Its branches extend downward and upward, nourished by the gunas, with sense objects as twigs.
Below, in the human world, the roots spread, binding through karma.
Context
The tree's branches extend in all directions, fed by the three gunas.
In the human realm, secondary roots extend—actions that bind one deeper to worldly existence.
Takeaway
The gunas nourish worldly entanglement; sense objects are the attractive shoots.
Understand how you're becoming more entangled through your own activity.
Verse 15.3-4
Sanskrit Transliteration:
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā
aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tam eva chādyaṁ puruṣhaṁ prapadye yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛitā purāṇī
Meaning
Its form is not perceived here as such, nor its end, nor its origin, nor its foundation.
"I take refuge in that Primal Person from whom this ancient activity has streamed forth."
Context
The tree's true form isn't seen clearly in worldly experience; its full extent is unknowable.
Then seek that destination from which there's no return—the Primal Person from whom all existence flows.
Takeaway
You can't see the full extent of worldly entanglement while caught in it.
Take refuge in the origin from which all activity emerged.
Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the fault of attachment, ever devoted to the Self, with desires completely turned away, liberated from the dualities known as pleasure and pain—the undeluded reach that imperishable goal.
Context
Those who attain the eternal goal are: free from pride and illusion, have conquered attachment, are always focused on the Self, have turned away from desires, and are liberated from the duality of pleasure and pain.
These undeluded ones reach the imperishable.
Takeaway
The path to the eternal involves: releasing pride and delusion, overcoming attachment, continuous Self-focus, desire reduction, and transcending pleasure-pain duality.
These qualities together enable arrival at the unchanging goal.
Verse 15.6
Sanskrit Transliteration:
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
Meaning
Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire illuminates That.
That is My supreme abode.
Context
Krishna's supreme abode is self-luminous—it needs no sun, moon, or fire to light it.
This is the ultimate destination.
Takeaway
The final goal is self-luminous—it doesn't depend on external light.
Reaching this self-effulgent realm is the end of the journey, with no return to darkness.
An eternal fragment of Myself, having become a living being in the world of life, draws to itself the six senses including the mind, which rest in Prakriti.
Context
The individual soul is an eternal part of Krishna.
The soul is eternal; its association with mind and senses is temporary.
Takeaway
You are an eternal fragment of the divine.
Understanding your identity as divine fragment changes everything about self-perception.
Becoming the digestive fire in the bodies of living beings, united with the ingoing and outgoing breath, I digest the four kinds of food.
Context
Krishna is the digestive fire (Vaishvanara) within all beings.
Digestion is divine activity within you.
Takeaway
Your ability to digest food is divine power within you.
Your body is a temple of divine working.
Verse 15.15
Sanskrit Transliteration:
sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭo mattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha
vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham
Meaning
I am seated in the hearts of all.
I am the author of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas.
Context
Krishna dwells in every heart.
He is what all Vedas seek to reveal, the creator of Vedantic philosophy, and the true knower of Vedic wisdom.
Takeaway
God is in your heart right now.
The closest reality is the divine within.
Verse 15.16
Sanskrit Transliteration:
dvāv imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaśh chākṣhara eva cha
kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho 'kṣhara uchyate
Meaning
There are two kinds of persons in this world—the perishable and the imperishable.
All beings are the perishable; the unchanging is called the imperishable.
Context
Two categories of purusha (conscious entities) exist: kshara (perishable)—all embodied beings subject to change—and akshara (imperishable)—the unchanging, eternal aspect.
This is a basic metaphysical distinction.
Takeaway
Existence has two categories: the changing and the unchanging.
Understanding both is necessary for complete knowledge.
Verse 15.17
Sanskrit Transliteration:
uttamaḥ puruṣhas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ
yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ
Meaning
But there is another, the Supreme Person, called the Supreme Self, who, entering the three worlds, sustains them—the imperishable Lord.
Context
Beyond both perishable and imperishable is the Supreme Person—Paramatma.
He is the Lord beyond both categories.
Takeaway
Beyond the changing and the unchanging is the Supreme Person who sustains both.
He transcends what he sustains.
Verse 15.18
Sanskrit Transliteration:
yasmāt kṣharam atīto 'ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ
ato 'smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ
Meaning
Since I transcend the perishable and am higher even than the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person (Purusottama).
Context
Krishna declares his position: he transcends the perishable and is superior even to the imperishable.
Therefore, he is known as Purusottama—the Supreme Person—in worldly knowledge and Vedic scripture.
Takeaway
The title Purusottama means "Supreme Person"—beyond both changeable beings and the unchangeable absolute.
Krishna is not just one god among others but the Ultimate.
Verse 15.19
Sanskrit Transliteration:
yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣhottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata
Meaning
One who, without delusion, thus knows Me as the Supreme Person—that one, knowing all, worships Me with complete being, O Bharata.
Context
Whoever knows Krishna as Purusottama without confusion knows everything essential.
Complete understanding leads to complete devotion.
Takeaway
Knowing Krishna as the Supreme Person is knowing what matters most.