"Purushottama Yoga, Yoga of the Supreme Person. Or how to get rid of weakness of the heart."

The ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is to get out of the net of the material world and realize Lord Krsna as the Supreme Divine Person. One who is aware of the supreme nature of Krsna surrenders himself to Him and devotes himself to devotional service to Him.
In the Vedas, the whole material world is compared with a huge banyan tree. All its branches are messed up, so you can wander about them indefinitely, engaging in one activity or another, hoping to get at least some happiness. Who can calculate how many activities now exist, how many hobbies and other human activities? But since this tree is almost endless, sometimes a single tree occupies a whole forest, the person has the hope that somewhere, on one of the branches, he will be waiting for him, albeit small, but individual happiness. Somewhere is his little house on the river bank, in which his little children live, he goes to his favorite job, which he is paid very well, and at home, his loving wife with hot cakes is waiting every evening. Very similar to a Hollywood movie with a good ending, though few people know
And so that a person can get out of this tree of illusions, leaves grow on it, representing Vedic wisdom. Today we are studying one such leaflet called the Bhagavad-gita. This wisdom says that the root of the tree of material life is directed upward. This means that it originates on the higher planet of the material universe. Truth must be sought not below, but in the most exalted, in the purest. From there the whole universe begins with numerous branches, which are the various planetary systems. The fruits growing on the tree of material life are the results of the activities of living entities, namely religion, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation.

TEXT 1


sri-bhagavan 
uvcha urdhva-mulam adhah-sakham 
asvattham prahur avyayam 
chandamsi yasya parnani 
yas there veda sa veda-vit
sri-bhagavan uvaca - the Supreme Lord said; urdhva-mulam - whose roots are directed upwards; adhah - down; sakham - whose branches; asvattham - the banyan tree; prahuh — they say; avyayam - the eternal; chandamsi - Vedic hymns; yasya - of whom; parnani - leaves; yah - which; there is that; veda - knows; sah — that; veda-vit - one who knows the Vedas.
The Supreme Lord said: The scriptures speak of an eternal banyan tree, the roots of which are directed upward, and the branches downward, whose leaves are Vedic hymns. Knowing this tree, one comprehends the wisdom of the Vedas.

TEXT 2


adhash chordhwam prasritas tasya shakha 
guna-pravriddha vishaya-pravalah 
adhash ca mulaniy anusantatani 
pocketubandhini manusya-loke
adhah - down; ca - i; urdhvam — upward; prasritah - extending; tasya — him; sakhah - branches; guna - by the modes of material nature; pravriddhah - fed; visaya - the objects of the senses; pravalah — shoots; adhah - down; ca - i; mulani — the roots; anusantatani - spreading; karma - with activities; anubandhini - related; manusya-loke - in the world of people.
The branches of this tree grow up and down, fed by the three modes of material nature. Its shoots are objects of feelings. This tree also has roots that grow downward and are associated with fruitive activities in the human world.

TEXTS 3 - 4


na rupam asyekha tathopalabhyate 
nanto na cadir na ca sampratistha 
asvattham enam su-virudha-mulam 
asanga-sastrena dridhena chhitva
tatah padam tat parimargitavyam 
yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyah 
tam eva cadyam purusam prapadye 
yatah pravrittih prasrta purani
na - not; rupam - form; asya - of this (tree); iha - here (in this world); tatha - also; upalabhyate - perceived; on - no; antah - the end; on - no; ca — also; adih - the beginning; on - no; ca - i; sampratistha - the foundation; asvattham - the banyan tree; enam is that; su-virudha — firmly held; mulam - that whose roots; asanga-sastrena - with the ax of detachment; dryhena - strong; chhittva - cutting down; tatah - then; padam - the place; tat - that; parimargitavyam - to be found; yasmin - in which; gatah - departed; na - not; nivartanti - return; bhuyah - again; there - to Him; eva - without fail; ca — also; adyam - to the original; purusam - to the Personality of Godhead; prapadye - surrender; yatah - from which; pravrittih - the beginning; prasrta - extending; Purani is ancient.
The true form of this tree cannot be seen in the material world. No one knows where its end is, where is the beginning and where is the foundation. But, armed with the ax of detachment, we must immediately cut down this tree, which has taken deep roots. Then you need to find the place from which we will never return to the material world, and surrender to the Supreme Lord, who has been at the source of everything from time immemorial.

