Developing Detachment – Guruji’s Gita in Practice – 15

CHAPTER 15

Sri Bhagavan said:

15. 1 He who knows the Ashwatha tree (creation), which is said to be imperishable, with its roots upwards,(in the Primeval Being), whose branches are down and whose leaves are Vedas, he knows.
15. 2 The branches of the tree extend both upwards and downwards fed by the Gunas and having sense objects for their leaves, its roots bind the soul according to its actions in the world of humans
15. 3 Its nature cannot be grasped. It has no beginning nor end. Cut this aswattha tree which is firmly rooted with a determined weapon of dispassion(non attachment)

PURPORT:

1. The creation is compared to an inverted Ashwatha tree; the roots are in the Lord, and branches are in the world of creation, its leaves are Vedas.
2. The word Shashwatha means permanent, ashashwatha means impermanent; ashwatha tree which looks like permanent or long living with powerful roots and hundreds of branches, is not really permanent.
3. Jivas are fed by gunas, and the roots (desires and vasans prompted actions) are the ones which bind the jiva to the creation
4. Like one who is all the while inside or part of the tree, who cannot grasp it, we too cannot grasp this creation. The creation looks permanent without beginning and without end.
5. Lord urges us to cut this false tree of creation by the formidable weapon of detachment. For what prevents us from knowing the tree(creation) is our involvement in it

15. 4 Therefore a man should diligently seek for that supreme state having attained which they return no more to this world; and having resolved that he stands dedicated to that Primeval being Himself, from whom this beginning less creation has progressed, he should dwell and meditate on HIM.
15. 5 The wise men who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are in eternal union with God, whose cravings are altogether ceased and who are completely immune from all pairs of opposites going by the names of pleasure and pain, reach that supreme immortal state.

PURPORT:

1. Once we know the falsity of creation, now seek that Supreme State attaining which no rebirth ensues.
2. Having decided firmly, now dedicate totally to HIM
3. The wise men who will reach that Supreme State are described
4. They are free from pride and delusion
5. They got rid of evil called attachment
6. constantly meditating on HIM
7. Having given up all cravings, desires, expectations
8. have come out of dwandwas like joy and sorrows

15. 6 Neither sun, moon nor even fire can illumine that supreme state, attaining which they never return to this world. That is my supreme Abode.

PURPORT:

1. the power of that supreme state is given here
2. Comparing it to sun moon fire; and saying that it is far superior to all these
3. In other words, that Supreme Abode is beyond this creation

15. 7 The eternal jivatma in this body is a particle of My own being; and it is that alone which draws round itself the mind and the five senses, which rest in Prakriti.
15. 8 Even as the wind wafts scents from their seat, so too jivatma, which is the controller of the body etc, taking the mind and the senses from the body which it leaves behind forthwith migrates to the body which it acquires.
15. 9 It is while dwelling in the senses of hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell, as well as in the mind, that this jivatma enjoys the objects of senses.
15. 10 The ignorant know not the soul departing from, or dwelling in the body, or enjoying the objects of the senses, i.e., even when it is connected with the three Gunas; only those endowed with the eye of wisdom are able to realize it.

PURPORT:

1. Jivatma(individual soul in the body) is MY own part
2. It attracts mind and senses and rests in Prikriti
3. When death takes place, this jivatmas(who is not Realized) takes with it mind and senses(unfulfilled desires and vasanas) seeks another body to fulfil those desires
4. It is Jivatma enjoys sitting in (prakriti called) body enjoys and suffers, identifying itself with the body
5. Those who do not have the Knowledge, do not understand all this, the wise know it.

15. 11 Striving yogis too are able to realize this self enshrined in their heart.The ignorant, however, whose heart has not been purified, know not this self in spite of their best endeavors.

PURPORT:

1. Striving yogis with pure heart are able to realize this.
2. Not those whose hearts still have desires and expectations from this world.
3. In other words, if you think that the world of creation(the Tree) is real, your heart remains impure.

15. 12 The light in the sun, that illumines the entire world, and that which shines in the moon and that too which shines in the fire, know that light to be Mine.
15. 13 And,permeating the soil, it is I who support all creatures by my Vital Power, and becoming the nectarine moon, I nourish all plants.
15. 14 taking the form of fire lodged in the body of all creatures and united with the Prana(exhalation) and Apana breaths, it is I who consume the four kinds of food.
15. 15 It is I, who remains seated in the heart of all creatures as the inner controller of all; it is I who am the source of memory, knowledge and the ratiocinating faculty. Again, I am the only object worth knowing though the Vedas; I alone am the father of the Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas too.

PURPORT:

1. HE describes HIMSELF; the light in sun, moon and fire are HIS only
2. In earth as vital power supports creation, as moon nourishes the plants
3. Seated in each being, HE controls all the functions
4. Yes, HE alone is worth knwoing rest is all prakriti and Maya(that which is not) or delusion.
5. Talk of highest scripture Vedas, in that also, HE is the one to be known
6. Everything has come only from HIM.
7. In other words eliminate all doubts and develop total faith in HIM

15. 16 The perishable and the imperishable too- these are the two kinds of Purushas in this world. Of these, the bodies of all beings are spoken of as the perishable’ while the jivatmas or the embodied soul is called imperishable.
15. 17 The Supreme person is yet other than these, who having entered all the three worlds, upholds and maintains all, and has been spoken of as the imperishable Lord and the Supreme Spirit
15. 18 Since I am the wholly beyond the perishable world of matter or Kshetra and am superior even to the imperishable soul, hence I am known as the Purushottama in the world, as well as, in the Vedas.

PURPORT:

1. HE explains further the entire Creation
2. There is perishable matter which is Prakriti
3. Imperishable matter is called Jivatma or embodied soul, (you and me in ignorance)
4. HE is higher than both of these and is called PURUSHOTHAMA
5. Embodied soul is called Jiva for it is in Avidya or in ignorance of its True Nature
6. Liberation is realizing its true nature where it finds its unity with Purushothama
7. Dwaitins believe, that jiva can never be in unity with Purushothama for HE is perennially different from Jiva. Truth will be revealed by various scriptures like Bhagavatha

15. 19 Arjuna, the wise man who thus realizes ME as the Supreme Person-knowing all, he constantly worships ME with this whole being.
15. 20 Arjuna, this most esoteric teaching has thus been imparted by Me; grasping it in essence man becomes wise and his mission in life is accomplished.

PURPORT:

1. Wisdom lies in total dedication to HIM
2. Constant worship of HIM
3. Develop complete faith in HIM
4. Use Reason, and grasp HIS teaching
5. Liberate yourself.
6. Mission in life will have been accomplished
7. Mission in life is not getting bogged down in creation, but coming out of it.
8. That is why the cutting of the Tree called creation, by sword of detachment.

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