61. No Questions, Only Doubts

When we question, we show our arrogance and violence. When we doubt, we reveal our authentic quest for the truth and readiness to receive the master. Arjuna, now beyond questions, allows krsna to give the experience of the Supreme Being, Purusottama. ... .

śrī bhagavan uvāca ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥ śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhuravyayam I chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yastaṁ veda sa vedavit II 15.1

15.1 Śrī Bhagavān says, The imperishable banyan tree of life, symbolized by the Aśvattha, has its roots above, with the leaves and branches spreading below the earth. The leaves are said to be the Vedic hymns. One who knows this eternal tree becomes the knower of the Vedas.

adhaś cordhvaṁ prasṛtās tasya śākhā guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ I adhaśca mūlāny anusaṁtatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke II 15.2

15.2 The branches of this tree extend below and above the earth, nourished by the three human attributes, guṇa. Its buds are the sense objects. This tree also has roots going down and these are bound to the resultant actions of humans.

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādirna ca saṁpratiṣṭhā I aśvatthamenaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā II 15.3

15.3 The real form of this tree cannot be perceived. 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.

tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ I tameva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye yataḥ pravṛittiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī II 15.4

15.4 One must then seek that place from which having gone, one never returns and surrender to the Supreme Being from whom all activities started from ancient times.

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā adhyātma-nityā vinivṛitta-kāmāḥ I dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-sañjñair gacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat II 15.5

15.5 Those who are free from pride, delusion, and attachment, those who dwell in the Self, who are done with lust, who are free from dualities of joy and sorrow, not confused and those who know how to surrender to the Supreme Person, attain the eternal consciousness.

na tadbhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ I yadgatvā na nivartante taddhāma paramaṁ mama II 15.6

15.6 That Supreme space of eternal consciousness, My consciousness, is not illumined by the Sun or the Moon, or by fire. Those who enter that space never return to this material world.

mamai'vā'ṁśo jīvaloke jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ I manaḥ ṣaṣḍhānī'ndriyāṇi prakṛitisthāni karṣati II 15.7

15.7 The living entities in this conditioned material world are a portion of My eternal Self; in this conditioned material world they are attracted by the six senses, which include the mind, dwelling in prakṛti, the active energy principle.

śarīraṁ yadavāpnoti yaccāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ I gṛihītvai'tāni saṁyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt II 15.8

15.8 The spirit in the mind-body living in this material world moves from one body to another carrying these just as air carries aroma.

śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṁ ca rasanaṁ ghrāṇaṁ eva ca I adhiṣṭhāya manaścāyaṁ viṣayānupasevate II 15.9

15.9 The living entity, the spirit, leaves one body, takes some other body and gets new eyes, ears, nose, tongue and sensing body according to the samskāras it had in its causal layer and enjoys the new mental setup.

utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam I vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānacakṣuṣah II 15.10

15.10 Fools in ignorance do not perceive the spirit being united with the guṇas as its enters, enjoys and leaves the body. The one whose inner eye is open clearly perceives everything.

yatanto yoginaścainaṁ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam I yatanto'pyakṛtātmāno nainaṁ paśyantyacetasaḥ II 15.11

15.11 The serious practitioner of Yoga, with an understanding of his self, can see all this clearly. But those who do not have an understanding of the self, however much they try, cannot see.

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yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate'khilam yac candramasi yaccāgnau tattejo viddhi māmakam II 15.12

15.12 The light of the Sun, the light of the Moon and the light of fire, all their radiance is also from Me.

gāmāviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā I puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ II 15.13

15.13 Entering into earth, I support all beings with My energy; becoming the watery Moon, I nourish all plant life.

ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ dehamāśritaḥ I

prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pacāmy annaṁ caturvidham II 15.14

15.14 I am the fire of digestion in every living body and I am the breath of life, exhaled and inhaled, with which I digest the four-fold food.

