Chapter 15 — The Yoga of the Supreme Person

Om

Reverence to the Supreme Self

They speak of an imperishable aśvattha tree, with roots above and branches below;the Vedic meters are its leaves. Whoever knows it is a knower of the Veda. ॥१५- १॥

Below and above its branches spread,strengthened by the gunas, with sense objects as their tender shoots.Below, too, its roots extend,binding through action in the human world. ॥१५- २॥

Its form cannot be perceived here as such,nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation.Having cut down this deeply rooted aśvatthawith the strong sword of nonattachment— ॥१५- ३॥

then one must seek that stateto which those who have gone return no more:“I take refuge in that Primal Person alone,from whom the ancient unfolding streamed forth.” ॥१५- ४॥

Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the fault of attachment,ever abiding in the Self, their desires turned away,released from the dualities known as pleasure and pain,the undeluded reach that imperishable state. ॥१५- ५॥

Neither the sun nor the moon nor fire illumines it;having gone there, they return no more. That is my supreme abode. ॥१५- ६॥

An eternal portion of me, becoming a living being in the world of life,draws to itself the senses, with the mind as the sixth, all abiding in Prakriti. ॥१५- ७॥

When the lord acquires a body, and when he departs from it,he takes these with him and goes, as the wind takes fragrances from their source. ॥१५- ८॥

Presiding over hearing, sight, touch,taste, smell, and the mind, he experiences the objects of sense. ॥१५- ९॥

Whether he is departing, remaining, or experiencing, joined to the gunas,the deluded do not perceive him; those with the eye of knowledge perceive him. ॥१५- १०॥

Striving yogins see him abiding in the Self;though they strive, those who have not disciplined themselves, lacking awareness, do not see him. ॥१५- ११॥

The radiance dwelling in the sun that illumines the whole world,and that which is in the moon and in fire—know that radiance to be mine. ॥१५- १२॥

Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with my power;becoming Soma, the essence of sap, I nourish every plant. ॥१५- १३॥

Becoming Vaiśvānara, I abide within the bodies of living beings;joined with prāṇa and apāna, I digest the four kinds of food. ॥१५- १४॥

I am seated in the heart of everyone;from me come memory, knowledge, and their loss.I alone am to be known through all the Vedas;I am the maker of Vedānta and the knower of the Veda. ॥१५- १५॥

There are these two Persons in the world: the perishable and the imperishable.All beings are perishable; the unchanging one is called imperishable. ॥१५- १६॥

But another is the Supreme Person, proclaimed as the Supreme Self:the imperishable Lord who enters the three worlds and sustains them. ॥१५- १७॥

Because I transcend the perishable and am higher even than the imperishable,I am renowned in the world and in the Veda as the Supreme Person. ॥१५- १८॥

Whoever, undeluded, knows me in this way as the Supreme Personknows all and worships me with his whole being, O Bharata. ॥१५- १९॥

Thus I have declared this most secret teaching to you, sinless one.Knowing this, one becomes wise and has fulfilled all that must be done, O Bharata. ॥१५- २०॥

Om Tat Sat. Thus, in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, in the knowledge of Brahman, in the scripture of Yoga,in the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the fifteenth chapter, named “The Yoga of the Supreme Person.” ॥ १५ ॥

Om

Salutations to the revered Supreme Self.

They speak of an imperishable Ashvattha tree,with its roots above and branches below.The Vedic hymns are its leaves.Whoever knows this tree is a knower of the Veda. ॥१५- १॥

Its branches spread below and above,nourished by the qualities, with sense objects as their tender shoots.Its roots also extend downward,binding through action in the human world. ॥१५- २॥

Its form is not perceived here as it truly is;it has no end, no beginning, and no firm foundation.Having cut down this deeply rooted Ashvattha treewith the strong sword of nonattachment— ॥१५- ३॥

then one must seek that placewhich those who reach never return from.I take refuge in that very primal Personfrom whom this ancient activity flowed forth. ॥१५- ४॥

Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the fault of attachment,constantly devoted to the inner Self, with desires turned away,freed from the opposites known as pleasure and pain,the undeluded reach that imperishable place. ॥१५- ५॥

Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire illumines it.Those who reach it never return.That is My supreme abode. ॥१५- ६॥

A part of Me alone, eternal,becomes a living soul in the world of living beingsand draws to itself the senses that dwell in nature,with the mind as the sixth. ॥१५- ७॥

When the lord takes on a bodyand also when he leaves it,he carries these senses with him,as the wind carries scents from their resting places. ॥१५- ८॥

Taking his place in the ear, the eye, the sense of touch,the tongue, the nose, and the mind,he experiences the objects of the senses. ॥१५- ९॥

The deluded do not perceive himwhen he leaves, remains, or experiences, joined with the qualities.Those who have the eye of knowledge see him. ॥१५- १०॥

Striving yogis see him dwelling within themselves.But even though they strive, those who have not disciplined themselvesand lack discernment do not see him. ॥१५- ११॥

The radiance within the sunthat illumines the whole world,and that which is in the moon and in fire—know that radiance to be Mine. ॥१५- १२॥

Entering the earth,I sustain all beings with My strength.Becoming Soma, whose nature is sap,I nourish all plants. ॥१५- १३॥

Becoming the universal fire,I dwell in the bodies of living beings.Joined with the inward and outward breaths,I digest the four kinds of food. ॥१५- १४॥

I am seated in the heart of everyone.From Me come memory, knowledge, and their loss.I alone am to be known through all the Vedas;I am the author of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas. ॥१५- १५॥

There are these two Persons in the world:the perishable and the imperishable.All beings are the perishable;the unchanging is called the imperishable. ॥१५- १६॥

But there is another, the Supreme Person,proclaimed as the Supreme Self:the imperishable Lord who enters the three worldsand sustains them. ॥१५- १७॥

Because I transcend the perishableand am higher even than the imperishable,I am celebrated in the world and in the Vedaas the Supreme Person. ॥१५- १८॥

Whoever, free from delusion, knows Me in this wayas the Supreme Personknows all and worships Me with his whole being,O Bharata. ॥१५- १९॥

Thus I have taught this most secret teaching,O sinless one.Understanding this, a person becomes wiseand has fulfilled all that must be done, O Bharata. ॥१५- २०॥

Om Tat Sat. Thus, in the revered Bhagavad Gita Upanishads, the knowledge of Brahman, the scripture of Yoga, and the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the fifteenth chapter, named “The Yoga of the Supreme Person.” ॥ १५ ॥