TEXT 5


nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosha 
adhyatma-nitya vinivrtta-kamah 
dvandvair vimuktah sukha-duhkha-samjnair 
gachchanty amudhah padam avyayam tat
without them; mana - pride; mohah - those whose illusions; jita - defeated; sanga — communication; dosah - in whom are the flaws; adhyatma - in spiritual knowledge; nityah - those who are eternal; vinivritta - not related; kamah - those who are lusty; dvandvaih — by opposites; vimuktah - liberated; sukha-duhkha - with happiness and grief; samjnaih - those who are called; gaccanti - comes; amudhah - one who cannot be misled; padam - to the cloister; avyayam - the eternal; tat - that.
One who has freed himself from pride, freed himself from illusion and broke all false bonds, who has known eternity, has ended material lust, who, free from the influence of duality, remains unperturbed both in happiness and in grief, and who knows how to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead reaches this eternal kingdom.

TEXT 6


na tad bhasayate suryo 
na shashanko on pawaki 
yad gatva on nivartante 
tad dhama paramam mother
na - not; tat - tu; bhasayate - illuminates; suryah - the sun; na - not; sasankah - the moon; na - not; pavakah - fire (electricity); yat - in which; gatva - having come; na - not; nivartante - return; tat dhama — that abode; paramam - the highest; my mother.
This My highest abode is not illuminated either by the sun, or by the moon, nor by fire, nor by electric light. Those who attain it no longer return to the material world.

TEXT 7


mamaivamsho jiva-loke 
jiva-bhutah sanatanah 
manah-shashthanindriyani 
prakriti-sthani karsati
my mother; eva - unconditionally; amsah - a fragmented particle; jiva-loke - in the world of conditioned being; jiva-bhutah - the conditioned living entity; sanatanah - the eternal; manah - the mind; sashthani - (in number) six; indriyani - and feelings; prakrti - in the realm of material nature; sthani - being; karsati - trying to overcome.
Living entities in the material world are My eternal separate particles. Once in a conditioned state, they are forced to wage a stern struggle with six senses, which include the mind.

TEXT 8


Shariram Yad 
Avapnoti Yach Chapy 
Utkramatisvarah Grhitvaitani 
Samyati Vayur Gandhan Ivashayat
sariram - the body; yat - which; avapnoti - receives; yat - which; ca api - also; utramati - leaves; isvarah - the owner of the body; grhitva - taking; etani - these; samyati - leaves; vayuh — air; gandhan — smells; willow - how; asayat - from the source.
In the material world, a living entity transfers his ideas of life, just as air carries smells. So, having received one material body, it then leaves it to receive another.

TEXT 9


Srotram caksuh sparsanam ca 
rasanam ghranam eva ca 
adhishthaya manas cayam 
visayan upasevate
srotram - in the ears; caksuh — in the eyes; sparsanam - to the organ of touch; ca — also; rasanam — into the tongue; ghranam - to the organ of smell; eva - also; ca - i; adhisthaya - by going in; manah - into the mind; ca — also; ayam - he; visayan - the objects of the senses; upasevate - uses for enjoyment.
Entering a new gross body, the living entity receives new ears, eyes, tongue, nose and skin (the organ of touch). All these feelings are located around the mind, and with their help, the living entity enjoys the objects of feelings available to them.

TEXT 10


utkramantam sthitam vapi 
bhunjanam wa gunanvitam 
vimudha nanupasyanti 
pasyanti jnana-caksushah
utkramantam - leaving (body); sthitam - situated (in the body); va api - either; bhunjanam - of the enjoyer; va - or; guna-anvitam - being under the influence of the modes of material nature; vimudhah - fools; na - not; anupasyanti - see; pasyanti - seeing; jnana-caksusah - those whose eyes are knowledge.
Fools do not know how the soul leaves its body and how, enchanted by the modes of material nature, it enjoys the body. But the one who, having gained knowledge, received his sight, clearly sees all this.

TEXT 11


yatanto yoginash cainam 
pashyanty atmaniy avastitam 
yatanto 'pi acritatmano 
nainam pashyanty acetasah
yatantah - making efforts; yoginas — transcendentalists; ca — also; enam - him; pasyanti - seeing; atmani - in oneself; avasthitam - situated; yatantah - trying; api - although; akrta-atmanah - those who have not yet realized themselves; na - not; enam - him; pasyanti - they see; acetasah - those whose intelligence is not developed.
Transcendentalists, steadily striving for a goal and realizing their spiritual essence, have a similar vision. But those whose minds are not developed, who have not yet understood their spiritual nature, cannot understand what is happening, even if they try to do it.

TEXT 12


yad aditya-gatam tejo 
jagad bhasayate 'khilam 
yach chandramasi yach cagnau 
tat tejo viddhi mamakam
yat - which; aditya-gatam - emanating from the sun; tejah — radiance; jagat - the world; bhasayate - illuminates; akhilam - all; yat - which; candramasi - on the moon; yat - which; ca — also; agnau - on fire; tat - that; tejah — radiance; viddhi - know; Mamakam - Mine.
The radiance of the sun, dispelling the darkness reigning in this world, emanates from Me, and from me emanates the light of the moon and fire.

