19 verses
They speak of this indestructible aśvattha tree which has its roots upwards and branches downwards and whose leaves are the Vedas. He who knows this tree knows the Vedas.
The branches, nourished by the guṇas, with sense objects for twigs, spread up and down. Secondary roots spread out everywhere in the world of men, and are causes of continued action.
The branches of this tree spread down (adhaḥ) in the form of animals and others, and upward in the form of the birth of devatās and other elevated beings. These branches increase and increase by the watering process in the form of actions of the three guṇas (guṇa-pravṛddhā). The small twigs on the branches are the sense objects such as sound (viṣaya-pravālāḥ). Moreover, it can be inferred that, at the base of the tree, unknown to all people, is some great treasure. There are external roots from the branches of the aśvattha, meaning in this case a banyan tree, which is dependent for support on both the main root and the external roots. These secondary roots, the cause of continued action, spread out everywhere (anusantantāni) below Brahmaloka (adhaḥ), in the planet of humans. Karma anubandhīni means that after enjoying the results of ones actions in one life, those actions become stimulus for actions in another human birth.
The real form of this tree, its end, its beginning, and its shelter, cannot be perceived in this world. Cutting down this tree which has roots sprouting everywhere, using the axe of detachment, a person should search out the treasure, attaining which he does not return again. He should seek refuge in that original person from whom the ancient actions of saṁsāra have originated.
Moreover, the real form of the tree cannot be perceived in the world of men. This is because of the great variety of opinions such as “The world is real. The world is false. The world is eternal.” One cannot understand its end (na antaḥ), and because it seems unlimited, one cannot understand its beginning as well. Because it seems to have no beginning, one cannot understand its shelter (sampratiṣṭhā) or support. One cannot understand what it is, because of lack of real knowledge. In any case, knowing that detachment is the weapon to cut down the tree, which is the only cause of the suffering of all jīvas, one should cut down the tree with that detachment, and should look for the treasure situated at the base of the root.
The word asaḍgaḥ here means detachment, or complete renunciation. Having cut the tree down with the axe (śastreṇa) of complete detachment, separating it from oneself, one should then search (parimārgitavyam) for the object (tat-padam), Brahman, the great treasure, existing at the root. What type of thing is that? One should look for that object which having attained (yasmin gataḥ), one does not return. He then explains the method of searching. I worship (prapadye) that original person from whom the long standing (purāṇī) action of saṁsāra (pravṛttiḥ) has spread out: one should search by the process of bhakti.
Those who are free from the delusion of pride, who are devoid of attachment, who are absorbed in reflecting on Paramātmā, who have renounced material desire, who are free of dualities of happiness and distress, and who are without bewilderment, attain that indestructible goal.
Performing bhakti, what qualities do the people attain, so they can attain that goal? This verse explains. Adhyātma-nitya means “those who make a rule of constantly considering about adhyātma; those who are absorbed in reflecting on Paramātmā.”
The sun, moon and fire do not illuminate this supreme light of Mine. Having attained this light one does not return.
What are the qualities of that object which is attained? The words “Sun, moon and fire do not light it” means that it is self- revealing, self-dependent, self-sufficient, and devoid of miseries such as heat and cold (caused by the sun, moon and fire). tad dhāma paramaṁ mama means that light (dhāma) which is non-material, beyond the material senses (paramam), which illuminates or reveals everything else, and which belongs to Me (mama). The Hari Vaṁśa says:
tat paraṁ paramaṁ brahma sarvaṁ vibhajate jagat
mamaiva tad ghanaṁ tejo jñātum arhasi bhārata
That supreme Brahman lights up this whole universe. You should know that this intense light belongs to Me, O Bhārata. Hari Vaṁśa 2.114.12
The śruti says:
na tatra sūryo bhāti na candra-tārakaṁ
nemā vidyuto bhānti kuto’yam agniḥ
tam eva bhāntam anubhāti sarvaṁ
tasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon or stars. Nor does lightning shine. How, then, can fire burn? When He shines, all of these shine. Through His light, all things shine. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.15
This eternal jīva, one of My parts, drags with it the senses and the sixth sense called the mind, which are situated in the bewildering prakṛti.
Who is that jīva who, crossing saṁsāra by devotion to You, attains that place?
In the Varāha Purāṇa it is said:
svāṁśaś cātha vibhinnāṁśa iti dvedhāyam iṣyate
vibhinnāṁśas tu jīvaḥ syāt
There are two types of aṁśa of the Lord, the svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. The vibhinnāṁśa is the jīva.
