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Bhagavadgītā: Chapter XV (Puruṣottamayoga)
The Yoga of the Highest Person
Introduction
Now Lord Kṛṣṇa teaches Arjuna about the Yoga of the Supreme Person...
Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me. In addition, note that I will use quotation marks to delimit text only when the person speaking is not Sañjaya himself (the narrator). Therefore, the words spoken by Sañjaya will not be delimited by quotation marks.
Chapter 15: Puruṣottamayoga (The Yoga of the Highest Person)
श्रीभगवानुवाच
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्॥१॥
Śrībhagavānuvāca
Ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṁ prāhuravyayam|
Chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yastaṁ veda sa vedavit||1||
The venerable Lord (śrī-bhagavān) said (uvāca):
"(The sages) spoke (prāhuḥ) of an imperishable (avyayam) Sacred Fig Tree --Ficus Religiosa-- (aśvattham) whose roots are upward (ūrdhva-mūlam), its branches downward (adhas-śākham), (and) its (yasya) leaves (parṇāni) (are) the Vedic hymns --or also «the Vedas», or even «the meters» is a possible translation, although it is not suitable in this context, I suppose-- (chandāṁsi). He who (yaḥ... saḥ) knows It --that sacred tree-- (tam veda) (is) a knower of the Vedas (veda-vit)"||1||
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके॥२॥
Adhaścordhvaṁ prasṛtāstasya śākhā guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ|
Adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke||2||
"Its --of that Sacred Fig Tree-- (tasya) branches (śākhāḥ) extend (prasṛtāḥ) downward (adhas) and (ca) upward (ūrdhvam), growing due to the guṇa-s --lit. increased by the guṇa-s-- (guṇa-pravṛddhāḥ), (and) with shoots (in the form) of sense objects (viṣaya-pravālāḥ). And (ca) below (adhas), in the world of men (manuṣya-loke), extend (anusantatāni) the roots (mūlāni) related to/resulting in actions (karma-anubandhīni) --another possible translation of the second line is: «And the roots related to/resulting in actions extend downward in the world of men»--"||2||
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा।
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलमसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा॥३॥
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी॥४॥
Na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādirna ca sampratiṣṭhā|
Aśvatthamenaṁ suvirūḍhamūlamasaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā||3||
Tataḥ padaṁ tatparimārgitavyaṁ yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ|
Tameva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī||4||
"Its --of that Fig Tree-- (asya) form (rūpam) is not perceived (na... upalabhyate) in this way (tathā) here (iha), nor (na) its end (antaḥ) nor (na ca) its beginning (ādiḥ) nor (na ca) its continuity (sampratiṣṭhā). After cutting (chittvā) this Sacred Fig Tree (aśvattham enam), whose roots are well-developed (suvirūḍha-mūlam), with the firm sword of detachment (asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena), from now on (tatas), that (tad) State (padam) must be sought (parimārgitavyam) from which --lit. «in which», I expected «yasmāt»-- (yasmin) those who have attained (It) (gatāḥ) do not return (na nivartanti) again (bhūyas). (One should say this:) «I take refuge (prapadye) solely in that Primordial Person (tam eva ca ādyam puruṣam) from whom (yatas) the ancient (purāṇī) Manifestation --referring to the Manifestation of the universe-- (pravṛttiḥ) has arisen (prasṛtā)"||3-4||
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैर्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥५॥
Nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ|
Dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṁjñairgacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṁ tat||5||
"Those who are not deluded --that is, «those who are not under the sway of Māyā»-- (amūḍhāḥ), who are free from self-conceit and delusion (nis-māna-mohāḥ), who have conquered the evil of attachment (jita-saṅga-doṣāḥ), who are ever established in the Supreme Spirit (adhyātma-nityāḥ), whose desires have completely ceased (vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ), who are fully liberated (vimuktāḥ) from the pairs of opposites known as pleasure and pain --the expression is in plural but should be in singular, since Kṛṣṇa mentions only a single pair-- (dvandvaiḥ... sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñaiḥ), proceed (gacchanti) to that (tad) Imperishable (avyayam) State (padam)"||5||
