The Supreme Personपुरुषोत्तमयोग

ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्॥

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam,
chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit.

They speak of an eternal ashvattha tree with its roots above and its branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree knows the Vedas.

अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके॥

adhaś cordhvaṁ prasṛtās tasya śākhā
guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ,
adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke.

Its branches spread below and above, nourished by the qualities of nature, with the objects of the senses as their buds. Below, in the world of humans, its roots stretch on and on, binding beings to action.

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते
नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा।
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल-
मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा॥

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nānto na cādir na ca saṁpratiṣṭhā,
aśvattham enaṁ suvirūḍha-mūla-
masaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā.

Its true form is not seen here, nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation. This deep-rooted ashvattha must be cut down with the strong axe of detachment.

Live it todaySome tangles are not untied but cut, with firm detachment.

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं
यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः।
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये
यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी॥

tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ,
tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī.

Then one must seek that place from which those who reach it never return, with this resolve: I take refuge in that primal Person from whom this ancient stream of life flowed forth.

Live it todaySeek the source, not just the next branch.

निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा
अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसंज्ञै-
र्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥

nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā
adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ,
dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñai-
rgacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat.

Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the fault of attachment, ever dwelling in the Self, with desires turned away and released from the pairs called pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach that eternal state.

Live it todayLet go of pride and craving; that is the road home.

न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।
यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम॥

na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ,
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama.

Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire lights that place. Having gone there, none return. That is my supreme abode.

Live it todayYour true home shines with a light no sun can give.

ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः।
मनःषष्ठानीन्द्रियाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति॥

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ,
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati.

An eternal portion of my own self becomes the living soul in the world of the living, drawing to itself the mind and the five senses that rest in nature.

Live it todayA spark of the divine lives within you already.

शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः।
गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्॥

śarīraṁ yad avāpnoti yac cāpy utkrāmatīśvaraḥ,
gṛhītvaitāni saṁyāti vāyur gandhān ivāśayāt.

When the lord of the body takes on a body, and when it departs, it carries these along with it, as the wind carries scents from their source.

Live it todayWhat you nurture in the mind travels on with you.

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च।
अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते॥

śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ sparśanaṁ ca rasanaṁ ghrāṇam eva ca,
adhiṣṭhāya manaś cāyaṁ viṣayān upasevate.

Presiding over hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell, and over the mind, it enjoys the objects of the senses.

उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जानं वा गुणान्वितम्।
विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः॥

utkrāmantaṁ sthitaṁ vāpi bhuñjānaṁ vā guṇānvitam,
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ.

Whether it is leaving the body, staying in it, or enjoying experience under the sway of the qualities, the deluded do not see it. Those with the eye of wisdom see.

यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्।
यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥

yatanto yoginaś cainaṁ paśyanty ātmany avasthitam,
yatanto ‘py akṛtātmāno nainaṁ paśyanty acetasaḥ.

Yogis who strive see the Self dwelling within them. But those whose hearts are unrefined and unaware do not see it, even though they strive.

Live it todayEffort matters, but so does the heart you bring to it.

यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद्भासयतेऽखिलम्।
यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चाग्नौ तत्तेजो विद्धि मामकम्॥

yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ‘khilam,
yac candramasi yac cāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam.

The radiance in the sun that lights the whole world, the radiance in the moon and in fire: know that radiance to be mine.

Live it todayEvery sunrise is a reminder of the Divine.

गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा।
पुष्णामि चौषधीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वा रसात्मकः॥

gām āviśya ca bhūtāni dhārayāmy aham ojasā,
puṣṇāmi cauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ somo bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ.

Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with my strength; and becoming the moon, full of life-giving sap, I nourish all plants.

Live it todayThe earth that holds you up is held by the Divine.

अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः।
प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्॥

ahaṁ vaiśvānaro bhūtvā prāṇināṁ deham āśritaḥ,
prāṇāpāna-samāyuktaḥ pacāmy annaṁ catur-vidham.

Becoming the fire of digestion in the bodies of living beings, joined with the in-breath and the out-breath, I digest the four kinds of food.

Live it todayEat with gratitude; the Divine is at work in every meal.

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो
मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च।
वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो
वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्॥

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca,
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham.

I am seated in the hearts of all. From me come memory, knowledge and their loss. I alone am to be known through all the Vedas; I am the author of the Vedanta and the knower of the Vedas.

Live it todayWhen you remember what truly matters, that too is grace.

द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च।
क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥

dvāv imau puruṣau loke kṣaraś cākṣara eva ca,
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭa-stho ‘kṣara ucyate.

There are two persons in this world, the perishable and the imperishable. All beings are the perishable; the unchanging one is called the imperishable.

उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः।
यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥

uttamaḥ puruṣas tv anyaḥ paramātmety udāhṛtaḥ,
yo loka-trayam āviśya bibharty avyaya īśvaraḥ.

But the highest Person is another, called the Supreme Self, the undying Lord who enters the three worlds and upholds them.

यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥

yasmāt kṣaram atīto ‘ham akṣarād api cottamaḥ,
ato ‘smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ.

Because I am beyond the perishable and higher even than the imperishable, I am known in the world and in the Veda as Purushottama, the Supreme Person.

यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्।
स सर्वविद्भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥

yo mām evam asammūḍho jānāti puruṣottamam,
sa sarva-vid bhajati māṁ sarva-bhāvena bhārata.

One who, free from delusion, knows me thus as the Supreme Person knows all, and worships me with their whole being, O Bharata.

Live it todayLove with your whole being, not just a corner of the day.

इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयाऽनघ।
एतद्बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान्स्यात्कृतकृत्यश्च भारत॥

iti guhyatamaṁ śāstram idam uktaṁ mayā ‘nagha,
etad buddhvā buddhimān syāt kṛta-kṛtyaś ca bhārata.

Thus I have taught you this most secret teaching, O sinless one. Understanding it, a person becomes truly wise and has done all that there is to do.

Live it todayWhen you truly understand, there is nothing left to prove.