The jīva is eternal (sanātanaḥ), and in the conditioned state, drags the senses, the sixth of which is the mind, situated in prakṛti, situated in delusion--like a person who drags chains bolted on his feet, which he proudly accepts, thinking “These are mine.”
Whenever the jīva accepts or leaves a body, he takes these senses with him in the subtle body, just as air takes fragrances from objects and goes elsewhere.
In dragging around the senses, what does the jīva do? When the jīva, the master of his senses (īśvaraḥ), accepts a body and leaves the body, he goes away, taking these senses along with the subtle body. This is like the wind taking the fragrances with its subtle elements from the receptacles of fragrance (āśayāt), such as garlands or sandalwood, and going elsewhere.
Taking shelter of the ear, eye, touch, tongue and nose, the jīva enjoys the objects of the senses.
Having gone into a body, what does he do? Taking shelter (adhiṣṭhāya) of the senses such as the ear and also the mind, he enjoys the objects of the senses (viṣayān), such as sound.
The foolish do not understand when the jīva is leaving the body, residing in it or enjoying the sense objects. Those with eyes of knowledge perceive this.
Do we not realize at all that body from which we depart, within which we reside in the body and residing there, how we enjoy pleasures? Persons with no intelligence (vimūòhā) do not recognize when the jīva is leaving the body, residing in the body or enjoying the present sense objects with the senses (guṇānvitam). But men of discrimination (jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ) observe this.
Endeavoring yogīs see this soul situated in the body. Those with impure heart, though they may endeavor, do not see it.
Those persons of discrimination are the endeavoring yogīs . They see the soul in the body. Those of impure consciousness (akṛtātmānaḥ), even endeavoring, do not see the soul there.
Know that the light of the sun, moon and fire, which illuminates this universe, is My light.
Whatever the jīva attains in his bound state, I, being the essence of the sun, moon and other objects, supply that. This is explained in three verses. The light situated in the sun, rising in the morning on Udaya Parvata, illuminates the world in order to cause action for the attaining present and future enjoyment. That light, and all light (akhilam) that is in the moon and fire, belong to Me alone. What are known as the sun, moon and fire, are actually Me. Know that these are My vibhūtis.
Entering the earth by My power, I support all beings. I nourish all plants, becoming the moon, full of sweet juice.
Entering the earth (gām) by My own śakti (ojasā), and being situated there, I maintain the moving and non-moving entities (bhūtāni). Becoming the sweet-juiced moon, I cause plants such as rice to increase and grow.
Becoming the fire of digestion, I take shelter within all beings. I digest the four types of food using the prāṇa and apāna.
Becoming vaiśvānara, the fire in the stomach, taking shelter of the bodies of living entities, along with the prāṇa and apāna, which stimulate the fire, I digest the food of four types. The four types of food are: chewed with the teeth (bhakṣya), like roasted chick peas; savored by the tongue without using the teeth (bhojya) such as soup; licked (lehya) such as raw sugar; and sucked items (coṣya), in which the chewed portion is discarded, such as sugar cane stick.
I am situated in everyone’s heart. From Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. And I am also known by all the Vedas. I am the maker of the Vedānta since I alone know the Vedas.
Just as I am the fire in the stomach, I am also dwelling in the hearts of all moving and non-moving entities, in the form of the element buddhi , intelligence. From Me in the form of intelligence (mattaḥ), there is remembrance of sensations from objects previously perceived. From Me there is also knowledge, arising through contact of the senses with the sense objects, and also the removal of both knowledge and memory.
Having told how He helps the jīva in his bound state, the Lord then tells how He assists the jīva to attain liberation. I am known through the Vedas. I alone made Vedānta through Veda Vyāsa, because I alone know the Vedas (veda-vit): I know the real meaning of the Vedas, and no one except Me knows the real meaning.
There are two conscious beings in this universe: the collective jīvas and Brahman.
The collective jīvas are all these living entities. The Brahman is fixed with one form for all time.
Because I am the knower of the Vedas, I will speak in brief the essential meaning of all the Vedas in three verses. Please listen.
In the material universe made of fourteen worlds (loke), there are these two conscious beings (imau dvau puruṣau). He then describes who they are in brief. One is the jīva, called kṣara, because he is in a deviated (kṣar means to fall) condition from his svarūpa or true nature. The other is Brahman, called akṣara, which does not deviate from its svarūpa. The śruti says:
etad vai tad akṣaraṁ gārgi brāhmaṇā abhivadanti
The knowers of Brahman know this as akṣara, O Gārgī. Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 3.8.3
The smṛti says:
akṣaraṁ brahma paramam
The akṣara is the supreme Brahman. BG 8.3
From these quotations, it is seen that the word akṣara means Brahman.