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca I vedaiśca sarvairahameva vedyo vedānta-kṛd vedavid eva cāham II 15.15

15.15 I am seated in everyone's heart and from Me came memory, knowledge and their loss. I am known by the Vedas; indeed, I am the Creator of Vedānta and I am the knower of the Vedas.

dvāvimau puruṣau loke kṣaraścākṣara eva ca I kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭasthokṣara ucyate II 15.16

15.16 There are two things, the perishable and the imperishable, in this world. There are the living beings who are perishable while there is the unchangeable, the imperishable.

uttamaḥ puruṣastv anyaḥ paramātmetyudāhṛtaḥ I yo lokatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ II 15.17

15.17 Besides these two, there is the supreme Puruṣa the Lord Himself, who pervades and sustains these three worlds.

yasmāt kṣaram atīto'ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ I

atosmi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ II 15.18

15.18 As I am transcendental, beyond both the perishable and the imperishable, and the best, I am declared both in the world and in the Vedas as that supreme person, Puruṣottama.

yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam I sa sarva-vidbhajati mām sarvabhāvena bhārata II 15.19

15.19 Whoever knows Me as the Supreme, Puruṣottama, without a doubt, is to be understood as the knower of everything and he worships Me with all his being, O son of Bhārata.

iti guhyatamaṁ śāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha I etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛtakṛtyaśca bhārata II 15.20

15.20 This is the most confidential teaching disclosed by Me, O Sinless One, and whoever knows this will become wise and his actions will bear fruit.

iti śrīmad bhagavadgītāsūpaniṣatsu brahmavidyāyām yogaśāstre śrīkṛṣṇārjuna saṁvāde puruṣottamayogo nāma pañcadaśo 'dhyāyaḥ II

In the Upaniṣad of Śrimad Bhagavad Gītā, the scripture of yoga dealing with Brahmavidyā Yogaśāstra, the science of Brahman, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇārjuna saṁvād, dialogue between Śrī Kṛṣṇa-Arjuna, this is fifteenth chapter named,

Puruṣottama Yogaḥ**,** 'The Yoga of The Supreme Being.'

Only Kṛṣṇa speaks now. Arjuna's inner space has been silenced. Arjuna, who is Puruṣa, is now established in Upaniṣad, mirroring the Superconscious Supreme Being or Self, Puruṣottama Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa reveals who He is and what He is. This chapter is traditionally titled Puruṣottama Yogaḥ, Yoga of the Supreme Being. Kṛṣṇa unveils why He is Puruṣottama, Supreme amongst beings and explains that what He has imparted to Arjuna is the most profound secret.

Arjuna has settled into his Self. He is a new being. He can no more be called Arjuna. He is expressing the power of living with enriching, overflowing with devotion onto Kṛṣṇa present in everything and everything present in Kṛṣṇa! From now on, everything that Arjuna does is enriching his own extension in others! He becomes the cause for creating the ultimate reality for humanity in the Cosmic play of Pūrṇavātar Śrī Kṛṣṇa!

Journey Into Causal Body (15.1-15.2)

Kṛṣṇa reveals the secrets of causal layer, the fifth layer, which He refers to as Aśvattha tree*.* The totality of the seven layers is our bodymind-spirit system. The second layer is the prāṇic body that controls air movements inside our physical body. In the previous chapter, Kṛṣṇa explains that this prāṇic layer is filled with desires and how we create conflicting desires and suffer with rajas (restlessness) and tamas (inactivity or depression).

The fifth layer is the causal body. It is where all saṁskāras, our root patterns, are stored in bīja, seed form. Every night we enter the causal body in deep sleep and take saṁskāras out from this layer to create our world.

Even if we move beyond the three layers of desire, restlessness and depression, these root patterns, saṁskāras in seed form, called bīja saṁskāra (seed patterns), need to be cleared and completed. Kṛṣṇa gives completion techniques to destroy these bīja saṁskāras in the causal body.

Kṛṣṇa says, 'The roots of the tree are on the outside; the branches are inside, ūrdhva mūlam-adhaḥ śākham (15.1).' From the causal body, if the roots are taken to be outside, it should be in the earlier three layers ending with the physical body. In a tree, the roots feed nutrients to it and decide its growth. That is why Kṛṣṇa says the roots of the tree are in the physical body. The tree of saṁskāra is watered by the five senses of the physical body and our actions. The saṁskāras in seed form in the causal body are formed and watered by the five senses of the physical body.

Your Words are Vedic Hymns

Kṛṣṇa reveals that the leaves are the vedic hymns–chandāṁsi yasya parṇani and one who knows the tree is knower of the Vedas–yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit (15.1). He says saṁskāras are the vedic hymns, mantras.

Words that are settled in our inner space form the bone structure of our life. Words expressed or coming out when we are alone, are the root patterns or saṁskāras printed in the causal body. Dropping the word and completing is like pulling down the life structure and rebuilding it. All these words settle deep inside our maṇipūraka cakra, the navel energy center, the seat of words. Both expressed and unexpressed words build our bank of root thought patterns, saṁskāras. If you have given a word, it just has to be lived. Word is mantra!

