Why is this Chapter special?

Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15Purana Purushothama Yoga

Write-up as a seva, by:V.Prabhakar Rao, Singapore Oct 09

Dedication

I am writing this on the sacred day of Sri Vijaya Dasaru Aradhana. My namaskara to my Guru Sri Raghavendra Guru Rayaru and to Sri Vijaya Dasaru, seeking their inspiration .

Nimma Olimeyindha

(A) Swarupa of the world: In the first two and a half slokasLord explains the swarupa of the world.

(B) Sadhanas to reach God: In the next two and a half slokasHe talks about the ways (sadhanas) to reach Him.

(C ) Bhagavath Swarupa: The next six slokas see Him describing the Bhagavath swarupa.

(D) Hari as sarvantharyami: The following four slokas explain that Lord Hari is the sarvantharyami.

(E) Hari Sarvothamatva: Finally, the the last five slokas of the chapter proclaim Lord as the Sarvothama.

Overview of Chapter 15

It is said that:Mahabharatha is the most celebrated among the shasthras

Bhagavad Gita is the most important part of MahabharathaThe 15th chapter is the most important one in Bhagavad Gita

And the slokas 16 to 19 are the most important ones in this chapterIt is said that Srimad Acharya has used these slokas in many of his works

Overview of Chapter 15

The slokas 16 to 19 contain the gist of Sriman Madhwa Siddhantha:

1. Hari Sarvothama - Sloka 18

2. Sathyam Jagath - Sloka 17

3. Pancha bedha - Slokas 16/17/18

4. Jeevas as Haridasas - Sloka 17

5. Tharathamya of jeevas - Sloka 16

6. Mukthi of satvika jeeva - Sloka 20 (and slokas from ch 14)

7. Bhakthi as Moksha sadhanam - Sloka 20

8. Pramanas - Slokas 16/17/18

9. Knowing Lord through Vedhas - Sloka 19

Sriman Madhwa Siddhantha& Chapter 15

sri-bhagavan uvacaurdhva-mulam adhah-sakham ashvattham prahur avyayamchandamsi yasya parnani yas tam veda sa veda-vit (15:1)

adhas cordhvam prasrtas tasya sakha guna-pravrddha visaya-pravalahadhas ca mulany anusantatani karmanubandhini manushya-loke (15:2)

na rupam asyeha tathopalabhyate nanto na cadir na ca sampratishtha (15:3A)

These two and a half slokas explain the swarupa of the world. World is like an Aswaththa tree, but with its roots on top and branches below. Sri Vishnu,Sri Lakshmi and Jadaprakrithi are the roots. Vedas are the leaves. This world is dynamic but eternal .

This swarupa of the world is not understood and Sri Vishnu, who is the Creator, Sustainer & Destroyer of this world, is also not understood.

I. Swarupa of the world

ashvattham enam su-virudha-mulam asanga-sastrena drdhena chittva(15:3B)

tatah padam tat parimargitavyam yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyahtam eva cadyam purusham prapadye yatah pravrttih prasrta purani (15:4)

nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosa adhyatma-nitya vinivrtta-kamahdvandvair vimuktah sukha-duhkha-samjnair gacchanty amudhah padamavyayam tat (15:5)

II. Sadhanas to reach God

These two and a half slokas talk about the sadhanas to reach God.

With the help of the weapon called Gnana, strengthened with detachment, one should cut this tree, one should seek this Sri Vishnu and take refuge in Him.

Those without ahankara and detached from vishayas . ever involved in bhagavath vichara away from desire equally detached from pleasures &

pains .. such mukthi-yogyas reach the Lord.

na tad bhasayate suryo na sasanko na pavakah

yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama (15:6)

mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah

manah-sasthanindriyani prakriti-sthani karshati (15:7)

sariram yad avapnoti yac capy utkramatishvarah

grhitvaitani samyati vayur gandhan ivasayat (15:8)

III. Bhagavath Swarupa

The next 6 slokas (6 to 11) narrate the Swarupaof the Lord.

Lord says that His is the exalted swarupa which when the Gnanis reach they never return to samsara. He says Sun, Moon and even Agni are not the ones who instill the brightness in His swarupa. .

Jeevas are binna amsa of Sri Vishnu and their indriyas are made active & dynamic only by Sri Vishnu. Hence to cut the worldly tree of samsara, one should take refuge at the lotus feet of Sri Vishnu.

srotram caksuh sparshanam ca rasanam ghranam eva caadhisthaya manas cayam visayan upasevate (15:9)utkramantam sthitam vapi bhunjanam va gunanvitamvimudha nanupasyanti pasyanti jnana-caksusah (15:10)yatanto yoginas cainam pasyanty atmany avasthitamyatanto py akritatmano nainam pasyanty acetasah (15:11)