Now the Lord makes clear the meaning of these two words. All the living entities are one aggregate jīva (sarvāni kṣaraḥ). The collective jīva, fallen from his svarūpa by beginningless ignorance and subject to karma, becomes the variety of living entities up to the moving entities like Lord Brahmā. The singular number of kṣaraḥ is used to express a class. The second conscious being, akṣara, is situated for all of time with is one svarūpa, which does not fall.
But the highest person is different from this. He is described as the Paramātmā, who having entered the three worlds, though being the controller and unchanging, supports it.
Having just spoken about the impersonal Brahman, which the jñānīs worship, the Lord now speaks about the Paramātmā which the yogīs worship. The word tu indicates a distinction from what was previously spoken. As the yogī is a different worshipper than the jñānī, the object worshipped by him will also be different.
The Lord shows the nature of Paramātmā. Paramātmā is He who, though having the nature of commanding (īśvara) and being unchanging (avyayaḥ), enters into the three worlds completely and supports and protects it (bibharti).
Because I am superior to the jīvas, to the Brahman and to the puruṣa known as Paramātmā, and even to the other forms of Bhagavān, I am celebrated in the Vedas and the smṛtis, as the Supreme Person.
Having spoken about the object of worship of the yogīs , Paramātmā, the Lord now speaks about the object of worship of the devotees, Bhagavān. Though He in His form as Kṛṣṇa is also Bhagavān, He denotes the supreme excellence of His own svarūpa as Kṛṣṇa by using the name puruṣottama.
I am superior to the jīva (kṣaram), and I am superior to the Brahman (akṣarāt), and also to Paramātmā (the last statement is indicated by the word api.)
yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
Of all yogīs , he who, absorbing his mind in Me, worships Me with faith, is considered by Me to be the best yogī . BG 6.47
From the difference in the worshipper, one can conclude that there is a difference in the worshipable object. The word ca indicates that Kṛṣṇa is superior even to the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha and other forms of Bhagavān, as Śukadeva has explained in the Bhāgavatam:
ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam
These are all parts or parts of parts. Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān Himself. SB 1.3.28
Though His one sat-cid-ānanda form is called by the names Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, actually there is no difference at all between them. Svarūpa-dvayābhāvāt:
there is no duality in Your form. (SB 6.9. 36) However, because of observing difference in the worshippers, in terms of sādhana and the results, difference has been designated. That is to say, the sādhana respectively of the jñānī, yogī and bhakta produces realization of Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. The result of jñāna and yoga is mere liberation, and the result of bhakti is to become an associate of the Lord with prema. Also without bhakti, the jñānī and yogī do not even attain liberation. This is understood from the following verses:
naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate
Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible God. SB 1.5.12
pureha bhūman bahavo ’pi yoginas
tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā
vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā
prapedire ’ñjo ’cyuta te gatiṁ parām
O almighty Lord, in the past many yogīs in this world achieved the platform of devotional service by offering all their endeavors unto You and faithfully carrying out their prescribed duties. Through such devotional service, perfected by the processes of hearing and chanting about You, they came to understand You, O infallible one, and could easily surrender to You and achieve Your supreme abode. SB 10.14.5
The worshippers of Brahman and Paramātmā must necessarily perform bhakti to Bhagavān in order to achieve the final results of their sādhana . The worshippers of Bhagavān however do not perform worship of Brahman or Paramātmā to achieve the results of their sādhana .
tasmān mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ
na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha
Therefore, for a devotee engaged in My loving service, with mind fixed on Me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not the means of achieving the highest perfection within this world. SB 11.20.31
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat
yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ’ñjasā
svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati
Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 1.20.31-32
yā vai sādhana -sampattiḥ puruṣārtha-catuṣṭaye
tayā vinā tad āpnoti naro nārāyaṇāśrayaḥ
Even without the usual requirements for achieving the perfection of life, a person will gain that perfection if he is simply a surrendered devotee of Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇīya
Therefore, by worship of Bhagavān, it is possible to attain all of the results: material enjoyment, liberation and prema. But by the worship of Brahman and Paramātmā alone, it is not possible to attain enjoyment, liberation or prema. Therefore, it is said that Bhagavān is in a superior position even though He is not different from Brahman and Paramātmā. It is just as the huge fire is considered superior among a small light, a lamp and a huge fire, because of its superior ability to alleviate the pain of cold, even though all the items are essential the same energy.
However, among the forms of Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa is considered to be the supreme attractive form, just as the sun is considered superior to the huge fire. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa alone gave nirvāṇa-mokṣa, the final fruit of worship of Brahman, even to His enemies such as Agha, Baka and Jarāsandha, who were most sinful. This verse has been explained according to Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary on the verse brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham.
