Puruṣhottam Yog

Verse 15.1

श्री भगवानुवाचऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्।।15.1।।

śhrī-bhagavān uvācha ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit

Lord Shri Krishna continued: This phenomenal creation, which is both ephemeral and eternal, is like a tree, with its seed above in the Highest and its ramifications below on this earth. The scriptures are its leaves, and he who understands this knows.

Verse 15.2

अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः।अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके।।15.2।।

adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke

Its branches shoot upwards and downwards, deriving their nourishment from the qualities; its buds are the objects of sense; and its roots, which follow the law, causing man's regeneration and degeneration, pierce downwards into the soil.

Verse 15.3

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा।अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा।।15.3।।

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā

In this world, its true form is not known, neither its origin nor its end, and its strength is not understood—until the tree, with its roots striking deep into the earth, is hewn down by the sharp axe of non-attachment.

Verse 15.4

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्य यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी।।15.4।।

tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ tam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadye yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī

Beyond lies the path, from which, once found, there is no return. This is the Primal God from whom this ancient creation has sprung.

Verse 15.5

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्।।15.5।।

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣhā adhyātma-nityā vinivṛitta-kāmāḥ dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-sanjñair gachchhanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat

The wise attain Eternity when, freed from pride and delusion, they have conquered their love for the things of sense; when, renouncing desire and fixing their gaze on the Self, they cease to be tossed to and fro by the opposing sensations, such as pleasure and pain.

Verse 15.6

न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।15.6।।

na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire shines there. Those who go there never come back. For, O Arjuna, that is my celestial home!

Verse 15.7

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।।15.7।।

mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati

It is only a very small part of My Eternal Self, which is the life of the universe, that draws around itself the six senses, with the mind being the last, which have their source in Nature.

Verse 15.8

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्।।15.8।।

śharīraṁ yad avāpnoti yach chāpy utkrāmatīśhvaraḥ gṛihītvaitāni sanyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśhayāt

When the Supreme Lord enters a body or leaves it, He gathers these senses together and travels with them, as the wind gathers perfume while passing through the flowers.

Verse 15.9

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते।।15.9।।

śhrotraṁ chakṣhuḥ sparśhanaṁ cha rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva cha adhiṣhṭhāya manaśh chāyaṁ viṣhayān upasevate

He is the perception of the ear, the eye, the touch, the taste, the smell, and the mind; and the enjoyment of the things they perceive is also His.

Verse 15.10

उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्।विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः।।15.10।।

utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam vimūḍhā nānupaśhyanti paśhyanti jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ

The ignorant do not see that it is He who is present in life and departs at death, or even that it is He who enjoys pleasure through the qualities. Only the eye of wisdom sees this.

Verse 15.11

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः।।15.11।।

yatanto yoginaśh chainaṁ paśhyanty ātmany avasthitam yatanto ‘py akṛitātmāno nainaṁ paśhyanty achetasaḥ

The saints, with great effort, find Him within themselves; however, the unintelligent, despite their efforts, cannot control their minds.

Verse 15.12

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्।।15.12।।

yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam yach chandramasi yach chāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam

Remember that the light which proceeds from the sun, illuminating the whole world, and the light which is in the moon, and that which is in the fire, all are born of me.

Verse 15.13

गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा।पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः।।15.13।।

gām āviśhya cha bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā puṣhṇāmi chauṣhadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ

I enter this world and animate all My creatures with My vitality; and by My cool moonbeams, I nourish the plants.

Verse 15.14

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्।।15.14।।

ahaṁ vaiśhvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśhritaḥ prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pachāmy annaṁ chatur-vidham

Becoming the fire of life, I pass into their bodies and, uniting with the vital streams of Prāṇa and Apāna, I digest the various kinds of food.

Verse 15.15

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च।वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्।।15.15।।

sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭo mattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham

I am enthroned in the hearts of all; memory, wisdom, and discrimination owe their origins to Me. I am He Who is to be realized in the scriptures; I inspire their wisdom, and I know their truth.

Verse 15.16

द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते।।15.16।।

dvāv imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaśh chākṣhara eva cha kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ’kṣhara uchyate

There are two aspects in Nature: the perishable and the imperishable. All life in this world belongs to the former, while the unchanging element belongs to the latter.

Verse 15.17

उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः।यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः।।15.17।।

uttamaḥ puruṣhas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ

But I am higher than all, the Supreme God, the Absolute Self, the Eternal Lord, who pervades and upholds all the worlds.

Verse 15.18

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः।।15.18।।

yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ

I am beyond comparison with the Eternal and the non-eternal; I am known as the Supreme Personality, the Highest God, by scriptures and sages.

Verse 15.19

यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत।।15.19।।

yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣhottamam sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata

He who, with unclouded vision, sees Me as the Lord-God, knows all that there is to be known and will always worship Me with his whole heart.

Verse 15.20

इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ।एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत।।15.20।।

iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata

Thus, O sinless one, I have revealed this most mystic knowledge to thee. He who understands it gains wisdom and attains the consummation of life.