puruṣottamayoga
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 in English
Puruṣhottam Yog · The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality · 20 verses
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Chapter Summary
The fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad Gita is "Purushottama Yoga". In Sanskrit, Purusha means the "All-pervading God", and Purushottam means the timeless & transcendental aspect of God. Krishna reveals that the purpose of this Transcendental knowledge of the God is to detach ourselves from the bondage of the material world and to understand Krishna as the Supreme Divine Personality, who is the eternal controller and sustainer of the world. One who understands this Ultimate Truth surrenders to Him and engages in His devotional service.
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śrī bhagavānuvācaūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam|chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit||
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit
MeaningThe Blessed Lord said: They (the wise) speak of the indestructible peepul tree, with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the meters or hymns; he who knows it is a knower of the Vedas.
adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ|adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke||
adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke
MeaningIts branches spread below and above, nourished by the Gunas; its buds are sense-objects, and its roots stretch forth below in the world of men, originating action.
na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādirna ca saṃpratiṣṭhā|aśvatthamenaṃ suvirūḍhamūla masaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā||
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
MeaningIts form is not perceived here as such, nor its end, origin, foundation, or resting place; having cut asunder this firmly rooted peepul tree with the strong axe of non-attachment.
tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavya yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ|tameva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī||
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ tam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadye yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī
MeaningThen, that goal should be sought for, to which, having gone, none returns again. I seek refuge in that Primeval Purusha, from whence streamed forth the ancient activity or energy.
nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ|dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṃjñai rgacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat||
nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣhā adhyātma-nityā vinivṛitta-kāmāḥ dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-sanjñair gachchhanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat
MeaningFree from pride and delusion, victorious over the evil of attachment, dwelling constantly in the Self, their desires having completely turned away, freed from the pairs of opposites known as pleasure and pain, they, the undeluded, reach the eternal goal.
na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ|yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama||
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
MeaningNeither does the sun illuminate there, nor the moon, nor the fire; having gone there, they do not return; that is My supreme abode.
mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ|manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati||
mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati
MeaningAn eternal portion of Myself having become a living soul in the world of life, draws to itself the five senses, with the mind as the sixth, abiding in Nature.
śarīraṃ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ|gṛhītvaitāni saṃyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt||
śharīraṁ yad avāpnoti yach chāpy utkrāmatīśhvaraḥ gṛihītvaitāni sanyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśhayāt
MeaningWhen the Lord, as the individual soul, obtains a body and when He leaves it, He takes these with Him, just as the wind takes the scents from their seats (flowers, etc.).
śrotraṃ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ ca rasanaṃ ghrāṇameva ca|adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṃ viṣayānupasevate||
śhrotraṁ chakṣhuḥ sparśhanaṁ cha rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva cha adhiṣhṭhāya manaśh chāyaṁ viṣhayān upasevate
MeaningPresiding over the ears, eyes, touch, taste, smell, and mind, it enjoys the objects of the senses.
utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam|vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ||
utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam vimūḍhā nānupaśhyanti paśhyanti jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ
MeaningThe deluded do not see Him who departs, stays, and enjoys; but those who possess the eye of knowledge behold Him.
yatanto yoginaścainaṃ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam|yatanto'pyakṛtātmāno nainaṃ paśyantyacetasaḥ||
yatanto yoginaśh chainaṁ paśhyanty ātmany avasthitam yatanto ‘py akṛitātmāno nainaṁ paśhyanty achetasaḥ
MeaningThe yogis striving for perfection behold Him dwelling in the Self; but, the unrefined and unintelligent, even though striving, do not see Him.
yadādityagataṃ tejo jagadbhāsayate'khilam|yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam||
yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam yach chandramasi yach chāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam
MeaningThat light which resides in the sun, illuminating the whole world; that which is in the moon and in the fire—know that light to be Mine.
gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamojasā|puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ||
gām āviśhya cha bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā puṣhṇāmi chauṣhadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ
MeaningPermeating the earth, I support all beings with My energy; and having become the watery moon, I nourish all herbs.
ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṃ dehamāśritaḥ|prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṃ caturvidham||
ahaṁ vaiśhvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśhritaḥ prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pachāmy annaṁ chatur-vidham
MeaningHaving become the fire Vaisvanara, I abide in the bodies of living beings and, associated with the Prana and the Apana, digest the fourfold food.
sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtirjñānamapohanaṃ ca|vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo vedāntakṛdvedavideva cāham||
sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭo mattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham
MeaningAnd I am seated in the hearts of all; from Me come memory and knowledge, as well as their absence. I am verily That which has to be known by all the Vedas; I am indeed the author of the Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas.
dvāvimau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca|kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho'kṣara ucyate||
dvāv imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaśh chākṣhara eva cha kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ’kṣhara uchyate
MeaningTwo Purushas there are in this world: the perishable and the imperishable. All beings are perishable, and the Kutastha—the unchanging—is called the imperishable.
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ|yo lokatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ||
uttamaḥ puruṣhas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ
MeaningBut distinct is the Supreme Purusha, called the highest Self, indestructible and Lord, who pervades the three worlds and sustains them.
yasmātkṣaramatīto'hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ|ato'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ||
yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ
MeaningAs I transcend the perishable and am even higher than the imperishable, I am declared to be the highest Purusha in the world and in the Vedas.
yo māmevamasammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam|sa sarvavidbhajati māṃ sarvabhāvena bhārata||
yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣhottamam sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata
MeaningHe who, undeluded, knows Me as the highest Purusha, he, knowing all, worships Me with his whole being (heart), O Arjuna.
iti guhyatamaṃ śāstramidamuktaṃ mayā'nagha|etadbuddhvā buddhimānsyātkṛtakṛtyaśca bhārata||
iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata
MeaningThus, I have imparted to you this most secret science, O sinless one; by knowing this, one becomes wise, and all their duties are accomplished, O Arjuna.