Chapter Fifteen

                        The Supreme Person

                          Purusottama-yoga

1) The Supreme Lord said: The holy scriptures proclaim that this
material world is like an unchangeable Banyan tree with its roots
facing upwards and its branches down, known as an Asvattha
(transitory) tree. Its nutriments are the Vedic aphorisms, which
are represented by its leaves. Whoever knows this tree in this way
is a genuine knower of the Vedas.


Commentary: The purport of the statement that the tree of this
mundane world has its roots facing upwards, is that the root cause of
the creation is to be found in the supreme, uppermost holy abode.
Thus, it emanates from and subsequently away from the Supreme
Lord. The statement that its branches face downwards indicates that
due to the reactions of exploitative actions, progressively lower and
lower births from the animals down to the most degraded species
branch out from this tree. Therefore, the Banyan tree of this temporal
world is known as 'Asvattha', which means 'ephemeral', or 'that which
does not remain until tomorrow'. However, it is eternal in the sense
that it constantly appears by virtue of the flow of causal and effectual
current. That the leaves of the tree represent the world-sustaining
section of the Vedas known as karma-kanda, means that inasmuch as
the leaves of a tree nourish and beautify it, this section of the Vedas
similarly nourishes the world, causing it to expand and flourish. In
conclusion, although this mundane world evolves from the eternal
deluding potency of the Lord (maya), it is perishable; and although it
is nourished by the fruitive section of the Vedas (karma-kanda), it is
enlightened by means of the indirect, veiled statements (paroksa-vada)
of the Vedas. One who knows the purport of the Vedas in this way is a
genuine knower of their essence.
It is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam (11.3.43-46)
 karmakarma vikarmeti, veda-vado na laukikah
vedasya cesvaratmatvat, tatra muhyanti surayah
parosa-vado vedo 'yam, balanam anusasanam
karma-moksay karmani, vidhatte hy agadam yatha
nacared yas tu vedoktaμ, svayam ajno 'jitendriyah
vikarmana hy adharmena, mrtyor mrtyum upaiti sah
vedoktam eva kurvano, nihsango 'rpitam isvare
naiskarmam labhate siddhim, rocanartha phala srutih
"The conceptions of action, inaction, and prohibited action are
delineated in the Vedas. Because the Vedas are the embodiment of the
Supreme Lord, even great scholars are bewildered in determining their
purport. The Vedic purport is presented in an indirect, veiled manner,
in order to instruct undisciplined, childishly foolish persons. As a
father entices a sick child to take medicine by displaying sweetmeats,
the scriptures similarly display the heavenly fruits of pious action,
with the underlying purpose of effecting cessation of mundane
action."

2) Some of its branches extend upwards (in the planets of the
demigods and celestial beings), some of the branches extend
downwards (in the planets of the humans, animals, and lower
species), and its mature (three modes of) nature and aim and
object (of sound, smell, touch, taste, and form) are its fresh, young
shoots. Some aerial roots also extend downwards, to take root in
the land of exploitation, within the human plane.

Commentary: Within the overall manifestation of this 'perishable yet
constant' material world, some of the living beings, nourished by the
modes of goodness, are wandering throughout the upper planetary
system, having become enveloped by the egoistic conception of gods
and celestial beings. Others, influenced by the modes of passion and
ignorance, are wandering throughout the planets of the humans,
animals, trees, and other lower species, having become enveloped by
the egoistic conceptions of such species. The sense objects sound,
smell, touch, taste, and form are represented by the new shoots of the
branches of the tree of this material world, since they are merely
transformations of the five unmixed primary elements
(pancatanmatra) which evolve from the egoistic conception of the
living beings of this plane.
Furthermore, although the principal root is situated upwards (inverted,
and in aversion to the Supreme Lord), some of the subsequent down-
going aerial roots of the Banyan tree remain rooted in the soil of the
human plane of the land of exploitation. This indicates that the attempt
to enjoy the fruits of one's action within human life the exploitative
mentality of separate interest is supplying the nourishing sap in the
form of a separate, secondary cause of the tree of this material world.