III. Bhagavath Swarupa (contd)

Bhagavan uses the indriyas of the jeevasand experiences the vishayas (sabdam, roopam, sparsham, rasam, vasana). Such a Bhagavan, who is residing in the jeevas, is seen by the Gnanis. Agnanis are unable to. Those who know the gnana upaya do take the efforts, earn the required gnanaand thus see the Lord, who is inside. Those who do not have this buddhi, do not succeed even if they try.

yad aditya-gatam tejo jagad bhasayate khilamyac candramasi yac cagnau tat tejo viddhi mamakam (15:12)gam avisya ca bhutani dharayamy aham ojasapusnami causadhih sarvah somo bhutva rasatmakah (15:13)aham vaisvanaro bhutva praninam deham asritahpranapana-samayuktah pacamy annam catur-vidham (15:14)sarvasya caham hridi sannivisto mattah smritir jnanam apohanam cavedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham (15:15)

IV. Sarvantaryamitva of Bhagavan

In these four slokas 12 to 15, Bhagavan explains that He is present everywhere in various rupas (sarvantaryami). Lord declares that the shakthi of Sun, Moon &

Agni which brightens the world, actually is His. In the glorious sloka 13, Lord says that he gets inside the earth and supports everything and that He is the one who is inside the Moon and helps all plants to grow. Lord also declares that He is the one who is inside everyone as Vaisvanara and, along with Prana & Apana, digests the four types of food. Further, He states that He gets into everyones

heart and from Him, memory, intellect and illusion are created. He categorically declares that He is the one to be seen through Vedas. He is the one who

understands the true import of Vedas and has created the Vedantha.

dvav imau purushau loke ksharas cakshara eva caksharah sarvani bhutani kuta-stho kshara ucyate (15:16)uttamah purushas tv anyah paramatmety udahrtahyo loka-trayam avisya bibharty avyaya ishvarah (15:17)

V. Hari Sarvothamatva

As the grand finale of this chapter, in the slokas 16 to 20, Lord Krishna declares Himself as the Sarvothama. The Hari Sarvothamatva is anchored

in these slokas. Let us look at this most important part a bit in detail.

In sloka 16 Lord says that there are two types of chetanas. Those (Brahmadhi jeevas) whose chetanas get destroyed (kshara) and the one (Sri Lakshmi) whose chetana does not get destroyed (akshara). But the

Uthama Purusha is above both these types of chetanas. He is the Easwara who enters the three lokas (bhooh, bhuvah, svah) and maintains

them and is indestructible.

yasmat ksharam atito ham aksharad api cottamahato smi loke vede ca prathitah purushottamah (15:18)yo mam evam asammudho janati purushottamamsa sarva-vid bhajati mam sarva-bhavena bharata (15:19)

V. Hari Sarvothamatva

The One who is thus above Ksharasand Akshara and is glorified as Purushothama in the world and in Vedas, is none other than me (Lord Krishna)

And Lord Krishna further states that he who knows Him thus, as Purushothama, has understood the meaning of entire Veda shasthras and he will be worshipping Him with every type of Bhakthi.

iti guhyatamam shastram idam uktam mayanaghaetad buddhva buddhiman syat krita-krtyas ca bharata (15:20)

Thus this sasthra (that Vishnu is like the root of the tree that is samsara, that Vishnu is

sarvantharyami and that Vishnu is Sarvothama) is to be learnt. It is a secretive knowledge taught by

Me. He who learns it will become a gnani(aparoksha gnani) and one who has performed what should be performed (mukthan) Lord

Krishna

Om tat sat ithi srimad bhagavadgitasu upanishadsu brahma vidyayaamyogashasthrey srikrishnarjuna samvadhe puraana purushoththama yogonaama

panchadasodhyaya:

V. Hari Sarvothamatva

Dwadasha Stotra 9-15 (Sri Madhwacharya)

The 15th sloka in the 9th Dwadasha stotra is a brief summary of the entire 15th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

For the entire Jagat He is the creator. He is responsible for the destruction. He is the one responsible for bringing in the ananda in moksha. He surpasses both ksharas as

well as aksharas and is unique

Dwadasha Stotra 3-2 (Sri Madhwacharya)

The 2nd sloka in the 3rd Dwadasha stotra reflects the essence of the entire 15th chapter of Bhagavad Gita.

There is none other than Sri Hari who is Purushothama. Nowhere anyone is found equal to Him or above Him. There is no reason to have too much attachments in the

worldly affairs. The devotee should constantly keep his mind on the lotus feet of Sri Hari

The mahima of the final five slokas

It is said that doing a parayana of the last five slokas is as effective as doing a parayana of the entire 15th chapter. Such is the mahima of these slokas.

DHARMA BRINGS HAPPINESS

Sri Krishnarpanamasthu

Acknowledgements with thanks:

Srimad Bhagavad Gita - a book by Sri Kumbakonam M. Ramarao based on Sri Raghavendra Guru Rayarus Gitarthasangraha

Heart of Bhagavat Gita by Sri T.S.Raghavendran a SMSO publication

Worldwide net

Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15Purana Purushothama Yoga