Verse 1
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam
chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
the Supreme Divine Personality said
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ śhākham aśhvattham prāhuḥ avyayam
with roots above downward branches the sacred fig tree they speak eternal
chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yaḥ tam veda saḥ veda-vit
Vedic mantras of which leaves who that knows he the knower of the Vedas
---
The Lord said, "They speak of an immutable Asvattha tree with its roots above and branches below; its leaves are the Vedas. He who knows it knows the Vedas."
Verse 2
adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā
guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ
adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke
adhaḥ cha ūrdhvam prasṛitāḥ tasya śhākhāḥ
downward and upward extended its branches
guṇa pravṛiddhāḥ viṣhaya pravālāḥ
modes of material nature nourished objects of the senses buds
adhaḥ cha mūlāni anusantatāni
downward and roots keep growing
karma anubandhīni manuṣhya-loke
actions bound in the world of humans
---
(a) Its branches extend both above and below, nourished by the Gunas. Their shoots are sense objects. (b) And their secondary roots extend downwards, resulting in actions that bind in the world of humans.
Verse 3
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā
aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
na rūpam asya iha tathā upalabhyate
not form of this in this world as such is perceived
na antaḥ na cha ādiḥ na cha sampratiṣhṭhā
neither end nor also beginning never also the basis
aśhvattham enam su-virūḍha-mūlam
sacred fig tree this deep-rooted
asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
by the axe of detachment strong having cut down
---
Its form is not perceived here, nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its support. Having cut off this firmly-rooted Asvattha with the strong axe of detachment.
Verse 4
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī
tataḥ padam tat parimārgitavyam
then place that one must search out
yasmin gatāḥ na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
where having gone not return again
tam eva cha ādyam puruṣham prapadye
to him certainly and original the Supreme Lord take refuge
yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇi
whence the activity streamed forth very old
---
Then, one should seek that goal, attaining which one never returns. One should seek refuge with that Primal Person from whom this ancient activity streamed forth.
Verse 5
nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣhā
adhyātma-nityā vinivṛitta-kāmāḥ
dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-sanjñair
gachchhanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat
niḥ māna mohāḥ jita saṅga doṣhāḥ
free from vanity delusion having overcome attachment evils
adhyātma-nityāḥ vinivṛitta kāmāḥ
dwelling constantly in the self and God freed from desire to enjoy senses
dvandvaiḥ vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha saṁjñaiḥ
from the dualities liberated pleasure and pain known as
gachchhanti amūḍhāḥ padam avyayam tat
attain unbewildered abode eternal that
---
Without the delusion of perverse notions concerning the self, victorious over the evil of attachment, ever devoted to the Self, turned away from desires and liberated from dualities such as pleasure and pain, the undeluded go to that imperishable state.
Verse 6
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
na tat bhāsayate sūryaḥ na śhaśhāṅkaḥ na pāvakaḥ
neither that illumine the sun nor the moon nor fire
yat gatvā na nivartante tat dhāma paramam mama
where having gone never they return that abode supreme mine
---
That supreme light, upon reaching which they do not return any more, is Mine; neither the sun nor the moon nor the fire illuminates It.
Verse 7
mamaivānśho jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣhaṣhṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati
mama eva anśhaḥ jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
my only fragmental part in the material world the embodied souls eternal
manaḥ ṣhaṣhṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛiti-sthāni karṣhati
with the mind the six senses bound by material nature struggling
---
An everlasting part of Myself, having become the bound self in the world of life, attracts the senses, of which the mind is the sixth, and which abide in Prakriti.
Verse 8
śharīraṁ yad avāpnoti yach chāpy utkrāmatīśhvaraḥ
gṛihītvaitāni sanyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśhayāt
śharīram yat avāpnoti yat cha api utkrāmati īśhvaraḥ
the body as carries as also leaves the Lord of the material body, the embodied soul
gṛihītvā etāni sanyāti vāyuḥ gandhān iva āśhayāt
taking these goes away the air fragrance like from seats
---
Whatever body its lord acquires and from whatever body it departs, it goes on its way, taking these senses as the wind carries scents from their places.
Verse 9
śhrotraṁ chakṣhuḥ sparśhanaṁ cha rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva cha
adhiṣhṭhāya manaśh chāyaṁ viṣhayān upasevate
śhrotram chakṣhuḥ sparśhanam cha rasanam ghrāṇam eva cha
ears eyes the sense of touch and tongue nose also and
adhiṣhṭhāya manaḥ cha ayam viṣhayān upasevate
grouped around mind also they sense objects savors
---
Presiding over the ear, the eye, the sense of touch, the tongue, the nose, and the mind, It experiences these objects of the senses.
Verse 10
utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam
vimūḍhā nānupaśhyanti paśhyanti jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ
utkrāmantam sthitam vā api bhuñjānam vā guṇa-anvitam
departing residing or even enjoys or under the spell of the modes of material nature
vimūḍhāḥ na anupaśhyanti paśhyanti jñāna-chakṣhuṣhaḥ
the ignorant not percieve behold those who possess the eyes of knowledge
---
The deluded do not perceive it conjoined with the Gunas when departing, staying, or experiencing. Those who have the eye of knowledge, however, see it.