Enrich and Be Free from Kārmic Cycle

One who has the knowledge that—the root patterns or saṁskāras, which constitute the causal body, are the result of the five senses—knows the Vedas, '*veda-vit'*or has the knowledge of life force.

This Aśvattha tree of saṁskāras, in the causal body, lives mainly on the five senses. Bhagavān says, 'karmānubandhīni manuṣya loke.' The leaves of the tree are decided by the tricks of five senses and resultant action of mankind. The tree is deeply rooted because the action of the mankind is always result-oriented, guided by greed and fear.

Kṛṣṇa gives a beautiful technique to be complete with the root pattern in causal layer. All our actions revolve around results. If we are not guided by greed and fear patterns, if our actions are not fruit-oriented, no root patterns will be created. If you enrich selflessly, it will liberate you from the karmic cycle. If you are enriching with a vested interest, you will give-up on people. Enrich just for the sake of enriching.

Listen. Enriching infuses enormous power into your being. Whenever life energy expands in you, it happens only through enriching. Listen! Now I am giving the right and complete reason for enriching. Because everyone is part of you, enriching every being is nothing but enriching some part of you.

Enrich others. Listen! Anything or anybody you see is extension of you. So, when you enrich them, parts of you are enriched. All what needs to be done is 'being' in the space of completion, define an enriching path and take responsibility that the 'doing' happens with integrity and authenticity.

Cutting Down The Tree With Detachment (15.3-15.4)

Kṛṣṇa speaks further about the causal body where saṁskāras are stored. He is an extraordinary scientist, courageous enough to open up the secrets. Bhagavān beautifully says, 'na rūpam asyeha tathā upalabhyate (15.3).' No one can perceive the real form of this tree; where it begins, where it ends or where its foundation is. However, with determination one should cut down this tree with the weapon of strong will and detachment, asaṇga śastreṇa dṛdhena chittvā (15.3).

No one can see what one has stored in one's causal body. All the saṁskāras stored in the causal layer reveal themselves one by one. Saṁskāras can be cut by a strong will of detachment, asaṇga śastra. With a strong will, with intelligence, the entire causal layer can be completed. Root patterns are dangerous. All that is needed is intelligence and a strong will of detachment.

Kṛṣṇa explains that after cutting the tree of root patterns, surrender to the space of eternal silence, from where there is no coming back, tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye (15.4). This is the space in which the whole of Existence is established.

When the spirit leaves the body, it passes through this causal body

layer. As long as the spirit has not crossed this layer, it can return to the body. These saṁskāras, bio-memories or desires can pull the spirit back. However, once the spirit crosses the causal layer, it cannot return to the body. It must move on to the next layer, the cosmic layer, an awakened state of Consciousness. Bringing awareness into the unconscious through the super-conscious meditative route of completion is the only correct way to dissolve accumulated saṁskāras.

Beyond Attachment, The Eternal Consciousness (15.5-15.6)

Kṛṣṇa explains the same truth at a deeper level. He says, 'Those who are free from pride, delusion, attachment, who dwell in the Self, complete with lust, free from dualities of joy and sorrow, who surrender to the Supreme person, attain the eternal consciousness, padam avayayaṁ tat (15.5).'

He does not say who have 'renounced' lust. Virāga or vairāgya means beyond attachment and detachment; non-attachment. Kṛṣṇa uses fitting words: vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ, those who are 'complete' with lust. Nivṛitti is the completion you carry that leads to more completion. In this state, we don't possess or own anything; everything is at our disposal. If this is fully understood, you will live like a king, not an ordinary king, but an enlightened king, a Rājaṛṣi.

This is a *tattva (*principle) to be meditated upon. Now He speaks on re-programming your causal layer with the space of completion.

Programming the Causal Layer With Completion

Please listen! In two words I am giving you the essence of the essence of my teachings—Completion and Creation of Space.

Using your ātma jñāna**, using your conscious energy, using your peak possibility and making it into reality, making it into life.**

Kṛṣṇa gives the essence of the most secret science–guhyatamaṁ śastram (15.20), the science of completion and creation of space. He gives the technique for creation of the causal body. Kṛṣṇa's words are mantras. Now He uses same words as programming techniques for completion and creation.

Arjuna receives the essence, the juice in this chapter. Mere words of this chapter can do wonders in reprogramming your causal layer with the space of completion and creation. Especially, when chanted in a mood of surrender to the Master, it directly touches the causal layer.

Listen. Lust is difficult for a man to shed. Only a person who has gone beyond body consciousness can drop lust. An Enlightened Master transcends sex. He becomes ardhanārīśvara, expressing both male and female energies. One key attribute of Enlightenment is genderlessness.

