Krishna concludes the fourteenth chapter with a brief description of the great, wholesome and causal Self, denoted by the term ‘I’. Even the infinite Brahman rests upon this Self, says Krishna (Brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham). Immortality, inexhaustibility (amṛtasya avyayasya), eternal dharma (śāśvatasya ca dharmasya) as well as endless happiness (sukhasya ekāntikasya ca) inhere in the same inmost Self (14.27).
The focus is now the Self, ātmā. The 15th chapter, in which Krishna introduces the theme of the causal and comprehensive ātmā is thus aptly named “Puruṣottama Yoga”.
The Puruṣottama-Paramātmā exposition, which is the main theme here, has a special appeal for sādhakas, especially ascetics. This chapter is usually recited in Ashrams and spiritual abodes while taking food, probably because it refers to Vaiśvānara – an expression or manifestation of the supreme Puruṣa – digesting and assimilating four kinds of food.
The word puruṣa generally refers to a being, more particularly the human being. In place of the word ‘God’, Krishna uses ‘Puruṣa’. This is characteristic of our Scriptures. Our Scriptures always equate the supra-human God of religion with the jīva, the puruṣa of the earth. By this they cut all distance to God and identify Him as the Self in oneself. Krishna embellishes the word ‘puruṣa’ further as ‘Puruṣottama,’ meaning the magnificent or the paramount inmost Self.
Of the entire existence and manifestation, this Puruṣottama is the supreme, he concludes. He is greater than all else, nay the greatest and final itself. And He is the ātmā, the Paramātmā, denoted by the common term ‘I’ employed by one and all. Needless to say, the ātmā is within every one’s body, closest to each.
All gross existence, the entire objectude, has its pratiṣṭhā, inherence, in the subtle counterpart. And the subtle is always inward to the gross. Compared to the gross, the inner subtle is greater. It is the causal, from which alone has emerged the gross. In actual experience also, are not all forms of growth from inside to outside? How can the external Universe rest upon something still external to it? All externals together form the universe. Can an additional external source be there at all for the universe to rest upon?
The only answer, compulsion, is that the objective universe can inhere only on something subtle and abiding within itself. All ideas about the absolute nature of gross objective existence are thus invalidated by Krishna’s statement that aham, the Self, is the pratiṣṭhā of even Brahman.
Thus the whole Universe does inhere inwardly in its own subtle source. It is like our own body resting upon its own inmost core. Are not all sensory activities as well as mental and intellectual ones caused and centred right within us? Can there be any doubt or confusion at all in this?
Illustration through the Peepul tree
Giving the analogy of Aśvattha tree, Krishna describes the characteristics of the whole creation and its purpose. His words are quite profound and suggestive:
The undying Peepul Tree, whose leaves are the Vedas, has its roots upward and branches downward. Whosoever knows this, knows verily the import of the Vedas.
Why does Krishna resort to such an illustration? The dialogue started with Krishna addressing Arjuna’s grief. Incidence of grief being ever relevant to the human mind, the discussion became classical, extensive and comprehensive, encompassing the entire gamut of human personality.
Spiritual or philosophical discussion may commence from anywhere. Whatever be the initial setting or background for enquiry, very soon the discussion becomes lofty and deep to reflect the ultimate quest, leading the mind to get enlightened about (i) the fundamentals and finale of human life (ii) the truth about Creation and Creator and (iii) the mysterious authenticity of existence itself. This is a distinction of our land’s philosophical thoughts and reasoning.
Thus, the distressed Arjuna quickly became a sustained seeker ready to enquire, know and reinforce his understanding variously. This added to the tone and trend of the entire dialogue. We have already seen how Krishna’s words, arresting and provocative first, became exhorting and revealing next. They led to the beautiful exposition of philosophy, spirituality, yoga, the art and dexterity of life, activity and achievement.
Keeping his thoughts and ideologies in tune with the prevalent time, Krishna brings in the concept of Aśvattha tree. Trees are a common sight for all. Unlike plants and creepers, they grow very tall and also have a longer life span. In fact, human life inevitably depends upon vegetation, not alone for food and nutrition but also for respiration.
The Aśvattha (Peepul tree) lives for centuries, unlike humans. When one gets born, he finds that the world around him existed much before his birth, and will also exist after his death. The Peepul tree is alluded to strike the contrast. Unlike the short span of human life, the longevity of Aśvattha, says Krishna, symbolizes avyayatva, eternality.
Krishna has more to say about this Aśvattha. Its trunk, branches and leaves grow downward, not only upward as is the case with the usual trees we see around. How true! The planet earth on which we all live has itself come downward from the sun above. Are not the roots of the earth thus above somewhere?
