Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15

The Cosmic Banyan Tree and the Eternal Root

In Chapter 15, Lord Krishna uses the metaphor of a cosmic banyan tree to illustrate the nature of existence. The tree symbolizes the material world, with its roots representing the foundation of material existence and its branches signifying various realms of creation. Krishna encourages seekers to connect with the eternal root, the Supreme, in order to attain liberation from the cycle of birth and death, and merge with the transcendental reality.

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा।

 अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा  ||३ ॥

na roopamasyeha tathopalabhyate

naanto na chaadirna cha sampratishthaa

ashwatthamenam suviroodhamoolam

asangashastrena dhridhena chhitwaa

The nature of this tree of creation does not on mature thought turn out what it is represented to be; for it has neither beginning nor end, nor even stability. Therefore, cutting down this Pīpala tree, which is most firmly rooted, with the formidable axe of dispassion. (3)

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।                          तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये । यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ॥४॥

tatah padam tat parimaargitavyam

yasmin gataa na nivartanti bhooyah

tameva chaadyam purusham prapadye

yatah pravrittih prasritaa puraanee

Thereafter a man should diligently seek for that supreme state, viz., God, having attained which they return no more to this world; and having fully resolved that he stands dedicated to that Primeval Being (God Nārāyana) Himself, from whom the flow of this beginningless creation has progressed, he should dwell and meditate on Him.(4)

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा      

अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।

द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसञ्झै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ॥५॥

nirmaanamohaa jitasangadoshaa

adhyaatmanityaa vinivrittakaamaah

dwandwairvimuktaah sukhaduhkhasamjnair

gacchantyamoodhaah padamavyayam tat

They who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, and are constantly abiding in God, whose cravings have altogether ceased and who are completely immune to all pairs of opposites going by the names of pleasure and pain, and are undeluded, attain that supreme immortal state. (5)

 न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।

 यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम

 परमं मम ॥ ६॥

na tad bhaasayate sooryo na shashaangko na paavakah

yad gatwaa na nivartante taddhaama paramam mama

Neither the sun nor the moon nor fire can illumine that supreme self-effulgent state, attaining which they never return to this world; that is My supreme abode(6)

 ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।

 मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानिकर्षति ॥ ७॥

mamaivaamsho jeevaloke jeevabhootah sanaatanah

manah shashthaaneendriyaani prakritisthaani karshati

The eternal Jivātmā in this body is a fragment of My own Self; and it is that alone which draws around itself the mind and the five senses, which abide in Prakrti.(7)

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।

 गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ॥ ८ ॥

shareeram yadavaapnoti yacchaapyutkraamateeshwarah

griheetwaitaani samyaati vaayurgandhaanivaashayaat

Even as the wind wafts scents from their seat, so, too, the Jivatma, which is the controller of the body etc., taking the mind and the senses from the body, which it leaves behind, forthwith migrates to the body which it acquires.

 श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं

 घ्राणमेव च।

 अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥ ९ ॥

shrotram chakshuh sparshanam cha rasanam ghraanameva cha

adhishthaaya manashchaayam vishayaanupasevate

It is while dwelling in the senses of hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell, as well as in the mind, that this Jīvātmā enjoys the objects of senses. (9)

 उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्। विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥१०॥

utkraamantam sthitam vaapi bhunjaanam vaa gunaanvitam

vimoodhaa naanupashyanti pashyanti jnaanachakshushah

The ignorant know not the soul departing from, or dwelling in the body, or enjoying the objects of senses, i.e., even when it is connected with the three Guņas; only those endowed with the eyes of wisdom are able to realize it. (10)

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।

 यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं

 पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥ ११॥

yatanto yoginashchainam pashyantyaatmanyavasthitam

yatantopyakritaatmaano nainam pashyantyachetasah

Striving Yogīs too are able to realise this Self enshrined in their heart. The ignorant, however, whose heart has not been purified, know not this Self in spite of their best endeavours. (11)

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।

 यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो

 विद्धि मामकम्॥१२॥

yadaadityagatam tejo jagad bhaasayate’khilam

yacchandramasi yacchaagnau tattejo viddhi maamakam

The radiance in the sun that illumines the entire world, and that which shines in the moon and that which shines in the fire too, know that radiance to be Mine.(12)

 गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा।

 पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो

 भूत्वा रसात्मकः॥१३॥

gaamaavishya cha bhootani dhaarayaamyahamojasaa

pushnaami chaushadheeh sarvaah somo bhootwaa rasaatmakah

And permeating the soil, it is I who support all creatures by My vital energy, and becoming the sapful moon, I nourish all plants.(13)

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।

 प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्॥१४॥

aham vaishwaanaro bhootwaa praaninaam dehamaashritah

praanaapaana samaayuktah pachaamyannam chaturvidham

Taking the form of fire, as Vaiśvānara, lodged in the body of all creatures and united with the Prana (exhalation) and Apana (inhalation) breaths, it is I who digest and assimilate the four kinds of food.(14)

 सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः

स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च।

 वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो  वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेवचाहम्॥१५॥

sarvasya chaaham hridi sannivishto

mattah smritir jnaanam apohanam cha

vedaishcha sarvairahameva vedyo

vedaantakrid vedavideva chaaham

It is I who remain seated in the heart of all creatures as the inner controller of all; and it is I who am the source of memory, knowledge and the ratiocinative faculty. Again, I am the only object worth knowing through the Vedas; I alone am the origin of Vedānta and the knower of the Vedas too.(15)

द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।

 क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥१६॥

dwaavimau purushau loke ksharashchaakshara eva cha

ksharah sarvaani bhootani kootastho’kshara uchyate

The perishable and the imperishable too—these are the two kinds of Purusas in this world. Of these, the bodies of all beings are spoken of as the perishable; while the Jīvātmā or the embodied soul is called imperishable.(16)

 उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः।

 यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥१७॥

uttamah purushastwanyah paramaatmetyudaahritah

yo lokatrayamaavishya bibhartyavyaya eeshwarah

Yet, the Supreme Person is other than these, who, having encompassed all the three worlds, upholds and maintains all, and has been spoken of as the imperishable Lord and the Supreme Spirit.(17)

 यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षराद पि चोत्तमः।

 अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥१८॥

yasmaat ksharam ateeto’hamaksharaadapi chottamah

ato’smi loke vede cha prathitah purushottamah

Since I am wholly beyond the perishable world of matter or Kșetra, and am superior even to the imperishable soul, Jivatma, hence I am known as the Purusottama, the Supreme Self, in the world as well as in the Vedas(18)

यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।

 स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥१९॥

yo maamevam asammoodho jaanaati purushottamam

sa sarvavidbhajati maam sarvabhaavena bhaarata

Arjuna, the wise man who thus realizes Me as the Supreme Person—knowing all, he constantly worships Me (the all-pervading Lord) with his whole being.(19)

 इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ।

 एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत॥२०॥

iti guhyatamam shaastram idamuktam mayaanagha

etadbuddhwaa buddhimaan syaat kritakrityashcha bhaarata

Arjuna, this most esoteric teaching has thus been imparted by Me; grasping it in essence man becomes wise and his mission in life is accomplished.(20)

 ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु

 ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुनसंवादे

 पुरुषोत्तमयोगो नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १५ ॥

om tat sat iti srimadbhagavadgeetaasu upanishatsu

brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade

purushottama yogo naama panchadasho’dhyaayah ||

Thus, in the Upanisad sung by the Lord, the Science of Brahma, the scripture of Yoga, the dialogue between Śrī Krsna and Arjuna, ends the fifteenth chapter entitled “The Yoga of the Supreme Person.