Kṛṣṇa is direct. He says, 'He who has conquered lust, adhyātma nityā vinivṛitta kāmāḥ (15.4).' Going beyond lust by completing with lust, is the first major step in realizing Super-consciousness. Add friendliness to love. Complete! Create the space of friendliness towards yourself and others. Lust will turn to love. Your being will be in Eternal Bliss.

Kṛṣṇa then says, 'That Supreme space of Eternal Consciousness, My Consciousness, tad dhām paramaṁ mama (15.6), is not illuminated by the sun or the moon, or by fire. Those who enter that space never return to this material world.'

Kṛṣṇa gives these words to program our causal layer with completion. These are vedic hymns, mantras to be meditated on. Death of the body is a certainty; death of the spirit is impossible. When the spirit is evolved, it doesn't revert to the root pattern that it transcended in the previous birth.

Mind Is the Conditioning (15.7-15.8)

Jīva bhūtaḥ—conditioned living entity, 'conditioning' is the new word that Kṛṣṇa uses here. Everything we consider as human nature is nothing but conditioning. Right and wrong, honor and dishonor, are all conditioning, all are patterns. We are conditioned. If a group of people give us a certificate and clap their hands, we take it as an honor.

Here Kṛṣṇa continues giving meditation hymns to re-program your causal layer for completion. After crossing the three layers and going beyond the causal layer, you enter a space where you are free from conditioning. This is the space of completion and creation! May you be free from all conditioning!

Kṛṣṇa says: 'They are attracted by the six senses that include the mind—manaḥ ṣaṣthānīndriyāṇi prakṛti sthāni karṣati (15.7).' There are five physical senses and the sixth sense is the mind, ṣaṣthānīndriyāṇi. The mind is the only sense and the so-called five physical senses are slaves to it. If the mind can be handled, all the other five senses can be handled.

Enlightenment is the completion of root thought patterns, saṁskāras and the dissolution of conditioning. We return to our pure original state. This is why enlightenment is referred as Samādhi–means 'returning to the original state'.

The spirit living in the body-mind, moves from one body to another, it carries the six senses, ṣaṣthān-īndriyāṇi, the five physical senses and the mind, in the same way as the wind carries fragrances, vāyur gandhān ivaśayāt (15.8). Just as the wind carries fragrances, Consciousness carries saṁskāras, causal level imprints, from body to body. This continuous vicious cycle of movement of saṁskāras is what Kṛṣṇa refers to as saṁsāra, the life-and-death cycle.

We have the choice to redefine that vāsana, that smell, into either a stink or a wonderful fragrance. One who completes with all social conditioning, who sheds the root patterns in his causal layer, moves from body to body as easily as moving from one room to another.

Your are Your Saṁskāras (15.9-15.10)

Here Kṛṣṇa reveals another secret. He says, 'You create a body according to the root thought patterns or saṁskāras in the causal layer, adhiṣṭhāya manaś cāyaṁ (15.9).' We create our sensory organs, according to saṁskāras in our causal layer. Kṛṣṇa says that living entities create all five senses through the mind or mental setup. This happens not only when we take another body. Every day when we wake up from deep sleep, our senses are recreated. If we change our mental setup, within a short time, our face changes.

Our mind, manaś is the intelligence spread all over our body. It is the intelligence that resides in our cells. Each cell carries genetic intelligence. Within this body-mind system, scientists say that every moment of your life thousands of cells die and are created. This is a constant process that Nature, the Universal Intelligence, dictates.

Only Eyes of Knowledge See

The first thought on waking up plays a major role in our enrichment throughout the day. Kṛṣṇa says that if we catch our body with fear or greed, we attract more fear or greed. Never enter the body through the fear or greed gate. Get up with a spiritual thought that brings completion in you.

The whole science of completion is before you. Kṛṣṇa says, 'Only those whose eyes are trained by knowledge can see the truth of this science, paśyanti jñāna cakṣuṣaḥ (15.10)'. He says fools cannot understand and only those with eyes of knowledge, can see. The choice of being a fool or a man with eyes of knowledge, jñāna-cakṣu is left to us.

Master, The Dispeller of Darkness (15.11-15.14)

Light is awareness, the sustainer of life. Without light and heat from the sun, life as we know it, is impossible. Everything in this world revolves around energy from the Sun. The Sun is also the dispeller of darkness. Not only does Kṛṣṇa establish that He is the creator of this Universe—the solar system, sun, moon and fire, which sustain our lives, but He also declares to us that He is the Dispeller of darkness.

