Chapter 15 - Puruṣhottam Yog

Shloka श्रीभगवानुवाच | ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् | छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ||१५-१|| Transliteration śrībhagavānuvāca . ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam . chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit ||15-1|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.1. The Bhagavat said [The scriptures] speak of a non-perishing holy Fig-tree, which has root that is high (or above) and branches that are low (or below) and of which the [Vedic] hymns are leaves-he who knows this (Tree) is the knower of the Vedas;...

Shloka अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः | अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ||१५-२|| Transliteration adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ . adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke ||15-2|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.2. Of which (Tree) the branches, spreading downward and upward, well developed with Strands, have sense objects as sprouts; also below in the human world are Its roots, stretching successively, having actions for their sub-knots. Shri Purohit Swami 15.2 Its branches shoot upwards and downwards, deriving their nourishment from the Qualities; its buds are the objects of sense; and its roots, which follow the Law causing man’s regeneration and degeneration, pierce downwards into the soil....

Shloka न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा | अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलं असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ||१५-३|| Transliteration na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādirna ca sampratiṣṭhā . aśvatthamenaṃ suvirūḍhamūlaṃ asaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ||15-3|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.3. The nature of this is not perceived in that manner, nor its end, nor its beginning and nor its centre (the middle). Cutting this holy Fig-tree-with its firmly and variedly grown roots-by means of the sharp (or strong) exe of non-attachment;...

Shloka ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः | तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये | यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ||१५-४|| Transliteration tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavyaṃ yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ . tameva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye . yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī ||15-4|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.4. Then that Abode must be sought, having reached Which one would not return. [The Yogin] would attain nothing but that Primal Person from Whom the old activity (world creation) commences....

Shloka निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः | द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैर्- गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ||१५-५|| Transliteration nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ . dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṃjñaira- gacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat ||15-5|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.5. Those who are rid of pride and delusion; have put down the evils of attachment; remain constantly in their own nature of the Self; have their desires completely departed; and are fully liberated from the pairs known as pleasures and pains-these undeluded men go to that changeless Abode....

Shloka न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः | यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ||१५-६|| Transliteration na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ . yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama ||15-6|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.6. The sun does not illumine That; nor the moon and nor the fire; That is My Abode Supreme, having gone to Which they (Yogins) never return. Shri Purohit Swami 15.6 Neither sun, moon, nor fire shines there....

Shloka ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः | मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ||१५-७|| Transliteration mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ . manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ||15-7|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.7. A portion just of My own Self, having become the eternal individual Soul in the world of the living ones, draws [into service] the sense organs, of which the sixth is the mind, and which rest in the Prakrti. Shri Purohit Swami 15.7 It is only a very small part of My Eternal Self, which is the life of the universe, drawing round itself the six senses, the mind the last, which have their source in Nature....

Shloka शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः | गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ||१५-८|| Transliteration śarīraṃ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ . gṛhitvaitāni saṃyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt ||15-8|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.8. Whatsoever body he attains to and also from whatsoever He goes up, the Lord proceeds taking them with Him just as the wind takes odours from their receptacle. Shri Purohit Swami 15.8 When the Supreme Lord enters a body or leaves it, He gathers these senses together and travels on with them, as the wind gathers perfume while passing through the flowers....

Shloka श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च | अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ||१५-९|| Transliteration śrotraṃ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ ca rasanaṃ ghrāṇameva ca . adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṃ viṣayānupasevate ||15-9|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.9. Presiding over the ear, the eye, the touch-sense the taste-sense and also the smell-sense and the mind, He enjoys the sense objects. Shri Purohit Swami 15.9 He is the perception of the ear, the eye, the touch, the taste and the smell, yea and of the mind also; and the enjoyment the things which they perceive is also His....

Shloka उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् | विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ||१५-१०|| Transliteration utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam . vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ ||15-10|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.10. The deluded do not perceive; [but] the men of knowledge-eye do see Him, as He dwells of rises up or enjoys what is endowed with Strands. Shri Purohit Swami 15.10 The ignorant do not see that it is He Who is present in life and Who departs at death or even that it is He Who enjoys pleasure through the Qualities....

Shloka यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् | यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ||१५-११|| Transliteration yatanto yoginaścainaṃ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam . yatanto.apyakṛtātmāno nainaṃ paśyantyacetasaḥ ||15-11|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.11. The exerting men of Yoga perceive Him dwelling in the Self. [But] the unintelligent men with their uncontrolled self do not perceive Him, even though they exert. Shri Purohit Swami 15.11 The saints with great effort find Him within themselves; but not the unintelligent, who in spite of every effort cannot control their minds....

Shloka यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम् | यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ||१५-१२|| Transliteration yadādityagataṃ tejo jagadbhāsayate.akhilam . yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam ||15-12|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.12. That light which is found in the sun, which is in the moon, and which is [also] in the fire-all illuminating the entire world-know that light to be of Mine. Shri Purohit Swami 15.12 Remember that the Light which, proceeding from the sun, illumines the whole world, and the Light which is in the moon, and That which is in the fire also, all are born of Me....

Shloka गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा | पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः ||१५-१३|| Transliteration gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamojasā . puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ ||15-13|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.13. And penetrating the earth I support [all] beings with [My] energy; being the sapful moon, I nourish all plants. Shri Purohit Swami 15.13 1 enter this world and animate all My creatures with My vitality; and by My cool moonbeams I nourish the plants....

Shloka अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः | प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ||१५-१४|| Transliteration ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṃ dehamāśritaḥ . prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṃ caturvidham ||15-14|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.14. Being the digestive fire dwelling within the body of living creatures, and being in association with the upward and downward winds [of the body], I digest the four kinds of food. Shri Purohit Swami 15.14 Becoming the fire of life, I pass into their bodies and, uniting with the vital streams of Prana and Apana, I digest the various kinds of food....

Shloka सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनञ्च | वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ||१५-१५|| Transliteration sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtirjñānamapohanañca . vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo vedāntakṛdvedavideva cāham ||15-15|| Translations Dr.S.Sankaranarayan 15.15. I am entered (the Self-conciousness is felt) in the heart of all; from Me (this Self-consciousness) come the faculty of memory, the faculty of knowing, and also the faculty of differentiating; none but Me is to be known by means of all the Vedas and I am alone the author of the final part of the Vedas and also the author of the Vedas themselves....