The Supreme Self

In the previous chapter, Krishna expanded on Prakriti and Purusha and how Prakriti creates guna, the three natural attributes. These attributes are responsible for human attitude, actions, results, and karma.

Krishna continues in Chapter 15:

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The wise speak of the Tree of Life, Ashwatta or Banyan, with roots above and branches below, on which scriptures grow. From the falling roots, more trees grow.

Sense objects of our desires grow on the branches. Roots hanging down bind us to worldly action to fulfil desires. The tree’s true form, its essence, beginning and end are not perceived on earth. Only the desires are seen. Cut this tree down with the axe of detachment; ensure it does not grow again. To reach me, seek the root from which the universe arose.

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Ramakrishna says in this context: The silkworm is encased in the cocoon it weaves. We get encased in the mesh of our desires. As the butterfly emerging from the worm breaks free of the cocoon, we too can break free of our desires.

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The wise are not deluded by pride, selfish desires and attachments. The wise go beyond the duality of pleasure and pain to the oneness of Self. The sun, moon or fire cannot brighten this state, which is my abode. Those who enter do not return to selfish life. Part of me entered the world at its birth. It was the mindbody of Prakriti in each of my creations. I, as the divine Self enter and leave the mindbody taking away its desires as the wind carries smells.

Self uses the mind and the senses to enjoy the sense objects. Those in the delusion of ego, controlled by the senses, do not see the Self dwelling in them or when it leaves. They do not see the Self witnessing the sense objects being enjoyed through the three guna. The wise with intelligent eyes do. Those who follow the path of meditation see the Self within. The thoughtless ones, striving without commitment, don’t.

?I am the brightness of the sun lighting the world, and the brightness of the moon, and the fire. A drop of my energy enters the earth to support all its creatures. Through the life-giving fluid of the moon, I nurture them. I am in each living creature as the life-giving breath. I am the fire in the stomach energising the food. In each heart, I empower memory and understanding. I also take that power away. I author the wisdom of all scriptures that lead to me.

?On this earth, there are two orders of beings, the perishable embodied mindful ones and the changeless eternal mindfree spirits. Beyond these two is the Brahman who oversees the cosmos and supports the universe. I am that Brahman, praised by the scriptures as being beyond the changing and changeless. Those who see me as that Supreme Self find the source of all wisdom and worship me with all their hearts.

This is the profound truth I share with you. Understand and attain wisdom. What needed to be done has been already done by me. You can go ahead and do what you need. So ends Krishna.

?Krishna is called by many names in the Gita. He is the perfect incarnation of the god in the human form, purnavatara. He is beyond and behind the invisible Brahman, as Parabrahman. He is also the perfect being, Purushottama, the Supreme Self, representing the divinity in humanity. That is also the title of this chapter in Gita. He tells us again who he is, what he stands for and how one can reach him in human form.

?The metaphor of the inverted Tree of Life, seemingly the banyan fig tree, represents the manifested universe. The roots hanging from the skies above are the divine roots of cosmic reality, as the source of creation. The branches below are the creations on Earth. The tree represents the transience of life based on how the branches wither, and the aerial roots fall below to create more trees. Cutting the tree down with discriminating wisdom of detachment provides liberation from the cycle of life and death.

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Reflection

If your metaphor were the Tree of Life what would your purpose in life be?

The Bhagavad Gita is the message for today. If you liked what you read, share with another 20 or 30, and request them to share. We may open closed minds, hearts and will.

Ram is a co-founder and mentor at Coacharya?https://coacharya.com. Ram's focus is the integration of Eastern wisdom with modern science, spiritually, systemically and sustainably. Visit Coacharya.

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