Kṛṣṇa, as the Guru, is the Dispeller of darkness. Guru means one who dispels darkness. As the sun, moon, fire, Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate Master who leads us into awareness of our natural state of completion.

Please listen! Because you always see the Moon reflecting the Sun, you forget Moon does not have its own light! Same way, your mind does not have its own energy. But, from the time you saw your mind, it was always reflecting the Consciousness. Because of that you started feeling your mind as independent energy, which is not! So, the patterns you carry inside you, have no independent energy or power.

Kṛṣṇa is the destroyer of our root patterns, saṁskāras, the products of darkness. The presence of light dissolves darkness. The presence of Guru, completion, destroys saṁskāras.

Kṛṣṇa further expands on His pervasiveness. In the form of light and heat, He is the Sustainer of all beings within this Universe. He is Brahman and through His manifestation of the various natural elements of space, air, fire, water and earth, He is responsible for plant life and therefore for food and human beings.

Perishable and Imperishable Puruṣa (15.15-15.16)

Kṛṣṇa takes Arjuna into deeper understanding on Puruṣa, principle of energy. Puruṣa is the unmoving, passive energy principle, whereas prakṛti is the active material principle. Kṛṣṇa goes beyond this Sāṅkhya philosophy. He says Puruṣa is twofold, one imperishable and the other perishable. He says all living beings are the perishable puruṣa and they are situated in the imperishable energy.

The primal energy, puruṣa is potential energy behind the entire Universe. There are two kinds of puruṣa, one is eternal, akṣara and one perishes, kṣara. The puruṣa that perishes is the body-mind energy in all beings. This energy has a limited lifetime. The puruṣa that is 'kūṭastha, unchangeable*'* is the imperishable aspect of this energy; the spirit that is indestructible, akṣara.

Puruṣottama, All-pervading Energy Behind Life (15.17-15.20)

Kṛṣṇa says that beyond these two aspects of puruṣa, the perishable body-mind energy and the imperishable spirit energy, lies the Surpreme energy, Supreme puruṣa. He is that Supreme puruṣa, Puruṣottama.

Puruṣa is the energy that pervades us. Puruṣottama is the energy that pervades the entire Universe. The Universe is imperishable. The energy behind the Universe is imperishable. Kṛṣṇa says that He is that energy, the Puruṣottama, that drives the Universe eternally—prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ (15.18). He is talking about Parabrahma Kṛṣṇa, the Īśvara. He is saguṇa, the universal form and nirguṇa, the formless energy.

He is the Brahman into whom six-billion humans and countless billion living beings on Earth, and countless entities in all the Universes merge. May that Puruṣottama, that Parabrahma Kṛṣṇa, bless us all!

Know Me as the Supreme and Know Everything

Now, Kṛṣṇa presents the great truths about His true representation as the Supreme Self.

We are a part of the Whole. If we fall in tune with the Whole, the Whole behaves as a friend. The moment we think, discriminate with the Whole, it acts like an enemy. The Whole is not here to kill or violate us.

We are deeply, totally connected to the whole Universe. If we disappear into collective consciousness, we open infinite possibilities of life. Life is not restricted to animate forms. Life is happening in everything. Learn to complete with everything! I tell you, the state of completion is the best way to prepare yourself for life.

When we complete with everything, animate and inanimate, we experience the space of non-duality, Advaita, where each one is infinitely powerful and infinitely intelligent. Kṛṣṇa declares, 'whoever knows Me as the Supreme, Puruṣottama, without a doubt, is to be understood as the knower of everything, and worships Me with all his being, sarva-bhāvena bhārata (15.19).'

The difference between puruṣa, self and Puruṣottama, Self, perishable and imperishable, are for the 'deluded'. Once one has the awareness of Puruṣottama, Supreme consciousness, one merges into the space of oneness, Advaita. How can we attain or reach Puruṣottama, when we are already a part of Him? We can only gain awareness that we are a part of Him.

This is the profound secret teaching of Kṛṣṇa, the ultimate Master, Guru. Unless the experience of 'Nithyānandoham–Nīthyananda I Am,' happens, the Master never rests. Once you surrender, allow Him to work on you.

Let us pray to Puruṣottama Kṛṣṇa, Ultimate Energy, the Cosmic Intelligence, to give us the experience of Eternal Consciousness; to make us beings with jñāna cakṣu, eyes of knowledge, and establish us in Nityānanda, eternal bliss.

You And Me

Human Beings are born with innate Divine nature; they are not sinners! Whether we act Divine (daivic) or demonic (asura), our inner space is Divine. How do we awaken the space of Divinity within us again? Krsna reveals! ...