Bhagavad Gita Chapter-15 Audiobook (English)

CHAPTER SUMMARY

This material world extends from the lower planetary systems to the higher. Living entities are separated parts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are opposed to Him are bound by the result of their actions and wander in various higher and lower species of life. However, by great fortune, one may attain the mercy of a bona fide spiritual master, and under his direction completely engage in the worship of Çré Kåñëa, knowing Him alone to be the Supreme Person. The devotees’ absorption in their worship makes them aware of everything. Consequently, they can easily cross over the ocean of this material world

Transcription

Chapter Fifteen

Verse 1

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham
aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam
chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni
yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit

Çré Bhagavän said: The scriptures describe this material world as a special type of imperishable açvattha tree, with roots that grow upwards and branches that grow down, the leaves of which are the Vedic hymns that eulogize the path of fruitive action (karmakaëòa). He who knows this tree knows the essence of the Vedas.

Verse 2

adhaś cordhvaṁ prasṛtās tasya śākhā
guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ
adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke

The leaves on the branches of this tree of the material world, in the form of various sense objects, are nurtured by the three modes of nature. Its branches spread to the lower species of life such as human beings and animals, as well as to the higher species such as the demigods. The roots of this tree are the desires for sense enjoyment. They bind one to the flow of actions and the reactions of action and increasingly spread downwards.

Verses 3–4

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā
aśvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam
asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā

tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī

The actual form of this tree of material existence, as described above, is not perceivable within the world, for its beginning, end and existence cannot be ascertained here. Therefore, after resolutely cutting down this deeply rooted tree of material existence with the sharp axe of intense detachment, one should search out the lotus feet of that primeval Person, Çré Bhagavän, who is the root of this tree. Once one takes shelter of Him, from whom the cycle of birth and death expands, one never returns to this material world. With the heartfelt feeling, “I fully surrender unto that primeval Person,” one should take full shelter of Him.

Verse 5

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā
adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ
dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñair
gacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat

Only liberated personalities – who are free from pride and delusion, who have overcome the degradation of false attachment, who are engaged in searching for Paramätmä and who are free from sensual hankerings and from the dualities of happiness and distress – attain that unchangeable, eternal abode.

Verse 6

na tad bhāsayate sūryo
na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante
tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

In that supreme self-effulgent realm, sun, moon and fire are not required for illumination. When surrendered persons attain that abode of Mine, they do not return to this world.

Verse 7

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke
jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
prakṛti-sthāni karṣati

The eternal living entities in this material world are certainly My separated parts and parcels (vibhinnäàça). Situated in material nature, they are attracted by the six senses, including the mind.

Verse 8

śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti
yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ
gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti
vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt

Just as the wind carries the aroma of flowers and other substances, so the embodied living entity, the master of the senses, carries the six senses from whichever body he abandons to whichever body he achieves.

Verse 9

śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṁ ca
rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva ca
adhiṣṭhāya manaś cāyaṁ
viṣayān upasevate

Taking shelter of the ears, eyes, tongue, nose, sense of touch and also the mind, the living entity enjoys various sense objects, such as sound.

Verse 10

utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi
bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti
paśyanti jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ

The foolish, who are bereft of discrimination, cannot perceive with their senses the living entity when he leaves the body, while he dwells in the body, or even while he enjoys through his senses. Those who are wise, however, can see all this.

Verse 11

yatanto yoginaś cainaṁ
paśyanty ātmany avasthitam
yatanto ’py akṛtātmāno
nainaṁ paśyanty acetasaḥ

Endeavouring yogés can see this soul, which is situated within the body, but those whose hearts are impure and who are bereft of discrimination cannot see the soul, even though striving to do so.

Verse 12

yad āditya-gataṁ tejo
jagad bhāsayate ’khilam
yac candramasi yac cāgnau
tat tejo viddhi māmakam

Know the splendour of the sun, which illuminates the entire universe, as well as the splendour of the moon and fire, to be Mine.

Verse 13

gām āviśya ca bhūtāni
dhārayāmy aham ojasā
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ
somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ

By infusing the earth with My potency, I alone sustain all moving and non-moving living beings. I nourish all medicinal herbs by becoming the moon, the embodiment of nectar.

Verse 14

ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā
prāṇināṁ deham āśritaḥ
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ
pacāmy annaṁ catur-vidham

As the fire of digestion in the bodies of the living entities, I combine with the in-coming and out-going breaths to digest the four types of foodstuffs.

Verse 15

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham

I am situated as the indwelling Supersoul in the hearts of all living entities. From Me come remembrance, knowledge and the destruction of both. By all the Vedas I alone am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedänta and the knower of the Vedas.

Verse 16

dvāv imau puruṣau loke
kṣaraś cākṣara eva ca
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni
kūṭa-stho ’kṣara ucyate

In the fourteen planetary systems, two beings are famous: the fallible and the infallible. All moving and non-moving living entities are said to be fallible, and the immutable person (küöastha) is called infallible (akñara).

Verse 17

uttamaḥ puruṣas tv anyaḥ
paramātmety udāhṛtaḥ
yo loka-trayam āviśya
bibharty avyaya īśvaraḥ

There is, however, yet another infallible person who is even more superior to the previously mentioned kñara (fallible) and akñara (infallible). He is known as the Supersoul, the unchanging controller, who enters within the three worlds and sustains them.

Verse 18

yasmāt kṣaram atīto ’ham
akṣarād api cottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede ca
prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ

Since I am transcendental to the fallible living entities and also superior to the other two infallible beings, brahma and Paramätmä, I am renowned both in this world and in the Vedas as Puruñottama, the Supreme Person.

Verse 19

yo mām evam asammūḍho
jānāti puruṣottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ
sarva-bhāvena bhārata

O descendant of Bharata, one who is not deluded and who knows Me to be Puruñottama, the Supreme Person, knows everything and engages wholeheartedly in worship of Me.

Verse 20

iti guhya-tamaṁ śāstram
idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt
kṛta-kṛtyaś ca bhārata

O sinless descendant of Bharata, I have hereby revealed the most confidential secret of the Vedic scriptures, understanding which, intelligent persons can become even more blessed.