Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Purushottama Yoga (Part-2)
- Dr.Madhavi Srivastava
- Sep 14
- 7 min read
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Purushottama Yoga
Explore the timeless wisdom of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15, 'Purushottama Yoga,' and discover the path beyond material life to the Supreme Divine Self.
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्। यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥ १५.११॥
The yogis, through sincere effort and self-discipline, see the soul clearly, abiding within themselves. But even though others may try, those who lack self-control and discernment cannot perceive it.
"यतन्तः योगिनः" – Yogis who sincerely strive on the spiritual path,
"एणं पश्यन्ति आत्मनि अवस्थितम्" – perceive the soul as situated within the self, through deep meditation and realisation.
"अकृतात्मानः" – Those who have not purified or disciplined the self (the mind and senses),
"अचेतसः" – those who lack spiritual intelligence or awareness,
"न पश्यन्ति" – do not see or recognise the presence of the soul,
"यतन्तः अपि" – even if they try through external or superficial means.
This verse emphasises that true vision comes only to those who are internally disciplined and spiritually awakened, not merely through effort, but through purified consciousness.
The soul is seen by yogis who are self-controlled and inwardly focused, but remains hidden to those whose minds are unrefined, even if they try.
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्। यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्॥ १५.१२॥
The brilliance that resides in the sun and illuminates the entire world, and that which shines in the moon and in fire—know that all such splendour comes from Me.
"यद् आदित्यगतं तेजः" – The light and energy of the sun, which sustains life and dispels darkness,
"जगत् भासयते अखिलम्" – which illuminates the entire universe,
"यत् च चन्द्रमसि" – and the calm radiance of the moon,
"यत् च अग्नौ" – and the heat and glow of fire,
"तत् तेजः विद्धि मामकम्" – know all this brilliance to be Mine, a manifestation of My divine energy.
This verse teaches that all sources of light and energy, whether physical (sun, moon, fire) or symbolic (knowledge, clarity, life-force), originate from the Supreme Lord.
The light of the sun, the moon, and fire—all originate from the divine brilliance of the Supreme.
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा। पुष्णामि चौषधिः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः॥ १५.१३॥
Entering the earth, I sustain all living beings with My energy. Becoming the moon, I nourish all plants with the essence of life.
"गाम् आविश्य" – Entering into the earth,
"भूतानि धारयामि अहम् ओजसा" – I support and uphold all living beings by My vital energy.
"पुष्णामि च औषधिः सर्वाः" – I nourish all vegetation and herbs,
"सोमः भूत्वा रसात्मकः" – by becoming the Soma, the essence of taste and vitality, present in the moonlight.
This verse reveals that the Lord is the sustaining power behind all life—He is in the earth, giving strength, and in the moon, which nurtures plants, making food and life possible.
The Lord, present in the earth and moon, sustains all beings and nourishes all vegetation with His divine essence.
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः। प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्॥ १५.१४॥
I am the digestive fire (Vaishvanara) dwelling in the bodies of all living beings. United with the life-airs—prāṇa and apāna—I digest the four types of food.
"अहं वैश्वानरः भूत्वा" – I become Vaishvanara, the fire of digestion.
"प्राणिनां देहम् आश्रितः" – Residing in the bodies of living beings,
"प्राणापान समायुक्तः" – Balancing the upward-moving prāṇa and the downward-moving apāna life-forces,
"पचामि अन्नं चतुर्विधम्" – I digest the four types of food:
भोज्यम् – food that is chewed (solid food),
पेयम् – drunk food (liquids),
लेह्यम् – food that is licked (like honey, paste),
चोष्यम् – food that is sucked (like juicy fruits or soups).
This verse beautifully highlights that the divine presence within us governs even our most basic biological processes—such as digestion—and that the Supreme Lord sustains life not only externally but also internally.
The Lord, as the fire of digestion, sustains life within all beings by digesting the four kinds of food through the vital airs.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टोमत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च। वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्योवेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्॥ १५.१५॥
I am seated in the heart of all living beings. From Me come memory, knowledge, and forgetfulness. I alone am to be known through all the Vedas. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
"सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टः" – The Supreme Lord is present in the heart of every being, as the inner witness as अंतर्यामी.
"मत्तः स्मृतिः ज्ञानम् अपोहनं च" – Memory, knowledge, and even forgetfulness arise from His will. This includes all our cognitive processes.
"वेदैः च सर्वैः अहम् एव वेद्यः" – The ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to realize Him alone.
"वेदान्तकृत्" – He is the author/compiler of Vedānta.
"वेदवित् एव च अहम्" – And He is the true knower of the Vedas, beyond scholarly interpretation.
This verse is both deeply philosophical and profoundly devotional, demonstrating that God is not only the creator of the external universe but also the source of inner awareness, the ultimate goal of scriptural study, and the knower of all knowledge.
