Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:
Oordhwamoolam adhahshaakham ashwattham
praahuravyayam;
Cchandaamsi yasya parnaani yastam veda sa
vedavit.(1)
The Blessed Lord said:
They (the wise) speak of the
indestructible peepul tree, having its root above and branches below, whose
leaves are the metres or hymns; he who knows it is a knower of the Vedas.
Adhashchordhwam prasritaastasya shaakhaah
Gunapravriddhaa vishayapravaalaah;
Adhashcha moolaanyanusantataani
Karmaanubandheeni manushyaloke. (2)
Below and above spread its
branches, nourished by the Gunas; sense-objects are its buds; and below in the
world of men stretch forth the roots, originating action.
Na roopamasyeha tathopalabhyate
Naanto na chaadirna cha sampratishthaa;
Ashwatthamenam suviroodhamoolam
Asangashastrena dridhena cchittwaa. (3)
Its form is not perceived here
as such, neither its end nor its origin, nor its foundation nor resting place;
having cut asunder this firmly-rooted peepul tree with the strong axe of non-attachment,
Tatah padam tat parimaargitavyam
Yasmin gataa na nivartanti bhooyah;
Tameva chaadyam purusham prapadye
Yatah pravrittih prasritaa puraanee. (4)
Then that goal should be sought
after, whither having gone none returns again. Seek refuge in that Primeval
Purusha whence streamed forth the ancient activity or energy.
Nirmaanamohaa jitasangadoshaa
Adhyaatmanityaa vinivrittakaamaah;
Dwandwairvimuktaah sukhaduhkhasamjnair
Gacchantyamoodhaah padamavyayam tat. (5)
Free 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, the undeluded reach the eternal goal.
Na tadbhaasayate sooryo na shashaangko na
paavakah;
Yadgatwaa na nivartante taddhaama paramam
mama.(6)
Neither doth the sun illumine
there, nor the moon, nor the fire; having gone thither they return not; that is
My supreme abode.
Mamaivaamsho jeevaloke jeevabhootah
sanaatanah;
Manah shashthaaneendriyaani prakritisthaani
karshati. (7)
An eternal portion of Myself
having become a living soul in the world of life, draws to (itself) the (five)
senses with the mind for the sixth, abiding in Nature.
Shareeram yadavaapnoti
yacchaapyutkraamateeshwarah;
Griheetwaitaani samyaati
vaayurgandhaanivaashayaat.(8)
When the Lord obtains a body and
when He leaves it, He takes these and goes (with them) as the wind takes the
scents from their seats (flowers, etc.).
Shrotram chakshuh sparshanam cha rasanam
ghraanameva cha;
Adhishthaaya manashchaayam
vishayaanupasevate.(9)
Presiding over the ear, the eye,
touch, taste and smell, as well as the mind, he enjoys the objects of the
senses.
Utkraamantam sthitam vaapi bhunjaanam vaa
gunaanvitam;
Vimoodhaa naanupashyanti pashyanti
jnaanachakshushah.(10)
The deluded do not see Him who departs, stays
and enjoys; but they who possess the eye of knowledge behold Him.
Yatanto yoginashchainam
pashyantyaatmanyavasthitam;
Yatanto’pyakritaatmaano nainam
pashyantyachetasah.(11)
The Yogis striving (for
perfection) behold Him dwelling in the Self; but, the unrefined and
unintelligent, even though striving, see Him not.
Yadaadityagatam tejo jagad
bhaasayate’khilam;
Yacchandramasi yacchaagnau tattejo viddhi
maamakam.(12)
That light which residing in the
sun, illumines the whole world, that which is in the moon and in the fire—know
that light to be Mine.
Gaam aavishya cha bhootaani dhaarayaamyaham
ojasaa;
Pushnaami chaushadheeh sarvaah somo
bhootwaa rasaatmakah.(13)
Permeating the earth I support
all beings by (My) energy; and, having become the watery moon, I nourish all
herbs.