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥६॥
Na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ|
Yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṁ mama||6||
"The sun (sūryaḥ) does not illumine (na... bhāsayate) That (tad), nor the moon (na śaśāṅkaḥ) nor fire (na pāvakaḥ). That (tad) (is) My (mama) Supreme (paramam) Abode (dhāma), (and) after reaching which (yad gatvā), they --those who attained It-- do not return (na nivartante)"||6||
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति॥७॥
Mamaivāṁśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ|
Manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati||7||
"An eternal (sanātanaḥ) portion (aṁśaḥ) of Mine (mama eva) endowed with life --or «that has become an individual soul», much ambiguity, as usual-- (jīva-bhūtaḥ) in the world of living beings (jīva-loke) draws (karṣati) the indriya-s --in this context, Kṛṣṇa refers to the five Jñānendriya-s or powers of perception-- (indriyāṇi) that reside in Prakṛti (prakṛti-sthāni) (and) have the mind as their sixth (member) (manas-ṣaṣṭhāni)"||7||
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्॥८॥
Śarīraṁ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ|
Gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt||8||
"When --rarely "yad" means "when"-- (yad) the Lord (īśvaraḥ) obtains (avāpnoti) a body (śarīram), and (ca) also (api) when (yad) He departs (from it) --when the body dies-- (utkrāmati), after taking (gṛhītvā) these --the six indriya-s, including the mind-- (etāni), He goes away (saṁyāti), (and) as (iva) the wind (vāyus) (carries elsewhere) fragrances (gandhāt) from a receptacle/place (āśayāt)"||8||
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते॥९॥
Śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṁ ca rasanaṁ ghrāṇameva ca|
Adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṁ viṣayānupasevate||9||
"He --refers to the portion of the Lord-- (ayam) enjoys --also «is addicted to»-- (anupasevate) the sense objects (viṣayān) presiding over/resorting to (adhiṣṭhāya) the auditory power (śrotram), visual power (cakṣus), tactile power (sparśanam), gustatory power (rasanam), olfactory power (ghrāṇam eva), and (ca... ca... ca) the mind (manas)"||9||
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वाऽपि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्।
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः॥१०॥
Utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vā'pi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam|
Vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ||10||
"The deluded (vimūḍhāḥ) do not perceive (Him) (na anupaśyanti) departing (from the body) (utkrāmantam), abiding (in the body) (sthitam), or (vā) even (api) enjoying (bhuñjānam) or (vā) accompanied by the guṇa-s (guṇa-anvitam), (but) those who possess the eye of Knowledge (jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ) (do) perceive (Him) (paśyanti)"||10||
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥११॥
Yatanto yoginaścainaṁ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam|
Yatanto'pyakṛtātmāno nainaṁ paśyantyacetasaḥ||11||
"And (ca) the yogī-s (yoginaḥ) who are diligent/who strive (yatantaḥ) perceive Him (enam paśyanti) abiding (avasthitam) in the Self/in themselves (ātmani); (but) the insensible --lit. «those who cannot feel»-- (acetasaḥ) (and) undisciplined --or also «those who have not yet identified with the Supreme Spirit»-- (akṛta-ātmānaḥ) do not perceive Him (na enam paśyanti), even though (api) they are diligent/strive (yatantaḥ)"||11||
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्॥१२॥
Yadādityagataṁ tejo jagadbhāsayate'khilam|
Yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam||12||
"The splendor (tejas) which (yad) resides in the sun --in this context «āditya» specifically refers to the solar deity-- (āditya-gatam) illuminates (bhāsayate) the entire world (jagad... akhilam), that which (yad) (is) in the moon (candramasi), and (ca) that which (yad) (is) in fire (agnau). Know (viddhi) that that splendor (tad tejas) is Mine (māmakam)"||12||
