Purushottama Yoga
The world as an upside-down tree, rooted above and branching below. Cut it with the axe of detachment, says Krishna. Find the root.
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श्री भगवानुवाच ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् । छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥
The Blessed Lord said: They speak of the imperishable banyan-like tree of the world, with roots above and branches below. The Vedas are its leaves. One who knows this tree knows the Vedas.
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः । अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥
Its branches spread below, above, and across. They are nourished by the three qualities, with sense-pleasures as their shoots. In the human world, action-bound roots extend everywhere, tying beings to results.
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा । अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥
Its form is not perceived here as it truly is: it has no beginning, no end, and no fixed base. Cut down this deeply rooted ashvattha tree with the strong sword of detachment.
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्य यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः । तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ॥
Therefore one should seek that supreme state, reaching which one does not return again. I take refuge in that original Person from whom this ancient creation has spread forth.
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः । द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ॥
Free from pride and delusion, victorious over attachment, ever rooted in the true self, desireless, and beyond the opposites of pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach that imperishable state.
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः । यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥
The sun, moon, and fire do not illumine that place. Having reached it, one does not return. That supreme abode is Mine.
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः । मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥
The embodied being in this world is my eternal part, yet it draws the mind and the five senses, which rest in nature.
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः । गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ॥
Just as the wind carries fragrance from its source, the embodied being carries the mind and senses into a new body.
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च । अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥
Taking hold of the mind, the inner being experiences objects through the ears, eyes, skin, tongue, and nose.
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् । विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥
The deluded do not see the inner being departing, staying, or enjoying the world through the qualities. Those with the eye of understanding do see.
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् । यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ॥
The striving yogis see this supreme reality abiding in themselves. The unrefined and thoughtless, even while striving, do not see it.
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम् । यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ॥
The radiance in the sun, the moon, and the fire is Mine alone.
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा । पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः ॥
Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with my power. Becoming the moon of life-giving essence, I nourish all plants.
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः । प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥
I become the digestive fire within living beings, joined with the outgoing and incoming breaths, and digest the four kinds of food.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च । वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ॥
I dwell in the hearts of all beings. Memory, knowledge, and removal of doubt come from Me. I am the one known through all the Vedas, the maker of Vedanta, and the knower of the Vedas.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च । क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते ॥
In this world, there are two kinds of beings: the perishable and the imperishable. All embodied beings are perishable; the steadfast one is called imperishable.
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः । यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः ॥
The Supreme Self is beyond both the perishable and the imperishable. The imperishable ruler enters the three worlds and sustains them all.
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः । अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥
I am beyond the perishable and even beyond the imperishable. Therefore, I am known in the world and in the Vedas as Purushottama, the Supreme Self.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् । स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत ॥
Arjuna, the one who is free from confusion and knows Me as the Supreme Self, worships Me with all his being.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ । एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत ॥
O sinless Arjuna, thus this most secret teaching has been spoken by Me. Knowing this, a person becomes wise and has accomplished all that must be done, O descendant of Bharata.