Bhagavad Gita: Purushottam Yoga
Department of Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh hosted International
Gita Mahotsav during Dec 1-3, 2025 at multiple venues across the state. On Dec
1, to commemorate Gita Jayanti, more than three lakh devotees – gitapremi
– assembled in 55 district towns and 313 block development towns, and tunefully
chanted Chapter 15 of Gita under the guidance of Acharyas of ShriKrishna Parampara.
Why was Chapter 15 – Purushottam Yoga – chosen for the mass recitation? Because
ShriKrishna delivers to Arjuna the most-sacred, secret, esoteric, deep, and
profound knowledge contained in the shastras - guhyatamam shastram
(Shloka 20) in this chapter?
Another reason could be - Chapter 15 with 20 shlokas is the shortest of the
18 chapters of Gita (Chapter 12 – Bhakti Yoga - also has 20 shlokas!) and could
be chanted in under ten minutes. It takes Swami Brahmananda of Chinmaya Mission
about seven minutes to recite.
Purushottam Yoga
What is the core teaching in Chapter 15?
ShriKrishna says:
I am Purushottam, the Supreme Being. The manifest world
emanates from me. I uphold and maintain all the lokas. I reside in every living
being (jiva) - सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो.
Those who comprehend this deep, profound, and supreme
knowledge attain me and reach my abode – param dham – from which there is no
return to the messy world of sensory pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow.
To achieve this supreme goal, the devotee must firmly
severe the sturdy roots of the asvattha tree with the sharp axe of non-attachment
and rise above the miasma of physical senses to attain the highest awareness
and knowledge. That is the essence of all the scriptures.
The Inverted Ashvattha Tree
Purushottam Yoga – begins with the celebrated metaphor - ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं - an
inverted ashvattha (Peepal, ficus religiosa) tree with its roots in the skies
and the trunk and the branches hanging down.
Sanskrit
श्री भगवानुवाच
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्।।15.1।।
Transliteration
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam chhandānsi yasya parṇāni
yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit
Word Meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; ūrdhva-mūlam—with
roots above; adhaḥ—downward; śhākham—branches; aśhvattham—the sacred fig tree;
prāhuḥ—they speak; avyayam—eternal; chhandānsi—Vedic mantras; yasya—of which;
parṇāni—leaves; yaḥ—who; tam—that; veda—knows; saḥ—he; veda-vit—the knower of
the Vedas
Translations
The Bhagavat said, [The scriptures] speak of a non-perishing holy fig
tree, whose roots are high and branches are low, and of which the [Vedic]
hymns are the leaves. He who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
- Dr. S. Sankaranarayan
The Blessed Lord said: They (the wise) speak of the indestructible peepul
tree, with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the meters
or hymns; he who knows it is a knower of the Vedas.
- Swami Sivananda
Asvattha is the most sacred tree in Hinduism. Brahma resides in its roots,
Vishnu in the trunk, and Shiva in the leaves (Skanda Purana). Asvattha
sarvavrikshanam – among trees, I’m Ashvattha – declares Krishna in Bhagavad
Gita.
In this shloka, the inverted Peepal tree represents the material world. A
seeker must break free from the bondage of the sensory and sensual world to attain
param dham, the abode of the Supreme Being – Purushottam.
Shlokas 1-5 describe the inverted tree, the general inability to comprehend
its illusion and limitation, and the qualities essential to rise above these
trappings. Shlokas 6-20 elaborate on param dham, Purushottam, and the
recommended path for the true seeker.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च।
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्।।15.15।।
I reside in the hearts of all; from Me come the faculties of memory,
knowledge, and discernment; none but Me is to be known by means of all the
Vedas; I am the author of the Vedas and of the Vedantas, too.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत।।15.19।।
He who, undeluded, knows Me as the highest Purusha, he, knowing all,
worships Me with his whole being (heart), O Arjuna.
- Swami Sivananda
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्
।।15.5।।
The wise ones, free from pride and non-discrimination, who have conquered
the evil of association [hatred and love arising from association with foes and
friends], who are ever devoted to spirituality, completely free from desires,
and free from the dualities of happiness and sorrow, reach that undecaying
state.
Link for my previous blog: Gita Counselling: Supreme Healer's Public Therapy:
https://www.pkdash.in/2025/01/gita-counselling-supreme-healers-public.html
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As always Prasanna this is a very readable blog. Thank you. All the best 👍👍
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