Aham vaishwaanaro bhootwaa praaninaam
dehamaashritah;
Praanaapaana samaayuktah pachaamyannam
chaturvidham.(14)
Having become the fire
Vaisvanara, I abide in the body of living beings and, associated with the Prana
and Apana, digest the fourfold food.
Sarvasya chaaham hridi sannivishto
Mattah smritir jnaanam apohanam cha;
Vedaischa sarvairahameva vedyo
Vedaantakrid vedavid eva chaaham.(15)
And, I am seated in the hearts
of all; from Me are memory, 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 am I.
Dwaavimau purushau loke ksharashchaakshara
eva cha;
Ksharah sarvaani bhootaani kootastho’kshara
uchyate.(16)
Two Purushas there are in this world, the
perishable and the imperishable. All beings are the perishable, and the
Kutastha is called the imperishable.
Uttamah purushastwanyah
paramaatmetyudaahritah;
Yo lokatrayamaavishya bibhartyavyaya
ishwarah.(17)
But distinct is the Supreme
Purusha called the highest Self, the indestructible Lord who, pervading the
three worlds, sustains them.
Yasmaat ksharam ateeto’hamaksharaadapi
chottamah;
Ato’smi loke vede cha prathitah
purushottamah.(18)
As I transcend the perishable
and am even higher than the imperishable, I am declared as the highest Purusha
in the world and in the Vedas.
Yo maamevam asammoodho jaanaati
purushottamam;
Sa sarvavidbhajati maam sarvabhaavena
bhaarata.(19)
He who, undeluded, knows Me thus as the
highest Purusha, he, knowing all, worships Me with his whole being (heart), O
Arjuna!
Iti guhyatamam shaastram idamuktam
mayaa’nagha;
Etadbuddhwaa buddhimaan syaat
kritakrityashcha bhaarata.(20)
Thus, this most secret science
has been taught by Me, O sinless one! On knowing this, a man becomes wise, and
all his duties are accomplished, O Arjuna!
Hari Om Tat Sat
Iti Srimad Bhagavadgeetaasoopanishatsu
Brahmavidyaayaam
Yogashaastre Sri Krishnaarjunasamvaade
Purushottamayogo Naama Panchadasho’dhyaayah
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the
science of the Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna
and Arjuna, ends the fifteenth discourse entitled:
This discourse is entitled
“Purushottama Yoga” or the “Yoga of the Supreme Person”. Here Lord Krishna
tells us about the ultimate source of this visible phenomenal universe from
which all things have come into being, just like a great tree with all its
roots, trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers and fruits which spring forth
from the earth, which itself supports the tree and in which it is rooted. Sri
Krishna declares that the Supreme Being is the source of all existence, and
refers allegorically to this universe as being like an inverted tree whose
roots are in Para Brahman, and whose spreading branches and foliage constitute
all the things and factors that go to make up this creation of variegated
phenomena. This is a very mysterious “Tree” which is very difficult to understand,
being a product of His inscrutable power of Maya; and hence a marvellous,
apparent appearance without having actual reality. One who fully understands
the nature of this Samsara-Tree goes beyond Maya. To be attached to it is to be
caught in it. The surest way of transcending this Samsara or worldly life is by
wielding the excellent weapon of dispassion and non-attachment.
In verses four and five of this
discourse the Lord tells us how one goes beyond this visible Samsara and
attains the supreme, imperishable status, attaining which one does not have to
return to this mortal world of pain and death. Lord Krishna also describes for
us the wonderful mystery of His Presence in this universe and the supreme place
He occupies in sustaining everything here. The Lord declares that it is a part of
Himself that manifests here as the individual soul in each body. He Himself is
the indwelling Oversoul beyond the self. He is the effulgence inherent in the
sun, moon and fire. He is present as the nourishing element in the earth. He is
the inner witness of all beings. He is the supreme Knower even beyond Vedic
knowledge. He is the resplendent Person who is beyond both this perishable phenomenal
creation as well as the imperishable individual soul which is a part of His
eternal essence. Thus, because He is beyond perishable matter and superior to
the imperishable soul (enveloped in Maya), He is known in this world as well as
in the Vedas as the Supreme Person.