श्रीभगवानुवाच ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्। छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्॥
The great One said They say that the Ahsvatha tree with its roots above and branches below is (like the) eternal. Its leaves are the Chandas. He who knows it knows the Vedas.
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः। अधश्च मूलान्यनुसंततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके॥
Its branches which are enlarged by the qualities stretched upwards and downwards; its sprouts are the objects of senses. Its roots, leading to actions, are extended downward to this world of men.
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा। मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा॥ ततः पदं तत् परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन् गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः। तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी॥
Its from cannot be known in this world, nor its end, its beginning, for its support. Cutting this Ahsvatha of strong roots with a sharp weapon, one should seek for that place going whither none returns again-resolving, “I shall seek the protection of that Primeval Sire from whom the original course of this worldly life has flowed.
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः। गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥
Those that are free from delusion and pride, that have subdued the evil of attachments, that are steady in contemplation of the relation of the Supreme to the individual Self, from whom desires have gone away, and who is free from the pairs of opposites, go undeluded to that eternal seat.
न तद् भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः। यद् गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद् धाम परमं मम॥
The sun lights not that place, nor the Moon, nor the fire. Going there none returns, that is my Supreme seat.
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः। मनः षष्ठानीन्द्रीयाणि प्रकृतिस्थानि कर्षति॥
An everlasting portion of Me (My Self) becoming an individual Self in this world, draws to itself the five senses with the mind as the sixth. They all depend on Nature.
शरीरं यदवाप्नोति यच्चाप्युत्क्रामतीश्वरः। गृहीत्वैतानि संयाति वायुर्गन्धानिवाशयात्॥
When (this Self) the king of the body, assumes or quits the body, it departs taking them away, as the wind takes away the fragrance.
श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनं च रसनं घ्राणमेव च। अधिष्ठाय मनश्चायं विषयानुपसेवते॥
Presiding over the ear, the eye, the organs of touch, taste and smell, and the mind. It (the Self) enjoys all objects of senses.
उत्क्रामन्तं स्थितं वापि भुञ्जान् वा गुणान्वितम्। विमूढा नानुपश्यन्ति पश्यन्ति ज्ञानचक्षुषः॥
Those that are deluded do not see It when It remains in the body, or when It quits it, when It enjoys or when It is joined with qualities. But those see it who have the eye of knowledge.
यतन्तो योगिनश्चैनं पश्यन्त्यात्मन्यवस्थितम्। यतन्तोऽप्यकृतात्मानो नैनं पश्यन्त्यचेतसः॥
Devotees who are trying to attain to emancipation see It in their own bodies. But those that are senseless, and whose minds are not restrained, do not see It, although they too are trying for emancipation.
यदादित्यगतं तेजो जगद् भासयतेऽखिलम्। यच्चन्द्रमसि यच्चागग्नौ तत् तेजो विद्धि मामकम्॥
The refulgence in the Sun which illuminates the vast universe, that which is in the Moon, and in the Fire, know it to be mine.
गामाविश्य च भूतानि धारयाम्यहमोजसा। पुष्णामि चौषश्वीः सर्वाः सोमो भूत्वारसात्मकः॥
Entering into the earth I uphold every thing by My Force, and becoming Savoury Moon, I nourish all plants.
अहं वैश्वानरो भूत्वा प्राणिनां देहमाश्रितः। प्राणापानसमायुक्तः पचाम्यन्नं चतुर्विधम्॥
Becoming the vital heat in the bodies of creatures, and mixing with the upward and downward breaths, I digest the four kinds of food.
सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि संनिविष्टो मत्तः स्मृतिर्ज्ञानमपोहनं च। वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद् वेदविदेव चाहम्॥
I am in the hearts of all. Memory and knowledge, and the loss of both, are all from Me. I am the objects of knowledge to be known from the Vedas. I am the author of the Vedantas, and again I alone am the object to be known of the Vedas.
द्वाविमौ पुरुषौ लोके क्षरश्चाक्षर एव च। क्षरः सर्वाणि भूतानि कूटस्थोऽक्षर उच्यते॥
There are two entities in this universe, namely the Perishable and the Imperishable. All creatures are the Perishable, and the unconcerned One is the Imperishable.
उत्तमः पुरुषस्त्वन्यः परमात्मेत्युदाहृतः। यो लोकत्रयमाविश्य बिभर्त्यव्यय ईश्वरः॥
But there is another, namely the Supreme Being, called Paramatma, who being the everlasting Lord, and pervading the three worlds, sustains them.
यस्तात् क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः। अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥
As I transcend the Perishable, and as I am higher then even the Imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and sung in the Vedas as Purushottama.
यो मामेवमसम्मूढो जानाति पुरुषोत्तमम्। स सर्वविद् भजति मां सर्वभावेन भारत॥
He, who without being deluded, knows Me to be this Highest Being, O Bharata, knowing all this, worships Me with all thoughts.
इति गुह्यतमं शास्त्रमिदमुक्तं मयानघ। एतद् बुद्ध्वा बुद्धिमान् स्यात् कृतकृत्यश्च भारत॥
I have thus, O holy one, declared to you this knowledge, the greatest of all mysteries. Knowing this, O Bharata, one becomes gifted with intelligence, and he has done all that he needs do".