Synopsis
This Chapter is called “Best Individual”.
The attributes of Best Individual (Purushottam) are described here.
The God describes attributes of Nature in detail.
Those who realize that the God is beyond the attributes of Nature surely attain the God.
Chapter 15.1
श्री भगवानुवाच
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्।।15.1।।
GOD SAID
He who knows the Tree of Banyan,
With its routes at top, branches in the middle,
And the leaves representing the Ved,
He knows the meaning of Ved.
Chapter 15.2
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके।।15.2।।
Spread up and down are the branches.
Fed by three Gunas are tender sprouts and leaves.
The roots growing forward and downward,
Are the binding wires of actions.
Chapter 15.3
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते
नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा।
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल
मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा।।15.3।।
The real form of this tree cannot be understood here,
It has beginning nor, and end neither.
With axe of dispassion,
This strong tree must be cut down.
Chapter 15.4
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्य
यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये
यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी।।15.4।।
One should seek that supreme state,
From where there is no returning.
One also should surrender and meditate,
Thinking of the creator and sustainer of everything.
Chapter 15.5
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा
अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै
र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्।।15.5।।
Those who are free from pride and delusion,
Have conquered the evil attachments,
And are immune to pair of pleasure and pain,
Such learned ones, super state they attain.
Chapter 15.6
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।15.6।।
That state which neither Sun nor Agni,
Nor does the Moon illuminate,
No one ever returns after
Reaching my Supreme State.
Chapter 15.7
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।।15.7।।
The soul in this body
Is a fraction of myself,
That alone binds the mind
And the five senses around itself.
Chapter 15.8
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्।।15.8।।
Like fragrance is carried
Away by the wind,
The soul leaves the body
And takes away senses and mind.
Chapter 15.9
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते।।15.9।।
The senses of touch, sight, taste,
Smell and hearing,
The soul dwells in there,
And enjoys their being.
Chapter 15.10
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्।
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः।।15.10।।
The soul departs from the body,
After enjoying the mind and senses of the body,
This the fools cannot see,
Only those with eyes of wisdom can see.
Chapter 15.11
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः।।15.11।।
With efforts the yogee can see,
The soul enshrined in heart,
But the one without pure heart cannot see,
Nor know about this even with great effort.
Chapter 15.12
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्।।15.12।।
The radiance of Sun that illuminates,
The world and also the Moon,
Even in fire the radiance seen,
Know that all radiance actually is mine.
Chapter 15.13
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा।
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः।।15.13।।
With vital energy I hold,
And support elements all.
I enter the soil, and in form of Moon,
I give lively sap to plants all.
Chapter 15.14
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्।।15.14।।
I am the fire in,
Bodies of creatures all,
By inhaling and exhaling I digest
Foods of types four for those all.
Chapter 15.15
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो
मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च।
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो
वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्।।15.15।।
I remain in hearts of beings all,
Memory, knowledge and thinking, I control all.
I am worth knowing through Ved,
I am also composer and knower of Vedas all.
Chapter 15.16
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।
क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते।।15.16।।
Purush are of two types,
Perishable and imperishable.
In these two, bodies are perishable,
And the embodied soul is imperishable.
Chapter 15.17
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः।
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः।।15.17।।
Yet the Purush Supreme is me,
Which is separate from two of these
He is that imperishable and supreme,
Spirit in three worlds,
Which is maintaining and sustaining all of these.
Chapter 15.18
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः।।15.18।।
As I am beyond both body and soul,And best of all,
I am called Purushottam,
By Veds and worlds all.
Chapter 15.19
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत।।15.19।।
Arjun, the wise men who know me,
As such supreme,
Without any delusion,
They worship me alone all the time.
Chapter 15.20
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ।
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत।।15.20।।
O’Bharat, the most secret part,
Of scriptures teachings is hereby given,
The one who grasps this,
Will become wise and accomplish his mission.