In fact, this is the truth of everything we see in the world, Universe. The source of everything in space clearly reigns far above. Wherever one looks at, the vision will take him upward to infinite distances. The space surrounding the planets or heavenly bodies is endless. This endless space alone is the source of all these heavenly bodies.
After having said that the Aśvattha has its roots above and growth below, Krishna says that the leaves constitute the Vedas. The character and shape of leaves help us to identify the tree with its properties. The idea is that using the Vedas we have to understand this tree of existence. In other words, to discern the human life, the world around and to decide about the interactions between the two, we have to be guided by the Vedas. Vedas alone serve to enlighten us about our position in this huge complex world and how our goal and objective can be achieved.
This illustration implies far more than what appears on casual observance. About the very status and purpose of Vedas, contradictory views have been in vogue. Are the Vedas revelatory or mandatory? In other words, are they a source of true, great knowledge or are they merely a collection of injunctions and prohibitions (vidhis and niṣedhas)?
Many scholars, including the famous Jaimini, view Vedas as ‘mandatory’. According to them, Vedic life consists of rituals and allied performances. The rituals, they say, are prescribed means to achieve a certain end either here or hereafter. Votaries of Vedas have simply to perform these in all faith, without question.
In accepting such a line of thinking, a fundamental disharmony would result. Sheer faith alone cannot be the ground for any sustainable system of thought or philosophy. Sooner or later the thinking man will be prompted to investigate into the merits of his belief and the rewards it alludes to. Can the ritualistic rewards have veracity? Thus a compulsion for unraveling the Truth behind the Vedic injunctions is inevitable. It is then that one is led to the Upanishads, the last portion of the Vedas, and their startling revelations and discussions.
On the other hand, if we regard the Vedas as enlightening, revelatory, they remain sovereign and useful. By not heeding the Vedas, their strength and purpose of revelation are not invalidated the least. Those who do not heed them will be denied the enrichment and enlightenment they would otherwise derive.
Man is intelligent by nature. Knowledge is the best persuasion and compulsion for him. Like any other branch of knowledge, Vedic knowledge has its eternal relevance and utility.
Vedas discuss and reveal the true nature of the world and what the discerning attitude and evaluation about the world should be. The pronouncement is very clear and strong, as the Upanishad puts it:
If one verily happens to know this here and now, then his life becomes meaningful and true. If he ignores and misses, then colossal is his loss.
In this declaration, the intention is quite clear. If the message is not heeded, then the wrong is not with the revealing source, but with those who are inattentive to the revelation! For every rational human being, such a pronouncement has the best of validity and relevance.
Understanding bondage – the purpose of Aśvattha illustration
The purport is this: The entire world is like the Aśvattha tree, with its roots far above and only branches and leaves down below. No individual has any power or scope to do anything about it. But, a discerning individual should try to understand the world, its magnitude and complexity, by reading the Vedas and going into the meaning of what they say about the whole subject.
Krishna continues his exposition of the Aśvattha tree:
Branches of that tree with guṇas for their nourishment and sensory enjoyments as tender leaves, issue forth downwards and upwards. Its roots are spread forth below in the human world in all directions, giving rise to bondage in the form of activities (through rāga and dveṣa for the results thereof.)
In addition to the initial branches the Aśvattha tree has spread below, says Krishna, there are branches growing upwards also. This specifically implies the pursuit of Vedic rituals, aimed at bestowing results like heavenly life, which become relevant only after one’s body falls.
Prakṛti with its three guṇas, instils desires and motivates manifold activities. Humans are the only beings capable of thinking, designing and acting diversely for various achievements, resulting in drastic changes not only in their life-style but also in nature and environments. This applies to both constructive and destructive activities alike.
The potential is two-fold: Enquiry into the present life along with the world around; and yearning to know about life after death.
By the human spirit of discovery and adventure alone men of the earth were safely landed on the moon and also brought back. This bespeaks how much their spirit of exploration can be effective. There is no limit to the scope humans have before them. The world is endless and the human access to knowledge is also limitless!
Again, it is the same spirit of yearning that has led the religious thinkers to explore into the prospects of life after death and conceive of heavenly prospects and luxuries, referred to in the Vedic and allied scriptures. Arjuna himself refers in the beginning to the life in the heavens and hells, as reward or punishment for the acts done here. Thus the branches with leaves of the Aśvattha tree also extend upward.
The entire visible creation is before us as a huge tree, whose roots are, far above, beyond our reach. Nonetheless, its branches with leaves are available to us. Are we to be allured by them, or a clear note of further discrimination is called for? As earlier, Krishna has his own special note of caution and wisdom to emphasize here. He speaks about not allowing this tree to overpower us, instead to check it by means of our own willful insight.
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(From Essential Concepts in Bhagavad Gita - Volume 5)
