Puruṣottama Yoga

The Supreme Lord said: They speak of an imperishable Ashvattha tree with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is a knower of the Vedas.

Its branches spread above and below, nourished by the gunas, with sense objects as its buds. Its roots stretch downward into the human world, binding souls through action.

The form of this tree is not perceived here as such - neither its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation. Having cut this firmly-rooted Ashvattha tree with the strong axe of non-attachment,

Then one must seek that supreme abode from which, having gone, one never returns, saying: 'I take refuge in that primeval Person from whom this ancient activity has streamed forth.'

Free from pride and delusion, victorious over the evil of attachment, ever dwelling in the Self, with desires completely turned away, liberated from the dualities of pleasure and pain - the undeluded reach that imperishable abode.

Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire illumines that supreme abode of Mine, reaching which one never returns.

An eternal fragment of Myself, having become a living soul in the world of life, draws to itself the mind and the five senses which rest in Prakriti.

When the lord of the body (the jiva) acquires a body and when it leaves it, it takes these (mind and senses) and goes, as the wind carries fragrances from their source.

Presiding over the ear, the eye, touch, taste, and smell, as well as the mind, this soul enjoys the objects of the senses.

The deluded do not perceive the soul departing from or dwelling in the body, or enjoying sense objects in association with the gunas. But those with the eye of knowledge see it.

Striving yogis perceive this Self situated within themselves. But those whose minds are not purified do not perceive it, even though they strive.

That splendor residing in the sun which illuminates the entire world, that which is in the moon and in fire - know that radiance to be Mine.

Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with My energy. Becoming the watery moon (Soma), I nourish all plants.

Becoming the digestive fire (Vaishvanara) in the bodies of all living beings, and joined with the prāṇa and apāna breaths, I digest the four kinds of food.

I am seated in the hearts of all. From Me come memory, knowledge, and their removal. I alone am to be known by all the Vedas. I am the author of Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas.

There are two types of beings in this world - the perishable and the imperishable. All created beings are perishable, and the unchanging (soul) is called imperishable.

But distinct from these two is the Supreme Person, called the Paramātmā (Supreme Self), who pervading the three worlds, sustains them - the imperishable Lord.

Because I transcend the perishable and am higher even than the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and in the Vedas as the Purushottama (Supreme Person).

One who, free from delusion, knows Me thus as the Supreme Person - that all-knowing one worships Me with their whole being, O Bharata.

Thus this most secret teaching has been imparted by Me, O sinless one. Understanding this, one becomes truly wise and has fulfilled all duties, O Bharata.