In Bhagavad Gita 15.4, Krishna says one should then seek that goal from which none return, taking refuge in the primal Person from whom the ancient stream of creation flowed forth.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं
यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः
तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये
यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ॥ १५-४ ॥
tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavyaṃ
yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ
tameva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī
English transliteration tatah padam tatparimaargitavyam
yasmingataa na nivartanti bhooyah
tameva chaadyam purusham prapadye
yatah pravrittih prasritaa puraanee ॥ 15.4 ॥
Translation / Meaning
then one should seek that goal, having reached which none return again, thinking: “I take refuge in that primal Person, from whom this ancient stream of creation has flowed forth.”
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ततः tataḥ | then |
| पदम् padam | goal |
| तत् tat | that |
| परिमार्गितव्यम् parimārgitavyam | should be sought |
| यस्मिन् yasmin | which |
| गताः gatāḥ | having reached |
| न na | not |
| निवर्तन्ति nivartanti | return |
| भूयः bhūyaḥ | again |
| तम् tam | that |
| एव eva | indeed |
| च ca | and |
| आद्यम् ādyam | primal |
| पुरुषम् puruṣam | Person |
| प्रपद्ये prapadye | I take refuge |
| यतः yataḥ | from whom |
| प्रवृत्तिः pravṛttiḥ | stream of creation |
| प्रसृता prasṛtā | has flowed forth |
| पुराणी purāṇī | ancient |
Word-wise Chanting
- ta–taḥ pa–daṃ tat–pa–ri–mār–gi–tav–yaṃ 11 syllables ta-tah pa-dam tat-pa-ri-maar-gi-tav-yam
- yas–min–ga–tā na ni–var–tan–ti bhū–yaḥ | 11 syllables yas-min-ga-taa na ni-var-tan-ti bhoo-yah
- ta–me–va cād–yaṃ pu–ru–ṣaṃ pra–pad–ye 11 syllables ta-me-va chaad-yam pu-ru-sham pra-pad-ye
- ya–taḥ pra–vṛt–tiḥ pra–sṛ–tā pu–rā–ṇī || 15-4 11 syllables ya-tah pra-vrit-tih pra-sri-taa pu-raa-nee
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 15 Verse 4
Context
The sentence begun in 15.3 is completed here.
Meaning
After cutting the tree of attachment, one must seek the padam, the goal, from which there is no return. The seeker does this with the prayer prapadye, “I take refuge,” in the ādya puruṣa, the primal Person from whom the ancient flow of the world has come.
Detachment alone is not enough; it must be joined with surrender. Cutting the old ties, we turn toward the source.
In Practice
Say inwardly today, “I take refuge in the primal Person,” and rest in that surrender.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 15: Purushottama Yoga (The Supreme Person). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.