Bhagavad Gita 15.6न तद्भासयते सूर्यो न शशाङ्को न पावकः।यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते तद्धाम परमं मम ॥
na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śhaśhāṅko na pāvakaḥ
yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama
Sanskrit recitation
The inverted tree of life · 15.1–15.6 · Teaching
Translation
Neither does the sun illuminate there, nor the moon, nor the fire; having gone there, they do not return; that is My supreme abode.
Hindi translation
उस-(परमपद-) को न सूर्य, न चन्द्र और न अग्नि ही प्रकाशित कर सकती है; और जिसको प्राप्त होकर जीव लौटकर (संसारमें) नहीं आते, वही मेरा परमधाम है।
Meaning
That supreme abode is selfillumined for Brahman is selfluminous. It existed before the sun, the moon and the fire came into existence during creation. It remains even after they dissolve into the Unmanifested during the dissolution of the world.This verse is taken from the Kathopanishad The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor does this lightning shine and much less this fire. When It shines, everything shines after It, by Its light, all these shine (Chap.II,5.15). The same idea occurs in the Svetasvatara Upanishad (6.14) and the Mundaka Upanishad (II.2.10). The sun, the moon, etc., derive their light from Para Brahman. Nothing else is needed for illuminating the Supreme Being because It is selfluminous.Dhama paramam Supreme abode or superexcellent seat or Para Brahman.Though the sun is endowed with the power of illumining all, it cannot illumine the Supreme Being.यत् धाम वैष्णवं पदं गत्वा प्राप्य न निवर्तन्ते यत् च सूर्यादिभिः न भासयते तत् धाम पदं परमं मम विष्णोः।That abode, to which having gone, none returns, and which the sun, moon, stars, lightning and fire do not illumine, is the highest abode of Vishnu.(Cf.VIII.21)
After Swami Sivananda
The inverted tree of life· 15.1–15.6→
Teachers usually read this idea across several verses together, one shared reflection covers the whole unit.
- 15.1The Blessed Lord said: They (the wise) speak of the indestructible peepul tree, with its…
- 15.2Its branches spread below and above, nourished by the Gunas; its buds are sense-objects,…
- 15.3Its form is not perceived here as such, nor its end, origin, foundation, or resting place;…
- 15.4Then, that goal should be sought for, to which, having gone, none returns again. I seek…
- 15.5Free from pride and delusion, victorious over the evil of attachment, dwelling constantly…
15.6Neither does the sun illuminate there, nor the moon, nor the fire; having gone there, they…
Word-by-word→
- na
- never
- tat
- that
- yat
- where
- mama
- mine
- dhāma
- abode
- gatvā
- having gone
- paramam
- supreme
- sūryaḥ
- the sun
- bhāsayate
- illumine
- nivartante
- they return
- pāvakaḥ
- fire
- śhaśhāṅkaḥ
- the moon
Related verses
- 5.24He who is happy within, who rejoices within, and who is illuminated within, that Yogi…
- 13.11Unswerving devotion to Me through the Yoga of non-separation, resorting to solitary…
- 15.17But distinct is the Supreme Purusha, called the highest Self, indestructible and Lord, who…
- 2.57He who is everywhere without attachment, upon encountering anything good or bad, neither…