The Bhagavad Gita, literally meaning The Song of the Bhagavan, often referred to as simply The
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टोमत्त: स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च |
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 15
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्योवेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम् || 15||
sarvasya chāhaṁ hṛidi sanniviṣhṭomattaḥ smṛitir jñānam apohanaṁ cha
vedaiśh cha sarvair aham eva vedyovedānta-kṛid veda-vid eva chāham
General Meaning:
It is I, who is firmly living in the hearts of all beings. From Me, originate, memory and knowledge, and their absence too. It is only Me, who is the worth knowing knowledge of the Vedas. I am the Revealer of Vedanta and I am the knower and knowledge of the Vedas.
Explanatory Notes:
The core of the heart of all beings is God. He cannot be displaced. Heis the Center most and Supreme, the all-knowing Entity in the heart of all beings. Knowledge, memory, their presence, and absence originate from Him. God is the Only and Highest Truth and knowledge in all the Vedas and Vedanta, which are worth knowing. God is the source of Yoga-Vedanta and personification of the highest holy scriptures.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च |
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 16
क्षर: सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते || 16||
dvāv imau puruṣhau loke kṣharaśh chākṣhara eva cha
kṣharaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ’kṣhara uchyate
General Meaning:
In this world (Creation), 2 types of beings are there. One of these two is Destructible, known as Khyara and the 2nd is Akhyara or Indestructible. All visible and perceptible beings are destructible. The Kutastha, the Soul, the unchangeable is Indestructible.
Explanatory Notes:
The whole Creation consisting of Organic, Inorganic, Biological, and otherwise obey the laws of conception, birth, growth, old age, and death. There is a struggle for existence and survival. These are based on physical or gross, mental or subtle, astral, verbal, intellectual, and ego. All these are destructible or perishable and are known as Khyara. All beings are made up of these. But the Entity, Imperceptible and Invisible and Formless, known as the Spirit or Soul, supports the other from within. This soul is Indestructible, deathless, and known as Akhyara. This is constant, unchangeable, not influenced by time and space, hence known as Kutastha or Kutastha Chaitanya. Imperceptible, Immortal, Pure Consciousness.
उत्तम: पुरुषस्त्वन्य: परमात्मेत्युदाहृत: |
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 17
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वर: || 17||
uttamaḥ puruṣhas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛitaḥ
yo loka-trayam āviśhya bibharty avyaya īśhvaraḥ
General Meaning:
Apart from these two beings and distinct is the Supreme Being or Supreme Purusa, known as the Highest Self, the Indestructible Lord, who pervades the 3 worlds and maintains and sustains them.
Explanatory Notes:
Apart from these 2 entities, i.e. a) the mortal, perishable, body, mind, intellect and ego complex, b) the immortal, imperishable, unchanging soul, also known as Kutastha Chaitanya, there is the third, i.e. the Supreme PURUSHOTTAMA, literally meaning the Supreme Being. He is beyond Time and Space. He exists forever, pervading the Khyara, Akhyara, and much more. Hence, every being has 3 identities. Every being has the
- The Perishable Khyara Personality,
- The Imperishable Akhyara Personality,
- The Purusottama.
So, each person, relatively speaking is 3-in-1. The quality and destiny of the person depend upon, which of the three identities, he accepts and believes in. He becomes a follower of Advaita Vedanta, which is extremely difficult to practice living in family and society if he identifies himself with Purusottama. He becomes a follower of Yoga-Vedanta if he identifies himself with the soul or Kutastha Chaitanya with all sincerity. It is also a very difficult path and only a handful of spiritual seekers succeed. But it is possible. He becomes dominantly materialistic with all its complications if he identifies himself with the purely biological Khyara personality. Stress and psychosomatic diseases and sufferings and transient joys and sorrows are integral parts of this life and identity. Kriya Yoga is a balanced harmonious combination of these three, which leads to Self Realization in this life.
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तम: |
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 18
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथित: पुरुषोत्तम: || 18||
yasmāt kṣharam atīto ’ham akṣharād api chottamaḥ
ato ’smi loke vede cha prathitaḥ puruṣhottamaḥ
General Meaning:
I am above and beyond the destructible and also beyond and greater than the individual soul, so, I am described as Purusottama (the greatest ever Being). In the worlds and also in the Vedas.
Explanatory Notes:
The Supreme Eternal Being, who pervades all the Worlds and Creation, and the Manifest and also the Unmanifest, is much greater, higher than and distinct from the destructible beings and also the indestructible soul. He is the Supreme Soul, Paramatma Param Brahmam. And also pervades all and the Innermost Ruler of all.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम् |
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 19
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत || 19||
yo māmevam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣhottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata
General Meaning:
He, who, the undeluded person likes this realizes Me, the Supreme Person, he the all-knowing person, prays to Me, by all possible methods and ways, O’ Bharata.
Explanatory Notes:
After describing the detailed knowledge of Khyara, Akhyara and Purusottama, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that, the person who remembers and realizes this knowledge, all his ignorance and delusions vanish. By all possible methods of worship, that devotee worships Sri Krishna, Vasudev (personal God), as the Supreme Lord, who is beyond Khyara and Akhyara beings.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ |
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 20
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत || 20||
iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata
General Meaning:
Such is the topmost secret science has been taught by Me, O’ Sinless One. Knowing this, a person attains wisdom and knowledge. Realizing this a person attains perfection and his life is fulfilled.
Explanatory Notes:
Sri Krishna concludes this section of the Yoga of Perfection and the Perfect. Purushottama, the Supreme Lord is the Supremely Perfect, God Himself. Yet He abides in and pervades the imperfect i.e. Khyara, the destructible and qualified Perfect, the Soul. Constantly remembering it and living a life according to the Kriya Yoga Philosophy and techniques, one becomes internally Purified, attains much better understanding, realizes Truth, as taught by Sri Krishna, the Paramaatma Devata, and becomes liberated. His life becomes Perfect and Fulfilled.
om iti srimad bhagavad gitaasu upanishatsu
brahma vidyaayaam yogashaastre sri krishnaarjuna samvaade
purushottama yogo naama panchadasoddhyaayah
General Meaning:
Om, Thus, in the Upanisad of the Blessed Bhagavad Gita, in The Science of the Supreme, in the scriptures of Yoga, in the conversation between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the 15th Chapter comes to an end, named, The Yoga of the Supreme Soul. Om.
May God bless you with Love, Laughter, Light, Longevity and Life.
With Love and Best Wishes,
Paramahansa Atmananda Ji