BHAGAVAD GITA - CHAPTER 15 - PURUSHOTTAMA YOGA

 

BHAGAVAD GITA

CHAPTER 15

PURUSHOTTAMA  YOGA

 

Bhagavad Gita is Lord Krishna's advice to the Confused Arjuna on the Battle field of Kurukshetra.

Each chapter of Bhagavad Gita is designated as a YOGA.

Here is a summary of Chapter.15. Purushottama Yoga. There are totally 20 Slokas in it and I have given here a faithful description of what each Sloka says.

Overall, it is a description of the three Purushas - one - the living bodies who are all perishable, second - the Jeevathma residing in the bodies, who is imperishable. Paramathma is the Purushottama who takes responsibility for running of all life in this world

Now, let us look at the sloka-wise description :

Now, Lord Krishna is addressing Arjuna at the very beginning of this chapter :

1. This imperishable Aswattha (Peepal) tree (of Samsara) has its roots at the top and branches at the bottom. Its leaves are the Chandaas (or Vedas). Whoever understands the implications of all this has only really understood the meaning of Vedas.

2. Its branches have developed widely because of the  three Gunas of Sathva, Rajas and Thamas.

Its newly developing, fresh leaves are the various worldly matters attracting all the beings. They are expanding both from the top and from the bottom.

Bonded to the Karmas(actions), they have spread all through the world of human beings and the worlds below.

3. This Aswattha (samsara) tree is not easily controlled. It has no proper beginning or ending and it is also not properly established though it is deep rooted and has wide branches.

It has to be cut with the weapon of detachment (non attachment or Vairagya).

Why? Otherwise, it will bind the human being in the sea of Samsara. That is why.

4.We cannot see its full  body looking at this whole world. Its beginning and its ending - both seem unknowable. It is difficult to know how it is established.

Whoever, walks away after cutting off this tree of Samsara with the weapon of detachment, they become free and don't return back.

By whose initiation, this has spread like this from the most ancient periods, that Purusha, we must surrender to. He is the only destination we need to explore.

5. Only those wise men attain to that cherished destination - who have given up pride (self love), delusions and problems of attachments; who possess Atma jnana (self realisation); who have conquered Kaama (desire); and who have come out of the dualities of Sukha and duhkha (happiness and sorrow).

6. That great destination by reaching which, wise men do not return back - that destination cannot be made to glow (and become visible) by the Sun's rays, or the Moon's rays or by any fire. It is beyond all of them.

Param-dhama essentially means the best or the most divine home

7. I am the Eternal. My Amsa(small seed) becomes the Jeeva in the world of living beings and is attracted by the six senses, including the Manas or Mind, towards the Prakriti (or Maya or Nature).

8. When Eswara, the Lord, actually possesses the body and when he actually leaves the body - this process is just like the air taking away the smell from the flowers to distant places.

First he possesses the senses and then goes away along with them.

9. The jeeva experiences all the five senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch, by being the master of the Manas or Mind.

10. When actually the Jeeva goes away from the body or stays in it or is experiencing it, and when he possesses the three gunas - at all these times, he cannot be discerned  by those people who are not wise. But, wise people can discern him even inside the body.

For the wise, the Jeeva is none other than himself.

11. The Yogis by constant trying and practice, are able to see the Almighty(Paramathma) within their self(Athma).

But the unwise people cannot see the Lord(Paramathma) even with strenuous practice.

12. O Arjuna ! Know that the brightness(Tejas) - which illuminates the whole world  by being in the Sun's rays, by being in the Moon and the fire, that brightness actually belongs to me (emanates from me).

13.  I am shouldering the burden of the whole living world by spreading in the earth myself with my Ojas (strength or Power).

I become the Moon with all his medicinal properties(Rasa Swaroopa) and give all the required strength to the medicines of the world.

14. I become the fire (Jatharagni) in the stomachs of all the beings by sheltering myself within their bodies, and I take the forms of Prana, Apana and other types of air flows in different parts of the body for this purpose. Thereby, I digest all four types of food.

15. I am residing in the hearts of all beings.

It is because of my presence that they have the power of remembrance and the power of forgetting.

I am the one to be known from all the Vedas.

I am the creator of the Vedas and the knower of the Vedas.

16. In this world, there are 2 Purushas, one is Perishable and the other is imperishable.

The living beings are all perishable - which means, their bodies are perishable.

But the Jeevathma residing deep in them is imperishable.

17.  There is another Purusha who is superior to both of them.

He is the Imperishable Eswara, he is the Paramathma.

He has spread throughout the three worlds and takes responsibility for their functioning.

18. I have become famous as the best of Purushas (Purushottama).

I am praised so by all  Vedas - because, I am superior to the imperishable Purusha (Jeevathma) and the perishable Purusha(the physical bodies) both.

19. O Arjuna !  Whoever gives up his ignorance, becomes wise (Jnani) and knows me as the Purushottama (the best of all Purushas), he will know the whole truth and will devote to me in all possible ways.

20. O sinless Arjuna ! This topmost secret of this Yoga Sasthra has thus been told to you by me. Knowing this, the wise men become fulfilled.

Conclusion : Here ends the fifteenth chapter called Purushottama Yogah - in the Yoga sasthra, which is a Part of the Brahma Vidya, in the Upanishad of Bhagavad Gita.

It is a part of the Dialogue between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna.

It describes the Paramathma as the Purushottama, who is far superior to the other two Purushas.

One is - the living physical bodies which are all perishable;

The second is - the Jeevathma who is imperishable.

Purushottama is the Lord of all and runs their lives by residing in them, by being responsible for all their movements including their digestive processes.

The wise man understands this utmost secret of all life and devotes totally to the Paramathma, the Purushottama and gets his life fulfilled.