The Lord dwells in all hearts, is the source of memory and knowledge, and is the ultimate goal, knower, and author of the Vedas.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥ १५.१६॥
There are two kinds of beings in this world—the perishable and the imperishable. All living entities in the material realm are perishable, while those who are situated in the spiritual realm are said to be imperishable.
"द्वौ इमौ पुरुषौ लोके" – In this world, there are two categories of beings:
क्षरः (Kshara) – The fallible, or perishable beings. These are all embodied living entities in the material world, subject to birth, decay, and death.
अक्षरः (Akshara) – The infallible, or imperishable beings, who remain untouched by material nature and dwell in the spiritual realm. They are unchanging and eternal.
"कूटस्थः" – Means unchanging, firm, or unshakable. It refers to the unaffected soul or consciousness in its pure spiritual state.
This verse sets the stage for the next one, in which Krishna reveals a third and supreme category—the Supreme Purusha, transcending both the fallible and the infallible.
All beings in the material world are perishable; those established in the spiritual realm are imperishable.
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः। यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥ १५.१७॥
But beyond these two—the perishable and the imperishable—there is yet another, the Supreme Person, called the Paramatma, the imperishable Lord, who has entered the three worlds and sustains them all.
"उत्तमः पुरुषः तु अन्यः" – There is a third category of being: the Supreme Person (Purushottama), beyond both fallible (kshara) and infallible (akshara) beings.
"परमात्मा इति उदाहृतः" – He is called the Supreme Soul or Paramatma, the all-pervading indwelling presence.
"यो लोक-त्रयम् आविश्य" – He enters the three worlds (heaven, earth, and the lower regions),
"बिभर्ति" – and sustains all of them,
"अव्ययः ईश्वरः" – being the eternal, unchanging, Supreme Lord.
This verse reveals the true essence of God, not just as a cosmic witness or passive presence, but as the active sustainer, present everywhere, and yet transcendent.
Beyond the perishable and imperishable beings is the Supreme Person—Paramatma—who pervades and sustains all the worlds eternally.
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः। अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥ १५.१८॥
Because I transcend both the perishable and the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and the Vedas as the Supreme Person (Purushottama).
"Kṣhara" refers to all perishable living beings bound by matter.
"Akṣhara" refers to the imperishable, such as the liberated souls or pure spirit.
Krishna declares that He surpasses both—He is not limited by the cycle of birth and death (like kṣhara), nor just a passive, inactive spirit (like akṣhara).
Thus, He is Purushottam, the Supreme Being, recognised not only by the world (loka) through spiritual traditions and the experience of enlightened sages, but also by the supreme and authoritative source of eternal knowledge, the Vedas. This dual recognition—both empirical and scriptural—affirms His unique status, transcending both the perishable and the imperishable, and establishes Him as the ultimate truth to be known and revered.
Krishna is beyond both matter and spirit and is thus rightfully known as the Supreme Person—Purushottama—by both the world and the Vedas.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्। स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥ १५.१९॥
O son of Bharata, whoever understands Me in this way, without delusion, as the Supreme Person (Purushottama), is truly wise and worships Me with complete devotion.
"यो माम् एवम् असम्मूढः जानाति" – Whoever knows Me truly, without confusion or delusion (as described in the previous verses),
"पुरुषोत्तमम्" – as Purushottama, the Supreme Person, beyond the fallible and infallible,
"सः सर्ववित्" – he is the knower of all, for he understands the essence of spiritual truth,
"भजति माम् सर्वभावेन" – and thus worships Me with all his heart, with complete devotion,
"भारत" – O Arjuna, descendant of Bharata.
This verse emphasises that true wisdom lies in recognising Krishna as Purushottama, and such realisation naturally leads one to pure devotional service (bhakti) offered with complete surrender.
One who knows Krishna as the Supreme Person is truly wise and serves Him with complete devotion and love.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ।एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत॥ १५.२०॥
Thus, this most confidential teaching has been revealed by Me, O sinless one. One who understands it becomes truly wise and has fulfilled the purpose of life, O son of Bharata.
"इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रम्" – This is the most secret and sacred knowledge among all scriptures,
"इदम् उक्तं मया" – and I have spoken it directly to you,
"अनघ" – O sinless one (Arjuna, pure in heart and action),
"एतत् बुद्ध्वा" – Whoever understands this knowledge,
"बुद्धिमान् स्यात्" – becomes truly intelligent,
"कृतकृत्यः च" – and becomes one who has fulfilled all duties and the ultimate purpose of life,
This closing verse confirms that knowing the Supreme Person (Purushottama) as Krishna, the source of everything, is not just a philosophical insight—it is the essence of wisdom and the completion of spiritual pursuit.
This supreme teaching leads to true wisdom and the fulfilment of life—understanding it, one becomes complete and perfected.
In these timeless verses of Purushottama Yoga, Lord Krishna reveals the essence of true wisdom, understanding the Supreme Lord Krishna who transcends all. As we reflect on the inverted tree of life, the bondage of karma, and the path of devotion, may these teachings inspire us to rise above illusion and walk toward self-realisation.
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