ब्रह्मणो हि प्रतिष्ठाऽहममृतस्याव्ययस्य च।शाश्वतस्य च धर्मस्य सुखस्यैकान्तिकस्य च।।14.27।।
For I am the foundation of Brahman, of the immortal and imperishable, of the eternal dharma, and of absolute happiness.
श्री भगवानुवाचऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्।।15.1।।
The Blessed Lord said: They speak of the imperishable ashvattha tree, with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns; he who knows this tree is a knower of the Veda.
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः।अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके।।15.2।।
Its branches extend downward and upward, nourished by the gunas, with sense objects as its shoots; and its roots, spreading downward, bind the world of men through actions.
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा।अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा।।15.3।।
Its form here is not thus perceived, nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation; having cut down this firmly rooted ashvattha with the strong axe of detachment—
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्य यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी।।15.4।।
Then that path should be sought, by reaching which one does not return again. I take refuge in that original Person, from whom ancient activity has flowed forth.
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्।।15.5।।
Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the fault of attachment, ever dwelling in the Self, desires departed, liberated from the pairs called pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach that imperishable state.
न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम।।15.6।।
Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire illumines that; having gone there, they do not return—that is my supreme abode.
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति।।15.7।।
An eternal portion of myself, having become a living being in the world of life, draws to itself the senses and mind, which abide in nature.
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्।।15.8।।
When the Lord obtains a body and when He departs from it, He takes these senses and mind along, just as the wind carries scents from their source.
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते।।15.9।।
Presiding over the ear, eye, touch, tongue, and nose, as well as the mind, He experiences the objects of the senses.
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्।विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः।।15.10।।
The deluded do not perceive Him as He departs, stays, or enjoys, endowed with the qualities; but those with the eye of knowledge see.
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः।।15.11।।
Striving yogis see Him dwelling within themselves; but even though striving, those of unrefined mind and lacking understanding do not see Him.
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्।।15.12।।
Know that the radiance which, residing in the sun, illumines the whole world, and that which is in the moon and in fire—this radiance is Mine.
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा।पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः।।15.13।।
Entering the earth, I sustain all beings by My energy; becoming the nourishing moon, I foster all plants with their essence.
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्।।15.14।।
Becoming the digestive fire, I reside in the bodies of living beings; united with the incoming and outgoing breaths, I digest the four kinds of food.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च।वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्।।15.15।।
I am seated in the heart of all; from Me arise memory, knowledge, and their removal. I alone am to be known through all the Vedas; I am the author of Vedānta and the knower of the Vedas.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते।।15.16।।
In this world, there are two kinds of beings: the perishable and the imperishable. All creatures are perishable; the unchanging is called imperishable.
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः।यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः।।15.17।।
But there is another, the Supreme Person, called the Highest Self, who, entering the three worlds, sustains them, the imperishable Lord.
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः।।15.18।।
Because I transcend the perishable and am even higher than the imperishable, I am proclaimed in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत।।15.19।।
Whoever, free from delusion, knows Me thus as the Supreme Person, knows all and worships Me with all his being, O Bhārata.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ।एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत।।15.20।।
Thus, this most secret teaching has been declared by Me, O sinless one. Understanding this, a person becomes wise and accomplished in all duties, O Bhārata.
श्री भगवानुवाच अभयं सत्त्वसंशुद्धिः ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः। दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम्।।16.1।।
The Blessed Lord said: Fearlessness, purity of mind, steadfastness in knowledge and yoga, generosity, self-control, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, and straightforwardness—
अहिंसा सत्यमक्रोधस्त्यागः शान्तिरपैशुनम्।दया भूतेष्वलोलुप्त्वं मार्दवं ह्रीरचापलम्।।16.2।।
Nonviolence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to fault-finding, compassion for beings, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, and lack of fickleness—
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता। भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत।।16.3।।
Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of malice, and lack of excessive pride—these are the qualities of one born to a divine nature, O Bhārata.
दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्।।16.4।।
Hypocrisy, arrogance, self-conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance—these, O Pārtha, are the qualities of one born to a demonic nature.
दैवी सम्पद्विमोक्षाय निबन्धायासुरी मता।मा शुचः सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातोऽसि पाण्डव।।16.5।।
The divine qualities lead to liberation, the demonic to bondage. Do not grieve, O Pāṇḍava, for you are born with divine qualities.
द्वौ भूतसर्गौ लोकेऽस्मिन् दैव आसुर एव च।दैवो विस्तरशः प्रोक्त आसुरं पार्थ मे श्रृणु।।16.6।।
In this world, there are two kinds of beings created: the divine and the demonic. The divine has been described at length; now hear from me, O Partha, about the demonic.
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च जना न विदुरासुराः।न शौचं नापि चाचारो न सत्यं तेषु विद्यते।।16.7।।
The demonic people do not know the way of action or renunciation; in them is found neither purity, nor proper conduct, nor truth.
असत्यमप्रतिष्ठं ते जगदाहुरनीश्वरम्।अपरस्परसम्भूतं किमन्यत्कामहैतुकम्।।16.8।।
They say that the world is without truth, without foundation, without a Lord; it arises from mutual union alone, and nothing else, its cause being desire.
एतां दृष्टिमवष्टभ्य नष्टात्मानोऽल्पबुद्धयः।प्रभवन्त्युग्रकर्माणः क्षयाय जगतोऽहिताः।।16.9।।
Clinging to this view, ruined in self and of little understanding, these fierce doers of cruel deeds arise for the destruction of the world, to its harm.