whether departing from the body, dwelling in it, or enjoying objects; but those with the eye of knowledge behold Him.
śloka 11
yatanto yoginaścainaṃ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam |
yatanto'pyakṛtātmāno nainaṃ paśyantyacetasaḥ ||15-11||
Translation
The Yogis behold the Atman dwelling in their hearts through effort; but those with impure inner being and lacking discrimination do not see Him even when they strive.
śloka 12
yadādityagataṃ tejo jagadbhāsayate'khilam |
yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam ||15-12||
Translation
The radiance that dwells in the sun and illumines the entire world, and that which is in the moon and in fire—know that radiance to be Mine alone.
śloka 13
gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamojasā |
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ ||15-13||
Translation
I alone, having entered the earth, sustain all beings by My energy; and becoming the moon of the nature of nectar, I nourish all herbs and plants.
śloka 14
ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṃ dehamāśritaḥ |
prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṃ caturvidham ||15-14||
Translation
I alone, dwelling in the bodies of all beings as the Vaishvanara fire, digest the four kinds of food in union with Prana and Apana.
śloka 15
sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtirjñānamapohanañca |
vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo
vedāntakṛdvedavideva cāham ||15-15||
Translation
I alone dwell in the hearts of all beings. From Me arise memory, knowledge and their absence. I am the object to be known through all the Vedas; I am also the knower of the Vedanta and of the Vedas.
śloka 16
dvāvimau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca |
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho'kṣara ucyate ||15-16||
Translation
In this world there are two Purushas—the perishable (Kshara) and the imperishable (Akshara). All beings are perishable; the unchanging (Kutastha) is called the imperishable.
śloka 17
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmetyudhāhṛtaḥ |
yo lokatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ ||15-17||
Translation
But the supreme Purusha is different—He is called the Paramatman, the imperishable Lord who, having entered the three worlds, sustains all.
śloka 18
yasmātkṣaramatīto'hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ |
ato'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ||15-18||
Translation
Because I transcend the perishable and am superior even to the imperishable, I am renowned in the world and in the Vedas as Purushottama.
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