Bhagvad Gita - Chapter: 15 Purusottama Yogah

Purusottama Yogah - When the soul leaves one body and enters another, it carries the senses and the mind with it, just as the wind carries scents from one place to another.

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वर: |
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात् ||8||

When the soul leaves one body and enters another, it carries the senses and the mind with it, just as the wind carries scents from one place to another.

Sharira: The physical body which the soul occupies.
Vayu: Wind, used metaphorically for how the soul moves from body to body.

Using the analogy of wind carrying scents, Krishna explains the transmigration of the soul. The departure of the soul does not erase its tendencies; instead, it carries forward impressions and desires, shaping the next life. This reinforces the idea that liberation is not just about escape but about purification of the self.

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श्रोत्रं चक्षु: स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च |
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते ||9||

The soul, presiding over the senses—ear, eye, touch, taste, and smell—enjoys sense objects through the mind.

Shrotra: Hearing, one of the five senses.
Vishaya: Sense objects that the soul experiences through the mind.

The soul, though distinct from the body, engages with the world through senses, continuously experiencing joy and sorrow. Krishna subtly points out that the senses are merely tools, and their control is crucial in breaking free from worldly attachments, setting up the need for higher spiritual vision.

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Purusottama Yogah - The ignorant do not perceive the soul as it departs, stays, or enjoys; but the wise, endowed with the eye of knowledge, see it clearly.

उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम् |
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुष: ||10||

The ignorant do not perceive the soul as it departs, stays, or enjoys; but the wise, endowed with the eye of knowledge, see it clearly.

Jnana Chakshushah: The eyes of wisdom, which perceive the soul.
Vimudha: The ignorant who cannot see beyond the material.

Most people fail to recognize the journey of the soul—its arrival, its experiences, and its departure. Only those with wisdom, who have cultivated inner vision, can perceive this truth. Krishna highlights that ignorance blinds people to the reality of their own existence, keeping them bound to suffering.

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Purusottama Yogah - The yogis, striving diligently, perceive the soul within. The ignorant, whose minds are unrefined, do not perceive it despite their efforts.

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम् |
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतस: ||11||

The yogis, striving diligently, perceive the soul within. The ignorant, whose minds are unrefined, do not perceive it despite their efforts.

Yogi: One who seeks union with the divine.
Atman: The eternal soul residing within.

Yogis, through disciplined practice, develop the ability to perceive the presence of the soul, realizing its true nature. However, those who remain engrossed in material distractions, despite their efforts, fail to attain this realization. This verse contrasts the seekers of truth with those lost in worldly illusion.

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यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम् |
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम् ||12||

The light that is in the sun, which illumines the whole world, the light in the moon and in the fire—know that it is from Me.

Tejas: Divine light that illuminates the world.
Aditya: The Sun, whose energy comes from the divine.

Krishna expands on his divine presence, stating that all sources of light—sun, moon, and fire—are but manifestations of his energy. This connects material perception with spiritual understanding, urging Arjuna to recognize the divine essence behind all things, rather than seeing them as independent entities.

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गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा |
पुष्णामि चौषधी: सर्वा: सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मक: ||13||

Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with My energy. Becoming the moon, I nourish all plants with life-giving juice.

Ojas: Vital energy that sustains life.
Soma: The moon, responsible for nourishing plants.

Extending his influence to nature, Krishna explains how he sustains all beings through the earth’s nourishment. He is not only the creator but the sustainer, providing life-giving energy. This verse reinforces that everything in the universe operates through his divine will and presence.

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अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रित: |
प्राणापानसमायुक्त: पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम् ||14||

As the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living beings, I digest the four kinds of food by uniting with the vital air.

Vaishvanara: The digestive fire present in all beings.
Prana: Life force energy that governs bodily functions.

Krishna further deepens this connection by explaining that he is present in digestion itself. The act of nourishment is not independent of the divine but part of a greater cosmic order. This highlights that even the most fundamental processes of survival are connected to spiritual reality.

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