3-4) In the human plane, that inverted form of the Banyan tree
representing this material world cannot be known, and its origin,
end, and foundation cannot be perceived (except by the means of
Vedic knowledge). From the association of true saints, one
acquires the sharp axe of intense detachment from the mundane.
Using this weapon to chop down that illusory Banyan tree (of
one's own mundane existence) which is stubbornly rooted in
aversion to the Supreme Lord, one attains to the plane of no
return, which is none other than the lotus-feet of the Lord. Then,
by the method of exclusive, uninterrupted devotion, one should
approach for shelter the holy lotus feet of the Supreme Lord
Visnu, and pray, "I am now surrendering unto that Original
Person, the Supreme Lord of all, from whose deluding potency
(maya) this perpetual tree of the material world has emanated and
expanded."

5) Devoid of vanity and delusion, aloof to unholy company,
dedicated to realization of the eternal self, free from lusty desire,
liberated from the joys and sorrows of duality, and liberated from
ignorance, those surrendered souls reach the supreme destination.

6) My supreme holy abode is that place which the surrendered
souls reach, never to return again. Neither sun, nor moon, nor fire
nothing can illuminate that all-illumi- nating supreme abode.

7) The soul is a part of Me (as My separate fragmental particle or
potency). Although he is eternal, he acquires the mind and five
perceptual senses, which are parts of material nature (as creations
of maya, My deluding potency).

8) The soul (jiva) is the proprietor of the body and its
paraphernalia. When he departs from the body, he carries all
these senses to enter into another body, just as the air carries the
fragrance of a flower.

9) Adopting the fleshy ear, eye, skin, tongue, and nose, and also
accepting the subtle mind, this soul exploits the sense objects
sound, form, touch, taste, and smell.

10) Foolish men cannot perceive anything of the soul's departure
from the body, residence within the body, or his exploitation of
sensual objects. However, those endowed with eyes of wisdom are
able to observe the entire operation.

11) Even some assiduous yogis can actually see the soul present
within the body. But foolish persons of impure heart can never see
the soul, despite their endeavors.

12) That effulgence which emanated from the sun and illuminates
the whole universe, and which is present within the moon and
within fire you should surely know that to arise from My personal
effulgence.

13) Appearing within the soil of the Earth, I maintain all beings
by My potency; and in the form of the nectarean moon, I nourish
all the crops (such as rice and barley).

14) Entering into the body of the living being as the power of
digestion, I digest the four types of eatables (chewed, sucked,
licked, and drunk), by the agency of the ascending and descending
vital airs.

15) I am situated (as the Supersoul) within the heart of all souls,
and from Me arises the soul's remembrance, knowledge, and the
dissipation of both (according to his karma, or action in the
mundane plane). I am the exclusive knowable (ecstatic) principle
of all the Vedas. I am the author of the Vedanta Vedavyasa, the
expounder of the knowable meaning of the Vedas. And certainly I
am the knower of the purport of the Vedas.

16) In this world, there are two kinds of souls: the fallible and the
infallible. All being from Lord Brahma down to the lowest
stationary life-forms are known as fallible (as they have deviated
from their intrinsic nature). But the personalities who are
eternally situated in their divine nature are known as infallible
(personal associates of the Lord).

17) But totally distinct from both these types of souls, there is a
Supreme Person who is known as Paramatma, the Supersoul. He
is the Supreme Lord. Entering into the three worlds in His eternal
form, He maintains all beings in the universe.

18) Because I am transcendental to the fallible souls and also
superior to My infallible eternal associates, My glories are sung in
the world and in the scriptures as Purusottama, the Supreme
Person.

19) O Bharata, one who unmistakably knows Me in My eternal,
all-conscious, ecstatic form as that Supreme Person, is the perfect
knower of full-fledged theism, and he worships Me in all respects
(in the devotional flavors of peacefulness, servitorship, friendship,
parenthood, and consorthood).

20) O purehearted Arjuna, I have thus explained to you this most
hidden treasure of all the scriptures. O Bharata, embracing this
nectar in the core of their hearts, the virtuous souls revel in the
perfection of supreme success.


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