Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15

Summary of Bhagavad Gita – Chapter 15

Summary of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15, Verses 1–4

Description of the World-Tree (Creation)

In Chapter 15, Verse 1, it is stated that the universe is like an imperishable, vast tree whose root is the Supreme God (Poorna Parmatma) above, and whose branches below are the three qualities (gunas)—

Rajgun: Lord Brahma
Satgun: Lord Vishnu
Tamgun: Lord Shiva

This inverted tree resembles a Peepal tree, with branches, twigs, and leaves. One who fully understands all parts of this world-tree understands the true meaning of the Vedas and is called a Tatvadarshi Saint (True Enlightened Saint).

Kabir Sahib says:

Kabir: Akshar Purush is the trunk of the tree, Niranjan (Brahm) is its branch. The three gods are its sub-branches, And the entire world is its leaves.

Kabir: I alone am Alakh, Allah, The original Creator. Of countless universes, I alone am the Originator.

This world-tree is upside down.

The root is the Supreme God (Param Akshar Purush / Satpurush), unseen.
The trunk is Akshar Purush (ParBrahm).
The main branch is Kshar Purush (Brahm / Kaal).
The three branches are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
The twigs and leaves are all gods, goddesses, and living beings.

Verse 2

The branches of this tree spread both upward and downward, formed of the three gunas. The buds are desires such as lust, anger, greed, attachment, and ego. These bind souls through karmas and arrange them in lower worlds (hells) and higher worlds (heavens).

(Confirmed in Chapter 14, Verse 5: the three gunas born of Maya bind the soul to the body.)

Verse 3

The speaker of the Gita (Brahm / Kaal) says that the beginning, end, and true form of this creation are not known—even to him. To understand this creation, one must cut this deeply rooted tree with the weapon of true spiritual knowledge (Tatvagyan).

Once this knowledge is attained, the mind detaches from Kaal, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, ancestors, spirits, gods, and all false worship.

Verse 4

After attaining true knowledge from a Tatvadarshi Saint, one must seek that supreme abode (Satlok), where souls never return to the cycle of birth and death. From that Supreme God, creation has existed eternally. Even Brahm (Kaal) himself is dependent on and sheltered by that Supreme God.

Therefore, worship should be directed only to that Supreme God, with complete determination.

This is further confirmed in Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18, Verses 46, 61, 62, and 66, where the speaker clearly indicates another Supreme God beyond himself.

Identification of a Tatvadarshi Saint

A Tatvadarshi Saint is one who explains all parts of the world-tree distinctly:

Root: Supreme God (Param Akshar Brahm)
Trunk: Akshar Purush (ParBrahm)
Branch: Kshar Purush (Brahm / Kaal)
Sub-branches: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
Leaves: Living beings

Another identification is given in Chapter 8, Verse 17, which explains the day and night of ParBrahm. One who understands this cosmic time-cycle is a Tatvadarshi Saint.

Summary of Verses 5–15: Knowledge of the Supreme God

Verses 5–6

Those who renounce attachment to all worldly objects attain the imperishable Supreme State. Kaal himself admits that Satlok is superior to his own realm and is self-illuminating—neither sun, moon, nor fire can illuminate it.

Verses 7–10

The soul is a fragment of the Supreme God but is trapped in Kaal’s realm through mind and senses. Just as air carries fragrance, the Supreme God accompanies the soul invisibly from one body to another.

Ignorant people do not recognize the Supreme God accompanying the soul, but enlightened ones do.

Verses 11–15

Kaal explains his subordinate role:

All light in the sun, moon, and fire comes from the Supreme God.
He acts like a servant, sustaining beings through the power of that Supreme God.
Even the Vedas are spoken by Brahm, but their true meaning points beyond him.

Garibdas Ji Maharaj says:

Brahm grinds the grain, Death carries the water; Both are servants In Kabir Sahib’s court.

Description of the Three Purushas (Lords)

Verses 16–17

There are three beings:

Kshar Purush (Brahm / Kaal) – perishable
Akshar Purush (ParBrahm) – long-lived but not eternal
Uttam Purush (Poorna Parmatma) – truly eternal and supreme

Only the Uttam Purush sustains all realms and is beyond destruction.

Kabir Sahib confirms:

Worship the root, and the whole tree flourishes. Water the branches, and everything is lost.

Verse 18

Because Kaal is more powerful than embodied beings and souls within his realm, people mistakenly call him Purushottam. In reality, the true Purushottam is someone else, described in Verse 17.

Verse 19

Without a Tatvadarshi Saint, even knowledgeable souls mistakenly worship Kaal as the Supreme God and thus attain only inferior liberation.

Verse 20

The Gita is a secretive scripture. One who understands it correctly will seek a Tatvadarshi Saint (as stated in Chapter 4, Verse 34) and escape the trap of Kaal.

The method of worship of the Supreme God is not revealed by Kaal—only heavenly rewards are described.

Conclusion

Just as watering the root nourishes the entire tree, worship of the Supreme God (Kabir Sahib / Param Akshar Brahm) automatically sustains all deities and grants complete liberation. Worship of branches alone is futile.

Therefore, one must seek true knowledge from a Tatvadarshi Saint, follow scripture-based devotion, and attain Satlok, the eternal abode beyond birth and death.