Purushottama Yoga - The Yoga of the Supreme Person
पुरुषोत्तमयोगः · पुरुषोत्तम योग
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15, Purushottama Yoga, is one of the most profound and concise chapters of the Gita, described by Krishna Himself as the most secret teaching. It opens with the powerful metaphor of the Ashvattha tree (sacred fig tree) with its roots above and branches below, representing the material world rooted in Brahman. Krishna instructs that this tree of worldly attachment must be cut down with the strong axe of detachment to reach the supreme abode from which there is no return. He reveals that the individual soul is His eternal fragment, and explains how God sustains all life as the digestive fire, the light of the sun, moon, and fire, and as the indweller of all hearts from whom come memory, knowledge, and forgetfulness. The chapter culminates with the revelation of three Purushas — the perishable, the imperishable, and the Supreme Person (Purushottama) — establishing Krishna as the Supreme Being who transcends both.
श्रीभगवानुवाच — ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्। छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्॥१॥
The Blessed Lord said — They speak of an imperishable Ashvattha tree with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. He who knows it is the knower of the Vedas.
Krishnaअधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः। अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके॥२॥
Its branches spread below and above, nourished by the Gunas, with sense objects as its buds. Below, in the human world, its roots also extend, binding through action.
Krishnaन रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा। अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलम् असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा॥३॥
The form of this tree is not perceived here as such — neither its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation. Having cut this deep-rooted Ashvattha tree with the strong axe of non-attachment —
Krishnaततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः। तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी॥४॥
Then that abode must be sought, reaching which one does not return again — 'I take refuge in that primeval Person from whom this ancient activity has streamed forth.'
Krishnaनिर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः। द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैर् गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥५॥
Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the evil of attachment, ever devoted to the Self, with desires completely stilled, liberated from the pairs of opposites known as pleasure and pain — the undeluded reach that imperishable abode.
Krishnaन तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः। यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥६॥
Neither the sun illuminates that, nor the moon, nor fire. Having gone there, they do not return — that is My supreme abode.
Krishnaममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः। मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति॥७॥
An eternal fragment of Myself, becoming the living entity in the world of life, attracts (struggles with) the senses, with the mind as the sixth, which rest in Prakriti.
Krishnaशरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः। गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्॥८॥
When the lord of the body (the soul) obtains a body and when it leaves, it takes these (mind and senses) and goes, as the wind carries fragrances from their source.
Krishnaश्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च। अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते॥९॥
Presiding over the ear, eyes, touch, taste, smell, and the mind, the soul enjoys the objects of the senses.
Krishnaउत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्। विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः॥१०॥
The deluded do not perceive the soul departing from the body, staying in it, or experiencing through the Gunas. But those with the eye of knowledge see it.
Krishnaयतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्। यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥११॥
Striving yogis perceive this Self established within themselves. But those whose minds are not purified, though striving, do not perceive it, being unintelligent.
Krishnaयदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्। यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्॥१२॥
The light residing in the sun that illuminates the entire world, and that which is in the moon and in fire — know that light to be Mine.
Krishnaगामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा। पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः॥१३॥
Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with My energy. Becoming the sap-giving moon (Soma), I nourish all plants.
Krishnaअहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः। प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्॥१४॥
Becoming the digestive fire (Vaishvanara), I dwell in the body of all living beings, and united with the Prana and Apana breaths, I digest the four kinds of food.
Krishnaसर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च। वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्॥१५॥
I am seated in the hearts of all. From Me come memory, knowledge, and their removal. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas. I am the author of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas.
Krishnaद्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च। क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥१६॥
There are two Purushas in this world — the perishable and the imperishable. All beings are perishable; the unchanging one is called imperishable.
Krishnaउत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः। यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥१७॥
But there is another, the highest Person, called the Supreme Self (Paramatma), who, entering the three worlds as the imperishable Lord, sustains them.
Krishnaयस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः। अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥१८॥
Since I transcend the perishable and am higher than even the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and in the Vedas as Purushottama (the Supreme Person).
Krishnaयो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्। स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥१९॥
He who, free from delusion, thus knows Me as the Supreme Person — he is the all-knowing one, and he worships Me with his whole being, O Bharata.
Krishnaइति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ। एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत॥२०॥
Thus this most secret teaching has been imparted by Me, O sinless one. Understanding this, O Bharata, a person becomes wise and has fulfilled all duties.
Krishna