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says:
Men skilful at pious work worship Kṛṣṇa repeatedly, who appears continually to relieve the burden of the earth, who enables the intelligent to cross the material ocean, who is the delight of the women of Vraja, the essence of the beauty of the rain cloud as described in the Vedas, and the form of knowledge and bliss.
I do not know any truth higher than Kṛṣṇa, who has lotus eyes, a face beautiful as the full moon, and lips red like the bimba fruit; who has the complexion of a rain cloud; who wears yellow cloth; and who holds a flute in his hand. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī’s commentary on verse 19
Those fools who cannot tolerate the glories of Kṛṣṇa which have been ascertained with valid proof go to hell. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī’s commentary on verse 20
There should be no indignation at the explanation of these three verses (16-18) which establish the supreme position of the form of Kṛṣṇa. I offer my respects to the impersonalists.
He who without bewilderment knows Me as Bhagavān knows everything. He worships Me with complete love, O descendent of Bharata.
“Though this has been established by You, philosophers will argue over the meaning.”
Let them argue! They are bewildered by My māyā, and the devotee is not bewildered. He who is not bewildered by the arguments of these philosophers (asaṁmūòhaḥ) knows everything. Even though he has not studied the scriptures, he is the knower of the meaning of all scriptures. The other person, though he has indeed studied and taught all the scriptures, is really a complete fool (sam mūòhaḥ). He who knows Me worships Me with complete love. The other person, though he worships something, does not worship Me.
Thus I have spoken the most secret teaching, O sinless Arjuna. Knowing this, you will be intelligent and will have attained the goal, O descendent of Bharata.
This verse concludes the chapter. In these twenty verses (iti), I have thus spoken completely the most secret teaching.
In this chapter, the classes of matter and consciousness have been revealed by He who makes all things happen, and the supreme position of Kṛṣṇa has been explained.
Thus the commentaries on the fifteenth chapter of the Gītā have been completed for the pleasure of the devotees’ hearts, by the mercy of the ācāryas.
The fifteenth chapter states that detachment is the cause of cessation of birth, that the soul is an aṁśa of the Lord, and that Kṛṣṇa is superior to matter and the jīva.
The second to last verse of the last chapter stated that by bhakti-yoga one attains the status of Brahman:
māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate BG 14.26
The question may be asked “How does a person attain impersonal Brahman by bhakti-yoga rendered to the Lord who possesses a human form?”
True, I am human in form, but I am the basis of Brahman, the supreme shelter of Brahman. This statement, which functions as a sūtra , forms the beginning of chapter fifteen. You said that the devotee, surpassing the guṇas (sa guṇān samatītya), attains the status of Brahman. What is this material world made of the guṇas? From where did it begin? Who is that jīva who surpasses saṁsāra by devotion to You? You also spoke of the jīva being qualified for Brahman (brahma-bhūyāya kalpate). What is that Brahman? And who are You, the basis of the Brahman?
Anticipating these questions, the Lord now speaks. First, with use of a metaphor, the material world made of guṇas is compared to an aśvattha tree. Above all planets, in Satyaloka, lives four-headed Brahmā, who is the one root of the tree of the material world, and who is composed of mahat-tattva, the first sprout from prakṛti (ūrdhva-mūla). The branches of the tree are below, composed of devas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, asuras, Rākṣasas , Pretas, Bhūtas, humans, cows, horses and such beasts, birds, insects, worms, moths, and immobile creatures at the bottom, in the realms of Svaḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Bhūloka.
This aśvattha tree is the best tree because it lets one fulfill one’s goals of artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa. But according to the viewpoint of bhakti, aśvaḥ means that which will not last till tomorrow (a= not, śvaḥ= tomorrow). Aśvattha therefore means that which is bound to perish. For the non-devotees however, it appears to be indestructible (avyayam). Chandāṁsi refers to the Vedas, which expound karma in such verses as the following:
vāyavyaṁ śvetam ālabheta bhūmikām
Desiring wealth and power one should sacrifice a white horse in the northwest. Taittirīya Saṁhitā 2.1.1.1
aindram ekādaśaka-pālaṁ nirvapet prajākāmaḥ
Desiring offspring one should offer eleven oblations in the east. Baudhāyana Śrauta Sūtras 13.2.120.7
Because they expand the bondage of the material world, they are called the leaves (parnāṇi). With these leaves the tree becomes attractive. He who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
Katha vallī śruti says:
ūrdhva-mūlo’vāk-śākha eṣo’ śvatthaḥ sanātanaḥ
This eternal aśvattha tree has its root is upwards and branches downwards. Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.3.1