Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 15 All Verses with Meaning and Audio With Lyrics, Audio, Meaning, Significance in Sanskrit, English and other languages

Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 15 All Verses with Meaning and Audio

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥ १५-१॥

śrībhagavānuvāca
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam
chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit 15-1

The Blessed Lord said: They (wise people) speak of the indestructible ASHWATTHA tree as having its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the VEDAS ; he who knows it, is alone a Veda-knower.

अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः ।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥ १५-२॥

adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā
guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ
adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke 15-2

Below and above are spread its branches, nourished by the GUNAS; sense-objects are its buds; and below, in the world of men, stretch forth the roots, originating in action.

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते
नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा ।
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलं
असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥ १५-३॥

na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādirna ca sampratiṣṭhā
aśvatthamenaṃ suvirūḍhamūlaṃ
asaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā 15-3

Its form is not perceived here as such, neither its end, nor its origin, nor its foundation, nor its resting-place; having cut asunder this firm-rooted ASHWATTHA -tree with the strong axe of non-attachment. . .

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं
यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः ।
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये ।
यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ॥ १५-४॥

tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavyaṃ
yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tameva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī 15-4

Then that Goal should be sought after, where having gone, none returns again. I seek refuge in that primeval PURUSHA from which streamed forth, from time immemorial, all activity (or energy) .

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा
अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः ।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै-
र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत् ॥ १५-५॥

nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā
adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ
dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasaṃjñai-
rgacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat 15-5

Free from pride and delusion, victorious over the evil of attachment, dwelling constantly in the Self, their desires having completely retired, freed from the pairs-of-opposites — such as pleasure and pain — the undeluded reach that Goal Eternal.

न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः ।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥ १५-६॥

na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṃ mama 15-6

Nor does the Sun shine there, nor the moon, nor fire; to which having gone they return not; that is My Supreme Abode.

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः ।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति ॥ १५-७॥

mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati 15-7

An eternal portion of Myself, having become a living soul in the world of life, and abiding in PRAKRITI, draws (to itself) the (five) senses, with mind for the sixth.

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः ।
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ॥ १५-८॥

śarīraṃ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ
gṛhītvaitāni saṃyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt 15-8

When the Lord obtains a body, and when He leaves it, He takes these and goes (with them) as the wind takes the scents from their seats (the flowers) .

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च ।
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ॥ १५-९॥

śrotraṃ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ ca rasanaṃ ghrāṇameva ca
adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṃ viṣayānupasevate 15-9

Presiding over the ear, the eye, the touch, the taste and the smell, so also the mind, He enjoys the sense-objects.

उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् ।
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः ॥ १५-१०॥

utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vāpi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣaḥ 15-10

Him, who departs, stays and enjoys, who is united with GUNAS, the deluded do not see; but they do behold Him, who posses the eye-of-Knowledge.

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् ।
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः ॥ १५-११॥

yatanto yoginaścainaṃ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam
yatanto’pyakṛtātmāno nainaṃ paśyantyacetasaḥ 15-11

The seekers striving (for Perfection) behold Him dwelling in the Self; but, the unrefined and unitelligent, even though striving, see Him not.

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम् ।
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ॥ १५-१२॥

yadādityagataṃ tejo jagadbhāsayate’khilam
yaccandramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam 15-12

That Light which is residing in the Sun and which illumines the whole world, and that which is in the moon and in the fire — know that Light to be Mine.

गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा ।
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः ॥ १५-१३॥

gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamojasā
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ 15-13

Permeating the earth I support all beings by (My) energy; and having become the liquid moon, I nourish all herbs.

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः ।
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ॥ १५-१४॥

ahaṃ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṃ dehamāśritaḥ
prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pacāmyannaṃ caturvidham 15-14

Having become (the Fire) VAISHVAANARA , I abide in the body of beings, and associated with PRANA and APANA, digest the four-fold food.

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो
मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनञ्च ।
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो
वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् ॥ १५-१५॥

sarvasya cāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtirjñāna mapohanañca
vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo
vedāntakṛd vedavideva cāham 15-15

And I am seated in the hearts of all, from Me are memory, knowledge, as well as their absence. I am verily that which has to be known in all the VEDAS; I am indeed the author of VEDANTA, and, the knower of the VEDAS am I.

द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च ।
क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते ॥ १५-१६॥

dvāvimau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭastho’kṣara ucyate 15-16

Two PURUSHAS are there in this world, the Perishable and the Imperishable. All beings are the Perishable and the KOOTASTHAH is called the Imperishable.

उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः ।
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः ॥ १५-१७॥

uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ
yo lokatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ 15-17

But distinct is the Supreme PURUSHA called the Highest Self, the Indestructible Lord, who, pervading the three worlds (waking, dream and deep-sleep) , sustains them.

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः ।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः ॥ १५-१८॥

yasmātkṣaramatīto’hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ
ato’smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ 15-18

As I transcend the perishable and I am even Higher than the Imperishable, I am declared as the PURUSHOTTAMA (the Highest -PURUSHA) in the world and in the VEDAS.

यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् ।
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत ॥ १५-१९॥

yo māmevamasammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam
sa sarvavidbhajati māṃ sarvabhāvena bhārata 15-19

He who undeluded, thus knows Me, the Supreme PURUSHA , he, all-knowing, worships Me with his whole being, O Bharata.

इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ ।
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत ॥ १५-२०॥

ॐ तत्सदिति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे
पुरुषोत्तमयोगो नाम पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः ॥ १५॥

iti guhyatamaṃ śāstram idamuktaṃ mayānagha
etadbuddhvā buddhimānsyāt kṛtakṛtyaśca bhārata 15-20

oṃ tatsaditi śrīmadbhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu
brahmavidyāyāṃ yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjuna saṃvāde
puruṣottamayogo nāma pañcadaśo’dhyāyaḥ 20

Thus, this most secret science (teaching) , has been taught by Me, O sinless one. On knowing this (a man) becomes wise, and all his duties are accomplished, O Bharata.

Description

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Summary

Puruṣottama-Yoga – The Yoga of the Ultimate Person

Verses 1 – 3
Description of saṃsāra

Verses 3 – 6
Means of liberation

Verses 7 – 11
Brahman as jīva

Verses 12 – 15
Brahman as jagat

Verses 16 – 18
Brahman as puruṣottama

Verses 19 – 20
Glory of puruṣottama-jñānam

Gita Chapter 15 – Commentary by Swami Paramarthananda

Background

In the 13th and 14th chapters, the Lord dealt with the main theme of the Gītā — the essential oneness of jīva and Īśvara. Being a subtle topic, Krishna discusses the same in this chapter also, in a different way.

In the first two and a half verses, Krishna gives a description of the vast and endless saṃsāra by comparing it with the mighty aśvattha-tree. Like this tree, this saṃsāra is vast, many-branched, well-rooted and not easily destructible. To add to this is its mysterious nature. (The jīva is caught in this saṃsāra, helplessly struggling to free itself.)

In the next two and half verses (upto the 5th), Bhagavān talks about the means to get out of this saṃsāra. The first step is to develop detachment from this saṃsāra by recognizing its binding nature. (As long as one has value for worldly pursuits, one’s mind will not be available for seeking freedom.) Having withdrawn the mind from worldly desires, one should seek Brahman, the cause of everything (4). (Seeking Brahman is nothing but jñānayoga — vedantic enquiry under a guru.) Then, Krishna highlights the qualifications necessary for this knowledge. Freedom from (reaction towards) the pairs of opposites, pride, delusion, and attachment as well as a commitment to vedantic enquiry are emphasized here (5).

In the 6th verse, the Lord talks about the nature of Brahman. It is not illumined by anything (because it is the self-effulgent consciousness which illumines everything). Attaining this Brahman, the supreme abode of the Lord, one does not return to saṃsāra again.

[In the following sections, Krishna reveals that Brahman alone expresses in the form of jīva and jagat (universe). From this it becomes clear that reaching Brahman does not involve travel.]

From the 7th to the 11th verse, Krishna shows that the jīva, the consciousness in every being, is the Lord’s (Brahman’s) expression only (7). At the time of death, this jīva alone takes the mind and sense organs from one body to another body. (8). It is this jīva who experiences everything through the sense organs (9). Thus, the Lord alone is expressing in the form of the very life and its functions in every being (10). The pure minded ones recognize this whereas the deluded ones do not (11).

From the 12th to the 15th verse, Krishna shows how the jagat (the universe) also is an expression of the Lord (Brahman). The light in the sun, the moon, and the fire is the Lord only (12). In the form of the sunlight and moonlight, the Lord alone sustains all living beings (13). As the digestive fire, it is the Lord who digests the food (14). The Lord alone is behind all the mental faculties of knowledge, memory, etc. He is the author and the content of the Vedas as well as the knower of the Vedas (15).

(Thus, Krishna reveals that Brahman alone is in the form of jīva and jagat. Hence reaching Brahman is in the form of understanding only — understanding that Brahman is never away from either oneself or the universe.)

In the next three verses, Bhagavān reveals Brahman in its true nature. Brahman, in the form of the manifest universe, is called kṣarapu-ruṣa. As the unmanifest universe (māyā), the same Brahman is called akṣarapuruṣa (16). Both these puruṣas are relative. Beyond these two puruṣas is the uttamapuruṣa, the absolute. Because of its superiority, it is called paramātmā or puruṣottama. It is the imperishable (attributeless) Brahman because of which everything exists (17, 18).

Concluding the teaching, Krishna glorifies this knowledge as the means of fulfillment. With an undeluded mind, the one who knows this most secret knowledge of puruṣottama, becomes the knower of all and a person of fulfillment (19, 20).

Gita 15th Chapter – Main Points

Description of saṃsāra: 1 to 3
Means of liberation: 3 to 6
Brahman as jīva: 7 to 11
Brahman as jagat: 12 to 15
Brahman as puruṣottama: 16 to 18
Glory of puruṣottama-jñānam: 19, 20

Since the main topic of this chapter is puruṣottama, this chapter is called Puruṣottama yoga.

Other Bhagavad Gita Shlokams

Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 15 All Verses with Meaning and Audio – Bhagavad Gita – Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 All Verses Easy Chanting with Audio and Meaning, Lyrics