Bhishma Parva

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 31 Mar 2010 12:47 and updated at 31 Mar 2010 13:55

MAHABHARATA, BOOK 06: BHISHMA PARVA

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Section 39

XXXIX Bhagavad Gita Chapter XV The Holy One said, They say that the Aswattha, having its roots above and branches below, is eternal, its leaves are the Chhandas. He who knoweth it, knoweth the Vedas Downwards and upwards are stretched its branches which are enlarged by the qualities; its sprouts are the objects of senses. Downwards its roots, leading to action, are extended to this world of men Its form cannot here below be thus known, nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its support. Cutting, with the hard weapon of unconcern, this Aswattha of roots firmly fixed, then should one seek for that place repairing whither one returneth not again thinking, I will seek the protection of that Primeval Sire from whom the ancient course of worldly life hath flowed, Those that are free from pride and delusion, that have subdued the evil of attachment, that are steady in the contemplation of the relation of the Supreme to the individual self, from whom desire hath departed, freed from the pairs of opposites known by the names of pleasure and pain and the like, repair, undeluded, to that eternal seat. The sun lighteth not that seat, nor the moon, nor fire. Whither going none returneth, that is my supreme seat. An eternal portion of Me is that which, becoming an individual soul in the world of life, draweth to itself the five senses with the mind as the sixth which all depend on nature.

When the sovereign of this bodily frame assumeth or quitteth a body, it departeth taking away these, like the wind taking away perfumes from their seats. Presiding over the ear, the eye, the organs of touch, taste, and smell, and also over the mind, he enjoyeth all objects of senses. They that are deluded do not see him when quitting or abiding in the body, when enjoying or joined to the qualities. They however see that have the eye of knowledge Devotees exerting towards that end behold him dwelling in themselves. They however that are senseless and whose minds are not restrained, behold him not, even while exerting themselves That splendour dwelling in the sun which illumines the vast universe, that which is in the moon, and that which is in the fire, know that splendour to be mine. Entering into the earth I uphold creatures by my force; and becoming the juicy moon I nourish all herbs Myself becoming the vital heat Vaiswanara residing in the bodies of creatures that breathe, and uniting with the upward and the downward life-breaths, I digest the four kinds of food I am seated in the hearts of all.

From Me are memory and knowledge and the loss of both. I am the objects of knowledge to be known by the aid of all the Vedas. I am the author of the Vedantas, and I alone am the knower of the Vedas There are these two entities in the world, viz, the mutable and the immutable. The mutable is all these creatures. The unchangeable one is called the immutable But there is another, the Supreme Being, called Paramatman, who was the Eternal Lord, pervading the three worlds, sustaineth them and since I transcend the mutable, and am higher than even the immutable; for this I am celebrated in the world among men and in the Veda as Purushottama the Highest Being. He who, without being deluded, knoweth Me as this Highest Being, he knowing all, O Bharata, worshippeth Me in every way Thus, O sinless one, hath this knowledge, forming the greatest of mysteries, been declared by Me to thee. Knowing this, O Bharata, one will become gifted with intelligence, and will have done all he needs do'

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