Bhagavad Gita · chapter 15

Verse 1

श्री भगवानुवाचऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्

Krishna said: They speak of a sacred fig tree whose roots grow upward and branches downward, and whose leaves are the Vedic mantras. One who understands this tree is a knower of the Vedas.

Commentary

Verse 2

अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके

The branches of this tree spread high and low, nourished by the Gunas, with buds that are objects of the senses, and roots bound to the human world by karma.

Commentary

Verse 3

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा

The form of this tree cannot be perceived, nor can its beginning or end. One must cut this tree with a strong axe of detachment.

Commentary

Verse 4

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्य यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी

Then one should find that place where one goes to never return, taking refuge in the primal spirit from whom this ancient creation streamed forth.

Commentary

Verse 5

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्

Free from vanity, delusion, and attachment, with a mind that dwells constantly in the self, renounced of desire and liberated from the duality of pleasure and pain, one attains that eternal abode.

Commentary

Verse 6

न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम

Neither the sun nor the moon can illuminate this supreme abode where one goes to never return.

Commentary

Verse 7

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति

The embodied souls in this world are my fragments, bound into material nature by the five senses and the mind.

Commentary

Verse 8

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्

As the embodied soul enters and leaves bodies, it carries these with them like the wind carries scents from place to place.

Commentary

Verse 9

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते

Presiding over the ears, eyes, skin, tongue, nose, and mind, it savors the objects of the senses.

Commentary

Verse 10

उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः

The ignorant do not perceive the soul as it resides in the body, nor as it experiences the body and departs the body. But those who possess the eyes of knowledge can behold it.

Commentary

Verse 11

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः

With great effort, the diligent saint perceives the soul enshrined within the body. However, those whose minds are not purified cannot cognize it, even though they strive to do so.

Commentary

Verse 12

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्

Know that I am like the brilliance of the sun, illuminating the whole world. The light of the moon and the fire are also from me.

Commentary

Verse 13

गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः

I permeate the Earth and sustain all living beings with my energy. I nourish all the plants and become the juice of life.

Commentary

Verse 14

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्

I am situated within all living beings as the digestive fire, and digest the various types of foods in balance with the incoming and outgoing breath.

Commentary

Verse 15

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्

I am seated in the heart of all. From me come memory, knowledge, and forgetfulness. I alone am what is to be known by the Vedas, and I alone am the knower of the Vedas.

Commentary

Verse 16

द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च
क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते

There are two kinds of beings in this world - perishable and imperishable. All beings are perishable, but the liberated are said to be imperishable.

Commentary

Verse 17

उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः

Besides these, there is a supreme divine personality - a supreme indestructible soul that enters the three worlds to support them.

Commentary

Verse 18

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः

I have transcended the perishable world, and am also above the imperishable one - hence, I am celebrated in the Vedas as the supreme divine personality.

Commentary

Verse 19

यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत

One who knows me without a doubt to be the supreme self, worships me with the totality of their being.

Commentary

Verse 20

इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत

These most secret Vedic scriptures have thus been imparted to you, Arjuna. By understanding this, one will gain true wisdom and fulfillment of their duties.

Commentary

Summary

BG 15.1 - 20

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