The Bhagavad Gita has 18 chapters and 700 verses (shlokas). Chapter 15 has 20 verses.
What is interesting and enlightening about this fifteenth chapter is that Lord Krishna speaks of the path to realize the all-pervading Supreme Being - the Absolute Truth that is Him. The path of detachment from a worldly life is the path to this divine pursuit.
The worldly or the material world is compared to an imperishable ashwattha tree or fig tree. Paradoxically, however, this tree has its roots above, and branches below. This symbolises the world of matter with all its diversity (branches) and the subtle world of consciousness (root) of this creation. Vedic hymns that help elevate us, are the leaves of this tree. Just as leaves of a tree help nourish it, learning the essence of the Vedas helps man attain higher learning.
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One who knows this tree knows the Vedas. The Lord says, “This tree represents our entanglements with the material world.”
The branches of the tree extend upwards and downwards, and are nourished by the gunas - sattva, rajas and tamas (spoken of in Chapter 14). The twigs represent the senses. The secondary roots extend downwards, which represent human beings’ never-ending desires and actions towards that end, because of which they are a slave of their senses. The more man pursues these baser goals of life, the more bound he will be to them.
So, those who are involved in a worldly life cannot see the real form of this vast tree. They cannot see its origin, end, or foundation. They tend to wander from one branch to another without progressing towards the Supreme Being. This is because their actions are not aimed towards reaching a higher purpose, but to satisfy basic animal instincts.
For such people, there is no end to this tree. In order to realize the higher purpose in life, one must cut down this tree with determination. This can be done by letting go of the material world - with the weapons of detachment and dispassion.
Lord Krishna says some people can attain liberation, such as those who
- are free from pride, delusion, and attachments,
- are indifferent to pleasure and pain,
- are freed from ignorance,
- are on the spiritual path, and
- surrender to the Supreme Divine Person
Those who have reached this state understand it is not the sun, moon or fire that illuminate the world, but the Supreme Light. This is the light of higher understanding that illuminates our consciousness. Strife and worldly life end for such people, because of their detachment from material things. They never desire to return to the material world again.
Lord Krishna says the living entities in the world are part of Him: in body, mind and spirit, experiencing the world with the six senses (including the mind). There is only one Self or Consciousness, but it attaches itself to one body after another, seeking to exhaust desire – just as the air carries different fragrances.
Lord Krishna says the ignorant and the impure do not realize this spirit is Him. However, there are some people who realize this:
- those who have stopped being materialistic,
- those who have understood the undivided nature of the Self - that it is not several bodies, but one soul that goes through several bodies
- those who attempt to understand with a steady mind, and are trained in higher knowledge
Lord Krishna further says He is the source of light of luminous bodies like the sun and the moon, and the sustainer of life. He is the one energizing the digestive fire and controlling the incoming and outgoing air (prana). In short, He represents all life as He resides in every heart.
The Lord says He is the original teacher of the Vedanta, and also the one who knows all the Vedas.
Further, there are two types of purushas - the kshara (the perishable), and the akshara (the imperishable). The kshara consists of all the individuals and their material pursuits. It includes everything subject to change. Akshara consists of everything in the spiritual world that is not subject to change.
Above these two kinds, there is a purusha, known as the Purushottama, the Supreme Being, who pervades all. Lord Krishna says as He transcends the perishable, and is also superior to the imperishable, He is that very Purushottama. Those who understand and appreciate this, attain wisdom, and achieve perfection in their efforts.
Gurudev will be giving a commentary on this chapter in May 2019.
You can also hear Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s LIVE discourse, in Hindi, on this valuable and intriguing chapter of The Bhagavad Gita.
Written by Anusha by Chellappa
