Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 15 · 20 verses · one continuous movement from the Aśvattha to the guhyatama conclusion
यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः। अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥
"Because I am beyond the perishable, and HIGHER than the imperishable Brahman too — therefore in the world and in the Veda I am known as the PURUṢOTTAMA." — Bhagavad Gītā 15.18 · the central declaration that names this entire chapter
Puruṣottama-Yoga · Sources and Connected Readings
Open these optional pathways for Vidhyamitra's evidence boundaries and the wider spiritual context for BG 15 mamaivāṁśa, heart-seated memory, and Krishna beyond kṣara-akṣara.
Read the chapter in order. Each movement keeps the Sanskrit teaching, a bounded reader reflection, and a named-commentary boundary where traditions interpret the metaphysics differently.
See the inverted Aśvattha and its action-binding roots
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्। छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्॥ अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः। अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके॥
Textual movement: The inverted Aśvattha has Vedic metres as leaves, guṇa-nourished branches, sense objects as shoots, and roots that extend below through action-binding in the human world.
Reader reflection: Examine attachment and action through lived conduct; a horoscope does not reveal whether the tree has been known or cut.
Cut with asaṅga, seek the state beyond return, and take refuge
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा। अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलमसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा॥ ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः। तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी॥
Textual movement: The tree’s complete form is not grasped here. The instruction is to cut it with firm non-attachment, seek the state from which there is no return, and take refuge in the primordial Puruṣa from whom the ancient movement proceeds.
Reader reflection: Treat asaṅga and refuge as practice and discernment, not as chart-derived spiritual readiness.
Read the named conditions and Krishna’s supreme abode
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः। द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञैर्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥ न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः। यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥
Textual movement: Those free from pride and delusion, who have conquered attachment, remain devoted to adhyātma, turn from desires, and are released from pleasure-pain dualities reach that imperishable state. Krishna calls the state beyond sun, moon, and fire His supreme abode.
Reader reflection: Use the named conditions as a mirror for practice. Birth data cannot establish freedom from pride, attachment, desire, duality, or attainment of the supreme abode.
Textual movement: Krishna describes His sanātana aṁśa drawing the mind and senses, carrying them when entering and leaving embodiment, experiencing their objects, and being seen by the eye of knowledge and by striving yogins.
Reader reflection: The passage teaches embodiment and seeing. It does not authorize a horoscope to infer a former life, soul direction, realization, or spiritual capacity.
Textual movement: Krishna identifies the world-illumining radiance as His, says He sustains earth and nourishes plants, digests food as Vaiśvānara, is seated in every heart, and is the source of memory, knowledge, and their removal—the one to be known by all Vedas.
Reader reflection: Receive these as Krishna’s declarations. Astronomy, physiology, computing, and Jyotiṣa may describe bounded phenomena; none proves divine identity or measures a reader’s access to the heart-seated Lord.
Read kṣara, akṣara, Uttama Puruṣa, and wholehearted bhajana
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च। क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥ उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः। यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥ यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः। अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥ यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्। स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥
Textual movement: The chapter names kṣara and akṣara, then the Uttama Puruṣa called Paramātmā who sustains the three worlds. Krishna declares Himself beyond kṣara and higher than akṣara, celebrated as Puruṣottama; one who knows Him thus without delusion worships Him with the whole being.
Reader reflection: Study the exact progression and consult named sampradāya commentary for metaphysical conclusions. A chart cannot grade recognition of Krishna or the wholeness of bhajana.
Commentary boundary: The relation among kṣara, akṣara, jīva, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān is explained differently across Vedāntic traditions. Vidhyamitra preserves the verse sequence and requires named commentary for tradition-specific conclusions.
Textual movement: Thus this most secret teaching has been spoken by Me, O sinless one. Understanding it, one becomes wise and kṛta-kṛtya—one who has done what is to be done.
Reader reflection: Understanding belongs to śravaṇa, manana, practice, grace, and lived transformation—not planetary scoring.
Machine-readable study: GET /api/purushottama-yoga. The older parameterized URL remains only for compatibility and returns the same non-classifying scripture study.
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All 20 Ślokas · Adhyāya 15
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