Gita Series – 143: Bhagavad Gita Chapter XV. Verse 3 – 6

“The real nature of this tree, its origin, its end and its sustenance is not understood by ordinary men. But, the wise destroy this deep rooted peepul tree with the strong axe of non-attachment. Thereafter, the wise aspirant should seek the Supreme State of the Lord, with a resolve to seek refuge in the Primeval Puruṣa, the eternal source of energy of everything. Those who are free from pride and delusion, having won over the miseries of attachment, perpetually connected with the Lord, whose desires have ceased to exist, totally freed from dyads reach the supreme state of immortality. That Supreme Abode of mine is not illuminated by sun, moon or fire and those who reach here, never go back to the material world.”

The Brahman manifests in the form of all existents. He is not to be construed as different in size, shape or form. He, being omnipresent and subtle, is able to pervade all that exists in this universe. An individual self, who realizes this fact and experiences the firm conviction that “I am the Supreme Brahman” attains instantaneous liberation. He affirms again and again that “I am the That pure and formless Brahman, without attributes and qualities”, as result of which, the pleasures and pains do not affect him. The inverted peepul tree typically represents illusionary aspect of creation, afflicted with sensory perceptions and deceptive knowledge. They are so engrossed in the delusory knowledge do not have any inclination to acquire the true knowledge, the only source to attain liberation. When one attains knowledge, he will forthwith destroy his desire, attachment and ego and all that is connected to “I” ness. The peepul tree represents all attachments and the axe that is used to cut the peepul tree is one’s will power. If one has a strong will power, then alone, he will be able to get away from the clutches of saṁsāra.

Once, “I” ness is totally destroyed, there is enough time to manoeuvre his mind to look within to explore the Self. When he is able to make mental affirmation that the Brahman is not someone different from him, but he himself is the Brahman. The knowledge that he has gained enables him to understand that the Brahman is omnipresent. Because of the omnipresent nature of the Brahman, when He is present in him, He has to be present everywhere and in all the beings. This results in understanding universality of the Brahman and by his sheer perseverance, he understands this and gets transformed into a yogi or a saint. There is no need for him to change his appearance and no dress code applies to him. He continues to remain one amongst us.

He becomes eligible to be addressed as a saint or a sage or a yogi when he transcends the opposites. For him there is neither an enemy nor a friend, as everyone is the same Brahman to him. When his individual consciousness transforms into universal consciousness, he transcends all the dyads like joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, etc. His transformation from existence to ethereal happens due to his knowledge and will power. He is now able to understand the words of Ramana Mahaṛṣi, “I am not the gross body, nor am I the subtle body. I am also not the casual body. I am the kinsman of the universe. I am the one, who is of the nature of transcendental knowledge. I am the Lord, the taintless one, the one who is devoid of three states of consciousness and the one who is devoid of the universe.”

This affirmation absolves all his sins and makes him pure. The process of merger with the Lord begins with this purification. His body begins to illuminate. Purity and effulgence are the two qualities of the Lord, with which he is now endowed with. When his soul departs, it reaches the abode of the Lord, which is full of illumination. This illumination is not due to the luminaries. It is the illumination of the Supreme Self and other souls like him. There is no darkness there and the Place is ever illuminated. The one, who has reached there, will never come back to mundane existence. When the time is ripe, his soul merges with That Self illuminating Light.

Further Readings:

Bhagavad Gita Chapter XV. 1 - 2

Bhagavad Gita Chapter XV. 7 - 10

Bhagavad Gita Chapter XV. 11 - 14