CHAPTER NO 15

In this chapter the qualities, attributes forms and the power of the supreme Being is described. Thus also describes the field, the known of the field and the supreme person and their subtle distinctions. This has laid special emphasis on the supreme person, hence the chapter is entitled "The yoga of the supreme person".

Shri bhagavan uvacha

·  urdhnamulam adhahshakham
ashwatham prahuh avyayam
chandasi yasya parnani yah
tam veda sah vedavita

The blessed Lord said, the imperishable peepal tree said to be in the likeness of the world has the self as its roots, Brahma its branches and the vedas it leves, to know this is to know truly.

·  adhaschordham prasritasyasya shakha
gunapravridha vishayapravalah
adhaschya mulanyanusantatani
karmanu bandhini manusyaloke.

This tree is nourished by the qualities (gunas), wordly pleasures are its now leaves, worlds are like its branches spreading above and below, the roots binding one in the world are in the world.

·  narupamshyeha tathopalubhyate
nam to na chadirna cha sampratistha
ashvathmainam suvirudhamula
masangshastrena dridhena chhitva

The tree is not as the ignorants know, it has no beginning and o end, it is not fixed (being perishable). This tree having firm roots (of ego) attachements and desires) should be sut with the weapon of renunciation.

·  tatah padam tatparimargitavyam
yasmingata na nivartanti bhuyah
tamena chadhyam purusham prapadhye
yatah pravrittih prasrita purani

Then one should seek the self, after finding it, there can be no returned to this world and taking shelter in the primal being, who has spread the nature of this eternal tree.

·  nirmanmoha jitsangadosha
adhyatmanitya vinivrittakamah
dvandvair vimuktah sukhduhkha
saingyairgachantyamudah padamvyamtat

Who is tree of attachment and pride, has conquered the weakness of desires, set firmly in his self. Free of desires and dualities, such aseer reaches the perfection.

·  ha tadabhasayate suryo
na shashanko na pavakah
yadgatna na nivartante
tadham paramam mama

And it cannot be lighted by the sun, nor the moon, nor the fire can illumine it, from where a person does not come back in this world that is my dwelling Place.

·  mama eva anshah jivaloke
jinabhutah sanatanah
manahkhastani indriyani
prakristshthani karsati

This embodied soul in the body is only a fraction of my eternal self. It draws to itself the five senses of which the sixth is the mind and the nature is the place of its rest.

·  shariram yat avapnoti yat
cha api utkvamati iswarah
grivitva etani samyati nayuh
gandhan eva ashayat

When the self leaves a body, it collects the senses and the mind from that body, to the new body it acquires, just like the wind carries the odour from their places.

·  shrotam kshachuh sparshanam cha
rasanam ghranam eva cha
adhistaya manah cha ayam
vishyan upsevate

The soul enjoys the objects of desires through the ears, eyes, skin, tongue, nose and also the mind.

·  utkramantam sthitam va api
bhunjanam va gunanvitam
vimudhah na anupashyanti
pashyanti gyanchakshu sah.

While leaving this body, while experiencing the objects of senses, touched by the qualities, the ignorant are umaware of the soul, which can be seen by the seers through their eyes of wisdom.

·  yatantah yoginah cha enam
pashyanti atmani avasthitam
yatanthah api akritatmana na
inam pashyanti achetasah

Even yogis are able to perceive the self through great, sustained efforts and those whose minds are not purified, such ignorants cannot perceive it despite all efforts made by them.

·  yat adiytagatam tejah
jagat bhagyate akhilam
yat chandramasi yat cha
agnav tat tejah viddhi mamakam

The spendour of the sun, which lightnes the entire universe, that is in the moon and the fire, know that splendour to be of my form.

·  gam avishya cha bhutani
dharayami aham ojasa
pushnami eha auohadhih
sarvah somah bhtva rasatmakah

And it is only me, who enters the earth and upholds all the living beings through my power, becoming the nectar giving moon. I nourish all the plants and herbs.

·  aham vaishvanarah bhutva
praninam samayuktah
pranaban samayuktah
pachami annam chaturvidham

I am the fire of life, situated in the bodies of all the beings, mixed with the inreath and out breath, I digest the four kinds of foods.

·  sarvasya cha aham hridi sanivistah
mattah smritih gyanam apohanam cha
vaideh cha sarvaih aham eva vedhyah
vedankrita vedavitta eva cha aham

And it is I who am situated within the heart of the creatures, by me alone , memory, knowledge and also their loss or failure. Iam to be known through all the vedas and I am the author of the vedanta and am the true knower of the vedas.

·  dvou imau purushau loke
ksharah cha aksharah eva cha
ksharah sarvani bhutani

Perishable and Imperishable are the two persons in the world, the world of being is perishable but the self is imperishable it is said.

·  uttamah purushah tu anyah
parmatma iti udahritah
yah lokatrayam avishya
vibhavti avyayah ishwarah

But the perfect one is other than these called the supreme being, who enters all the three worlds and sustains them, the Imperishable has been spoken of thus.

·  yasmat ksharam atitah aham
aksharat api cha uttamah
atah asmi loke vede
cha prathitah purushottamah

I am beyond the perishable andIam also above the Imperishable even, Iam made glorious in the world and in the vedas as the supreme person.

·  yah mama evam asammudhah
janati purushottamam
sah sarvavita bhajati
mama sarvabhavana bharata

O Arjuna, he who knows me thus being free from delusions, the supreme person, is the knower of the all and knows truly, he worships me with all his being, constantly O Bharata (Arjuna).

·  iti ghuhyatamum shastram
idam uktam maya anagha
etat budhva buddhiman
syat kritkrityah cha bharata

O Blameless One (Arjuna) this most secret and mysterious doctrine has been disclosed to you by me. By knowing its true elements the wise get all this duties fulfilled (there remains nothings todo for him).

"Aum... The yoga of the Supreme Person.... Fifteenth chapter."