Verse 11
yatanto yoginaśh chainaṁ paśhyanty ātmany avasthitam
yatanto ‘py akṛitātmāno nainaṁ paśhyanty achetasaḥ
yatantaḥ yoginaḥ cha enam paśhyanti ātmani avasthitam
striving yogis too this (the soul) see in the body enshrined
yatantaḥ api akṛita-ātmānaḥ na enam paśhyanti achetasaḥ
strive even though those whose minds are not purified not this cognize unaware
---
The striving yogis perceive it established in themselves. But, though striving, those of unrefined minds, devoid of intelligence, do not perceive it.
Verse 12
yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam
yach chandramasi yach chāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam
yat āditya-gatam tejaḥ jagat bhāsayate akhilam
which in the sun brilliance solar system illuminates entire
yat chandramasi yat cha agnau tat tejaḥ viddhi māmakam
which in the moon which also in the fire that brightness know mine
---
Know that the brilliance which illumines the whole universe in the sun, the moon, and fire is Mine.
Verse 13
gām āviśhya cha bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā
puṣhṇāmi chauṣhadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ
gām āviśhya cha bhūtāni dhārayāmi aham ojasā
earth permeating and living beings sustain I energy
puṣhṇāmi cha auṣhadhīḥ sarvāḥ somaḥ bhūtvā rasa-ātmakaḥ
nourish and plants all the moon becoming supplying the juice of life
---
And, entering the earth, I uphold all beings with My strength. I nourish all herbs, becoming the juicy Soma.
Verse 14
ahaṁ vaiśhvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśhritaḥ
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pachāmy annaṁ chatur-vidham
aham vaiśhvānaraḥ bhūtvā prāṇinām deham āśhritaḥ
I fire of digestion becoming of all living beings the body situated
prāṇa-apāna samāyuktaḥ pachāmi annam chatuḥ-vidham
outgoing and incoming breath keeping in balance I digest foods the four kinds
---
Becoming the digestive fire, I function within the bodies of all living beings. In union with the inward and outward breath, I digest the four kinds of food.
Verse 15
sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭo
mattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha
vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham
sarvasya cha aham hṛidi sanniviṣhṭaḥ
of all living beings and I in the hearts seated
mattaḥ smṛitiḥ jñānam apohanam cha
from me memory knowledge forgetfulness as well as
vedaiḥ cha sarvaiḥ aham eva vedyaḥ
by the Vedas and all I alone to be known
vedānta-kṛit veda-vit eva cha aham
the author of the Vedānt the knower of the meaning of the Vedas alone and I
---
And I am seated in the hearts of all. From Me come memory, knowledge, and their removal too. Indeed, I alone am to be known from all the Vedas. I bring about the fruition of the Vedic rituals; I alone am the knower of the Vedas.
Verse 16
dvāv imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaśh chākṣhara eva cha
kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ’kṣhara uchyate
dvau imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaḥ cha akṣharaḥ eva cha
two these beings in creation the perishable and the imperishable even and
kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-sthaḥ akṣharaḥ uchyate
the perishable all beings the liberated the imperishable is said
---
There are two kinds of persons spoken of in the sastra: the perishable (ksara) and the imperishable (aksara). All beings are perishable, while the imperishable is called the unchanging (kutastha).
Verse 17
uttamaḥ puruṣhas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ
yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ
uttamaḥ puruṣhaḥ tu anyaḥ parama-ātmā iti udāhṛitaḥ
the Supreme Divine Personality but besides the Supreme Soul thus is said
yaḥ loka trayam āviśhya bibharti avyayaḥ īśhvaraḥ
who the three worlds enters supports indestructible the controller
---
There is a Supreme Person other than these. He is referred to as the Supreme Self (Paramatma) in all the Vedas. He, as the Immutable One and the Lord, enters the threefold world and supports it.
Verse 18
yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ
yasmāt kṣharam atītaḥ aham akṣharāt api cha uttamaḥ
hence to the perishable transcendental I to the imperishable even and transcendental
ataḥ asmi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣha-uttamaḥ
therefore I am in the world in the Vedas and celebrated as the Supreme Divine Personality
---
Because I transcend the perishable person and am also higher than the imperishable one, therefore I am referred to in the Smrti and the Veda as the Supreme Person (Purusotama).
Verse 19
yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣhottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata
yaḥ mām evam asammūḍhaḥ jānāti puruṣha-uttamam
who me thus without a doubt know the Supreme Divine Personality
saḥ sarva-vit bhajati mām sarva-bhāvena bhārata
they those with complete knowledge worship me with one’s whole being Arjun, the son of Bharat
---
He who, without delusion, thus knows Me as the Supreme Self, knows all, O Arjuna, and worships Me in every way.
Verse 20
iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata
iti guhya-tamam śhāstram idam uktam mayā anagha
these most secret Vedic scriptures this spoken by me Arjun, the sinless one
etat buddhvā buddhi-mān syāt kṛita-kṛityaḥ cha bhārata
this understanding enlightened one becomes who fulfills all that is to be accomplished and Arjun, the son of Bharat
---
Thus, O sinless one, this most mysterious doctrine has been imparted by Me. By understanding this, one will become truly wise and fulfill their duty.