Gita: Chap 15 en

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Verse 1

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

(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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The striving yogis perceive it established in themselves. But, though striving, those of unrefined minds, devoid of intelligence, do not perceive it.

Verse 12

Know that the brilliance which illumines the whole universe in the sun, the moon, and fire is Mine.

Verse 13

And, entering the earth, I uphold all beings with My strength. I nourish all herbs, becoming the juicy Soma.

Verse 14

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

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

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

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

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

He who, without delusion, thus knows Me as the Supreme Self, knows all, O Arjuna, and worships Me in every way.

Verse 20

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.


Gita: Chap 15 en

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