Chapter 15
Chapter 15: Purushottama Yoga
The Yoga of the Supreme Person
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Verse 15.1
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam |
chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa vedavit ||1||
shri-bhagavan uvacha
urdhva-mulam adhah-shakham ashvattham prahur avyayam |
chhandamsi yasya parnani yas tam veda sa vedavit ||1||
Translation: The Supreme Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
Verse 15.2
adhaś cordhvaṁ prasṛtās tasya śākhā
guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ |
adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke ||2||
adhash chordhvam prasritas tasya shakha
guna-pravriddha vishaya-pravalah |
adhash cha mulany anusantatani
karmanubandhini manushya-loke ||2||
Translation: The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the modes of material nature; the twigs are the sense objects. Its roots also extend downward, bound to the fruitive actions of human society.
Verse 15.3
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā |
aśvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ||3||
na rupam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nanto na chadir na cha sampratishtha |
ashvattham enam su-virudha-mulam
asanga-shastrena dridhena chhittva ||3||
Translation: The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment.
Verse 15.4
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ |
tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī ||4||
tatah padan tat parimargitavyam
yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyah |
tam eva chadyam purusham prapadye
yatah pravrittih prasrita purani ||4||
Translation: Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and in whom everything is extended since time immemorial.
Verse 15.5
nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā
adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ |
dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñair
gacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat ||5||
nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosha
adhyatma-nitya vinivritta-kamah |
dvandvair vimuktah sukha-duhkha-sanjnair
gachchhanty amudhah padam avyayan tat ||5||
Translation: One who is free from illusion, false prestige, and false association, who understands the eternal, who is done with material lust and freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who unbewildered knows how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attains to that eternal kingdom.
Verse 15.6
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ |
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama ||6||
na tad bhasayate suryo na shashanko na pavakah |
yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama ||6||
Translation: That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.
Verse 15.7
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ |
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati ||7||
mamaivamsho jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah |
manah-shashthanindriyani prakriti-sthani karshati ||7||
Translation: The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.
Verse 15.8
śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti yaccāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ |
gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt ||8||
shariram yad avapnoti yachchapy utkramatishvarah |
grihitvaitani samyati vayur gandhan ivashayat ||8||
Translation: The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.
Verse 15.9
śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṁ ca rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva ca |
adhiṣṭhāya manaś cāyaṁ viṣayān upasevate ||9||
shrotran chakshuh sparshanan cha rasanan ghranam eva cha |
adhishthaya manash chayam vishayan upasevate ||9||
Translation: The living entity, taking up another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects.
Verse 15.10
utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam |
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ ||10||
utkramantam sthitam vapi bhunjanam va gunanvitam |
vimudha nanupashyanti pashyanti jnana-chakshushah ||10||
Translation: The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.
Verse 15.11
yatanto yoginaś cainaṁ paśyanty ātmany avasthitam |
yatanto ’py akṛtātmāno nainaṁ paśyanty acetasaḥ ||11||
yatanto yoginash chainam pashyanty atmany avasthitam |
yatanto ’py akritatmano nainam pashyanty achetasah ||11||
Translation: The endeavoring yogis, who are situated in self-realization, can see all this clearly. But those whose minds are not developed and who are not situated in self-realization cannot see what is taking place, even though they may endeavor to do so.
Verse 15.12
yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam |
yac candramasi yaccāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam ||12||
yad aditya-gatan tejo jagad bhasayate ’khilam |
yach chandramasi yachchagnau tat tejo viddhi mamakam ||12||
Translation: The splendor of the sun, which dispels the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.
Verse 15.13
gām āviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā |
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ ||13||
gam avishya cha bhutani dharayamy aham ojasa |
pushnami chaushadhih sarvah somo bhutva rasatmakah ||13||
Translation: I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.
Verse 15.14
ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśritaḥ |
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pacāmy annaṁ catur-vidham ||14||
aham vaishvanaro bhutva praninan deham ashritah |
pranapana-samayuktah pachamy annan chatur-vidham ||14||
Translation: I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I am the life air of outgoing and incoming breaths, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff.
Verse 15.15
sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca |
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham ||15||
sarvasya chaham hridi sannivishto
mattah smritir jnanam apohanan cha |
vedaish cha sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krid veda-vid eva chaham ||15||
Translation: I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
Verse 15.16
dvāv imau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca |
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho ’kṣara ucyate ||16||
dvav imau purushau loke ksharashchakshara eva cha |
ksharah sarvani bhutani kutastho ’kshara uchyate ||16||
Translation: There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every entity is called infallible.
Verse 15.17
uttamaḥ puruṣas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛtaḥ |
yo loka-trayam āviśya bibharty avyaya īśvaraḥ ||17||
uttamah purushas tv anyah paramatmety udahritah |
yo loka-trayam avishya bibharty avyaya ishvarah ||17||
Translation: Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them.
Verse 15.18
yasmāt kṣaram atīto ’ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ |
ato ’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ||18||
yasmat ksharam atito ’ham aksharad api chottamah |
ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitah purushottamah ||18||
Translation: Because I am transcendental to both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.
Verse 15.19
yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam |
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata ||19||
yo mam evam asammudho janati purushottamam |
sa sarva-vid bhajati mam sarva-bhavena bharata ||19||
Translation: Whoever knows Me thus as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.
Verse 15.20
iti guhyatamaṁ śāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha |
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛta-kṛtyaś ca bhārata ||20||
iti guhyatamam shastram idam uktam mayanagha |
etad buddhva buddhiman syat krita-krityash cha bharata ||20||
Translation: This is the most confidential part of the scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise and his endeavors will know perfection.