Bhagwad Gita (English) | Chapter 15 | Verse 20

Chapter 15, Verse 20

The Yoga of the Supreme Person

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.

Verse

इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ।एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत।।15.20।।

iti guhyatamaṁ śhāstram idam uktaṁ mayānagha
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛita-kṛityaśh cha bhārata

Meaning of each word

iti — these;
guhya-tamam — most secret;
śhāstram — Vedic scriptures;
idam — this;
uktam — spoken;
mayā — by me;
anagha — Arjun, the sinless one;
etat — this;
buddhvā — understanding;
buddhi-mān — enlightened;
syāt — one becomes;
kṛita-kṛityaḥ — who fulfills all that is to be accomplished;
cha — and;
bhārata — Arjun, the son of Bharat

Interpretation

In this verse, the Lord is telling Arjuna that what He is sharing is very important and special—it's the heart of the teachings found in the Vedic scriptures, which are ancient texts of wisdom. He calls it 'most confidential,' meaning not everyone understands it, and it holds great significance. The basic message is that if a person pays attention to these teachings and truly understands them, they will gain intelligence and become wise. This wisdom isn't just about knowledge for the sake of knowing; it leads to perfection in their efforts and actions.

To break it down further, the Lord emphasizes that by understanding these teachings, a person can clean themselves of negativity and confusion that often comes from the material world. It's like how a dirty window blocks the light—by understanding this philosophy, it's like cleaning that window so the sunlight can come through clearly.

The Lord points out that engaging in 'devotional service'—which means serving and being devoted to the Supreme being—is critical. This service helps one gain a clearer understanding of spiritual truths. When you serve with love and dedication, it's like uncovering a treasure that was hidden. He explains that where there is genuine devotion, worldly problems and ignorance simply cannot exist because devotion brings light and understanding.

The analogy used here is that the Lord is like the sun; just as sunlight dispels darkness, His knowledge drives away ignorance. So when someone practices this devotion under the guidance of a real spiritual teacher, they can easily shake off their doubts and confusion just as sunlight dispels shadows. Overall, this verse encourages everyone to dive deep into these teachings, practice devotion sincerely, and trust that they will lead to a life full of wisdom and fulfillment.

Other Verses of Chapter 15

Verse 1
The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which 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.

Verse 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.

Verse 3
Its form is not perceived here as such, nor its end, origin, foundation, or resting place; having cut asunder this firmly rooted peepul tree with the strong axe of non-attachment.

Verse 4
Then, that goal should be sought for, to which, having gone, none returns again. I seek refuge in that Primeval Purusha, from whence streamed forth the ancient activity or energy.

Verse 5
One who is free from illusion, false prestige, and false association, who understands the eternal, who is done with material lust and is freed from the duality of happiness and distress, and who knows how to surrender unto the Supreme Person, attains to that eternal kingdom.

Verse 6
That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.

Verse 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.

Verse 8
The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.

Verse 9
The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, tongue, and nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects.

Verse 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.

Verse 11
The endeavoring transcendentalist, who is situated in self-realization, can see all this clearly. But those who are not situated in self-realization cannot see what is taking place, though they may try to.

Verse 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.

Verse 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.

Verse 14
I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff.

Verse 15
I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

Verse 16
There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every entity is called infallible.

Verse 17
Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Lord Himself, who has entered into these worlds and is maintaining them.

Verse 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.

Verse 19
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is to be understood as the knower of everything, and he therefore engages himself in full devotional service, O son of Bharata.

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