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा।
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः॥१३॥
Gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamojasā|
Puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ||13||
"Entering (āviśya) the earth (gām), I (aham) sustain (dhārayāmi) the beings (bhūtāni) by (My) Vigor (ojasā); and (ca) nourish (puṣṇāmi) all (sarvāḥ) plants (auṣadhīḥ) becoming (bhūtvā) Soma (somaḥ) consisting of rasa --lit. sap-- (rasa-ātmakaḥ)"||13||
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्॥१४॥
Ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ dehamāśritaḥ|
Prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṁ caturvidham||14||
"I (aham), becoming (bhūtvā) the digestive fire (vaiśvānaraḥ), dwell (āśritaḥ) in the body (deham) of living beings (prāṇinām); (and) endowed with prāṇa and apāna (prāṇa-apāna-samāyuktaḥ), digest (pacāmi) the fourfold food (annam caturvidham)"||14||
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनञ्च।
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्॥१५॥
Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtirjñānamapohanañca|
Vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo vedāntakṛdvedavideva cāham||15||
"And (ca) I (aham) dwell/have entered (sanniviṣṭaḥ) in the heart (hṛdi) of all (sarvasya); from Me (mattaḥ) (proceed) memory (smṛtiḥ), knowledge (jñānam), and (ca) (their) cessation (apohanam). Likewise (ca), I alone (aham eva) (am) That which is to be known (vedyaḥ) by all the Veda-s (vedaiḥ... sarvaiḥ). I (aham) (am) the Author of Vedānta (vedānta-kṛt), and (ca) the Knower of the Veda-s (veda-vit eva)"||15||
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।
क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥१६॥
Dvāvimau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca|
Kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho'kṣara ucyate||16||
"In the world (loke) (exist) these (imau) two (dvau) persons (puruṣau): The perishable (kṣaraḥ) and (ca... ca) the Imperishable (akṣaraḥ eva). The perishable (kṣaraḥ) (is) all (sarvāṇi) beings (bhūtāni), (and) the Immutable (kūṭasthaḥ) is said to be (ucyate) the Imperishable (akṣaraḥ)"||16||
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः।
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥१७॥
Uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ|
Yo lokatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ||17||
"But (tu) (there exists) another (anyaḥ) Person (puruṣaḥ) (called) the Highest (uttamaḥ), who is said to be (udāhṛtaḥ) «the Supreme Self» (parama-ātmā iti). (He is) the Imperishable (avyayaḥ) Lord (īśvaraḥ) who (yaḥ), having penetrated (āviśya) into the three worlds (loka-trayam), holds (them) (bibharti)"||17||
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥१८॥
Yasmātkṣaramatīto'hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ|
Ato'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ||18||
"Since (yasmāt) I (aham) am beyond (atītaḥ) the perishable (person) (kṣaram), and (ca) even (api) higher (uttamaḥ) than the Imperishable (akṣarāt), therefore (atas), (both) in the world (loke) and (ca) in the Veda (vede), I am proclaimed (asmi... prathitaḥ) as the Highest Person (puruṣa-uttamaḥ)"||18||
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥१९॥
Yo māmevamasammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam|
Sa sarvavidbhajati māṁ sarvabhāvena bhārata||19||
"He who is free from delusion (asammūḍhaḥ... saḥ), (and) who (yaḥ) knows (jānāti) Me (mām) in this way (evam) as the Highest Person (puruṣa-uttamam), knows everything (sarva-vit), (and) worships Me (bhajati mām) with his whole being/with all his heart (sarva-bhāvena), O descendant of Bharata (bhārata)!"||19||
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ।
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत॥२०॥
Iti guhyatamaṁ śāstramidamuktaṁ mayā'nagha|
Etadbuddhvā buddhimānsyātkṛtakṛtyaśca bhārata||20||
"In this way (iti), O faultless one (anagha)!, I have enunciated (uktam mayā) this (etad) very secret (guhya-tamam) teaching (śāstram). After knowing/understanding (buddhvā) this (etad), he becomes (syāt) intelligent/wise (buddhimān) (and) someone who has fulfilled his duty (kṛta-kṛtyaḥ), O descendant of Bharata (bhārata)!"||20||
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