TEXT 13


gam avishya ca bhutani 
dharayamy aham ojasa 
fluff chausadhih sarvah 
somo bhutva rasatmakah
gam - to the planets; avishya - by going in; ca — also; bhutani - living entities; dharayami - I support; aham - I; ojasa - by (His) energy; fluff - I feed; ca — also; ausadhih - plants; sarvah - everything; somah - the moon; bhutva - becoming; rasa-atmakah - giving the juice.
I enter each of the planets, and, held by My energy, they do not leave their orbits. I become the Moon and nourish all plants with vital juices.

TEXT 14


aham vaishvanaro bhutva 
praninam deham ashritah 
pranapana-samayuktah 
pachamy annam chatur-vidham
aham - I; vaisvanarah - My full manifestation in the form of digestive fire; bhutva - becoming; praninam - living entities; deham - into the body; asritah - entered; prana - inhaled air; apana - and the air going down; samayuktah - regulating; pachami - I am digesting; annam - food; catuh-vidham — of four kinds.
I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living beings, and together with the air entering and leaving the body, I help living beings digest food of four kinds.

TEXT 15


sarvasya caham hridi sannivishto 
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca 
vedaish ca sarvair aham eva vedyo 
vedanta-creed veda-vida eva chaham
sarvasya - of everyone (the living entity); ca — also; aham - I; hrdi - in the heart; sannivistah - entered; mattah - from Me; smrtih - memory; jnanam - knowledge; apohanam - oblivion; ca - i; Vedaih - by the Vedas; ca — also; sarvaih - by all; aham - I; eva - unconditionally; vedyah — that which should be known; vedanta-krit - compiler of the Vedanta; veda-vit - expert on the Vedas; eva - unconditionally; ca - i; aham - ya
I dwell in the heart of every living being, and from me come memory, knowledge and oblivion. The purpose of all the Vedas is to understand Me. I am the true compiler of the Vedanta and the expert on all the Vedas.

TEXT 16


davav imau purushau loke 
ksharash cakshara eva ca 
ksharah sarvani bhutani 
kuta-stho 'kshara uchate
two - two; imau - these; purusau - living entities; loke - in the world; kшarah - prone to fall; ca - i; aksarah - the infallible; eva - unconditionally; ca - i; kшarah - mortal; sarvani - everything; bhutani - living entities; kuta-sthah - the exalted; aksarah - the unchangeable; ucyate - is called.
There are two types of living things: mortal and immutable. In the material world, every living being changes, and the inhabitants of the spiritual world always remain unchanged.

TEXT 17


uttamah purusas tv anyah 
paramatmeti udahrtah 
yo loka-trayam avishya 
bibharty avyaya isvarah
uttamah - the greatest; purusah - person; tu - but; anyah - another; parama - the highest; atma - the soul; iti - like that; udahrtah - it is said; yah - which; loka - of the universe; trayam - in the three worlds; avishya - by going in; bibharti - supports; avyayah - inexhaustible; isvarah - the Lord.
Besides these two, there is also the greatest personality, the Supreme Soul, the eternal Lord Himself, who has entered all three worlds and supports them.

TEXT 18


yasmat ksharam atito 'ham 
aksharad api chottamah ato' smi loke 
vede ca 
prathitah purusottam
yasmat - because; kшaram - changeable; atitah - superior; aham - I; aksarat - unchangeable; api - also; ca - i; uttamah - the best; atah - therefore; asmi - I am; loke - in the world; vede — in the Vedas; ca - i; prathitah - glorified; purusa-uttamah - the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Being transcendental and the greatest, I am superior to all — befriended and unchanging, and therefore in the whole world and in all the Vedas I am praised as the Supreme Person.

TEXT 19


yo mam evam asammudho 
janati purusottamam 
sa sarva-vid bhajati mam 
sarva-bhavena bharata
yah - which; mam - Me; evam - like that; asammudhah - without doubt; janati — knows; purusa-uttamam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sah — that; sarva-vit - knowing everything; bhajati - devotional service; mam - to me; sarva-bhavena - by the whole being; bharata - O son of Bharata.
One who is unshakably convinced that I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead has known everything. Such a person, O son of Bharata, is fully committed to devotional service to Me.

TEXT 20


iti guhyatamam sastram 
idam uktam mayanagha 
etad buddhva buddhiman syat 
krta-krityas ca bharata
iti - like that; guhya-tamam - the most secret; sastram - the revealed scripture; idam is that; uktam - it is said; maya - by Me; anagha - O sinless one; etat is; buddhva - having understood; buddhi-man - the intelligent; syat - will become; kтаta-kритtyah - one who is successful in his efforts; ca - i; bharata - O son of Bharata.

O sinless, I have revealed to you the most secret part of the Vedas. He who knows how to comprehend its meaning will gain wisdom, and his labors will bring him to perfection.