15
पुरुषोत्तमयोग
Purushottama Yoga
Using the image of an inverted tree, Krishna describes conditioned existence and the need to loosen its attachments. The chapter turns toward the supreme person who sustains both the changing and the enduring.
Chapter 15 · Purushottama Yoga
20 verses
1
BG 15.1
श्रीभगवानुवाच | ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् | छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ||१५-१||
The Lord said: They speak of an enduring sacred fig tree with roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic verses. One who knows this tree knows the Veda.
2
BG 15.2
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः | अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ||१५-२||
Its branches spread below and above, nourished by the qualities, with sense objects as their shoots. Its roots also extend downward, binding beings to action in the human world.
3
BG 15.3
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा | अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलं असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ||१५-३||
Its form is not perceived here as it truly is, nor its end, beginning, or foundation. Having cut this deeply rooted tree with the firm weapon of nonattachment—
4
BG 15.4
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः | तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये | यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ||१५-४||
Then one should seek that destination from which those who arrive never return, with the resolve: 'I take refuge in that original person from whom the ancient unfolding proceeded.'
5
BG 15.5
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः | द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैर्- गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ||१५-५||
Free from pride and confusion, having conquered the fault of attachment, continually centered on the self, with desires withdrawn and released from the opposites called pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach that enduring destination.
6
BG 15.6
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः | यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ||१५-६||
Neither sun, moon, nor fire illuminates it. That is my highest dwelling; reaching it, one does not return.
7
BG 15.7
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः | मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ||१५-७||
An eternal portion of me becomes the living self in the world of life, drawing to itself the senses, with the mind as the sixth, which belong to nature.
8
BG 15.8
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः | गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ||१५-८||
When this lord of the body acquires a body or departs from it, it takes these along, as wind carries fragrances from their resting places.
9
BG 15.9
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च | अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ||१५-९||
Presiding over hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell, and the mind, it experiences sense objects.
10
BG 15.10
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् | विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ||१५-१०||
The deluded do not see it departing, remaining, or experiencing while joined to the qualities. Those with the eye of knowledge see it.
11
BG 15.11
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् | यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ||१५-११||
Striving yogis see it present in themselves. But those without inner preparation and discernment do not see it, even though they strive.
12
BG 15.12
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम् | यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ||१५-१२||
Know the radiance in the sun that lights the whole world, and the radiance in the moon and fire, to be mine.
13
BG 15.13
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा | पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः ||१५-१३||
Entering the earth, I sustain beings with my strength. Becoming the nourishing moon, I feed all plants.
14
BG 15.14
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः | प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ||१५-१४||
Becoming the digestive fire dwelling in living bodies, and joined with the incoming and outgoing vital breaths, I digest the four kinds of food.
15
BG 15.15
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनञ्च | वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ||१५-१५||
I am present in everyone's heart; from me come memory, knowledge, and their removal. I alone am to be known through all the Vedas; I am the maker of the Vedas' culmination and the knower of the Vedas.
16
BG 15.16
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च | क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते ||१५-१६||
There are two kinds of person in this world: the perishable and the imperishable. All beings are the perishable; the unchanging is called the imperishable.
17
BG 15.17
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युधाहृतः | यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः ||१५-१७||
But the highest person is another, called the supreme self: the unchanging lord who enters and sustains the three worlds.
18
BG 15.18
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः | अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः ||१५-१८||
Because I transcend the perishable and am higher even than the imperishable, I am known in the world and in the Veda as the supreme person.
19
BG 15.19
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् | स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत ||१५-१९||
Whoever knows me without confusion in this way as the supreme person knows all and worships me with their whole being, Bharata.
20
BG 15.20
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ | एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत ||१५-२०||
Blameless one, I have thus spoken this most secret teaching. Understanding it, one becomes wise and has accomplished what needs to be done, Bharata.