Chapter 15 · Class prep

BG 15.1

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

Essence. There is an aśvattha tree with roots up and branches down — its leaves are the Vedic hymns; one who knows this tree knows the Vedas.

• Recognize material existence as the inverted tree — rooted in the Lord, branching downward.
• Use this image to disorient ordinary perception.
• Don't take the visible world at face value.

BG 15.2

The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.

Essence. The tree's branches extend down and up, nourished by the modes; the twigs are sense-objects; the secondary roots bind man to fruitive activity.

• See your own attachments as branches of this universal tree.
• Recognize sense-objects as twigs, not trunk.
• Don't waste effort on twigs.

BG 15.3-4

The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.

BG 15.5

Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.

Essence. Free from pride and illusion, conquered the evil of association, established in eternal Self, free from desire, equal in dualities — such persons attain the eternal abode.

• Audit five conditions: no false prestige, no illusion, conquered bad association, no lust, equal in dualities.
• Address the weakest condition.
• Treat the list as cumulative, not optional.

BG 15.6

That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.

Essence. That supreme abode is not illuminated by sun, moon, or fire — once attained, one never returns to this material world.

• Imagine an illumination beyond physical light.
• Don't reduce 'spiritual' to 'subtle physical.'
• Cultivate the language of the spiritual world.

BG 15.7

The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.

Essence. The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts — bound by the six senses (mind included) due to material conditioning.

• Recognize yourself as Kṛṣṇa's eternal fragmental part.
• Don't accept the bound-by-senses condition as your nature.
• Cultivate fragmental identity, not bound identity.

BG 15.8

The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another, as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another.

Essence. When the soul leaves a body and takes another, he carries his conceptions and senses — as the wind carries fragrance from one place to another.

• Recognize that you carry your conceptions across bodies.
• Cultivate conceptions worth carrying.
• Don't accumulate conceptions you'd rather not transport.

BG 15.9

The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects.

Essence. Engaging the ear, eye, tongue, nose, and the sense of touch — and the mind — the soul enjoys sense objects.

• Notice the soul's engagement of the six senses.
• Don't blame the senses; the soul engages them.
• Take responsibility for engagement direction.

BG 15.10

The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.

Essence. The foolish do not understand how a soul leaves and enters bodies — but those with eyes of knowledge can see this.

• Cultivate eyes of knowledge as a deliberate practice.
• Don't expect the inner workings to be visible to ordinary perception.
• Trust scriptural eyes when material eyes fail.

BG 15.11

The endeavoring transcendentalists who are situated in self-realization can see all this clearly. But those whose minds are not developed and who are not situated in self-realization cannot see what is taking place, though they may try.

Essence. Endeavoring with knowledge can perceive these realities; the unintelligent, with undeveloped self, cannot, even if striving.

• Recognize that effort alone, without knowledge, may not yield perception.
• Pair effort with study.
• Don't grind effort while neglecting knowledge.

BG 15.12

The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.

Essence. The radiance of the sun, dispelling darkness, the brilliance of the moon, the splendor of fire — all from Me.

• Recognize light itself as Kṛṣṇa.
• Use sunlight as remembrance.
• Honor sources of illumination as His specific opulence.

BG 15.13

I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.

Essence. Entering each planet, by My energy, I sustain them; becoming the moon, I supply juice to all vegetables.

• Recognize Kṛṣṇa's hidden hand in agricultural and lunar cycles.
• Honor food as His specific gift.
• Don't take cosmic life-support systems for granted.

BG 15.14

I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.

Essence. I am the digestive fire in the bodies of all living beings — combining with prāṇa and apāna, I digest the four kinds of food.

• Recognize the digestive fire as Kṛṣṇa Himself.
• Honor digestion as His ongoing work.
• Pray over food acknowledging this digestive partnership.

BG 15.15

I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

Essence. I am seated in everyone's heart — from Me come remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness; I am the goal of all the Vedas.

• Recognize the indwelling Lord as the source of remembrance and knowledge.
• Don't take credit for what He gives.
• Cultivate awareness of the heart-resident.

BG 15.16

There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.

Essence. Two kinds of beings are described: the fallible and the infallible — all bodies are fallible, the soul is infallible.

• Cultivate clear seeing of fallible vs. infallible.
• Don't waste effort on the infinitely fallible.
• Invest in the infallible.

BG 15.17

Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them.

Essence. Besides these two, there is the supreme person — the imperishable Lord — who, entering the three worlds, sustains them.

• Distinguish the Supreme Person from both fallible bodies and infallible souls.
• Recognize a higher third category: the Lord.
• Don't conflate self with the Lord, nor reduce the Lord to self.

BG 15.18

Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.

Essence. Because I am transcendental — beyond the fallible and infallible — I am known in the world and in the Vedas as the Supreme Person.

• Use the title 'Supreme Person' (Puruṣottama) deliberately.
• Don't substitute generic divine names.
• Honor the specificity of His title.

BG 15.19

Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.

Essence. Whoever knows Me without doubt as the Supreme Person, knows everything; he engages in My devotional service.

• Cultivate the unhesitating recognition: He is the Supreme Person.
• Use this knowledge as the foundation of devotion.
• Trust that 'knowing Him is knowing all.'

BG 15.20

This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.

Essence. Thus, the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures is now disclosed — by understanding it, one becomes wise and successful in spiritual endeavor.

• Treat this chapter's knowledge as confidential — receive it accordingly.
• Don't trivialize what scripture marks as confidential.
• Approach the chapter with reverence.