This is the concluding shloka of Chapter 15. Bhagavān now summarizes the value of the whole teaching and gives its result.

The chapter began with the image of the saṃsāra tree. The first verses showed the vast, beginningless, mysterious tree of worldly life, nourished by karma, guṇa, viṣaya, rāga, dveṣa, and repeated embodiment. The solution was to cut this tree with the strong weapon of detachment and then seek the supreme goal. Then the chapter unfolded that goal step by step.

From 15.7 to 15.15, Bhagavān taught Brahmaṇaḥ sarvātmakatvam — Brahman alone is everything. First, Brahman was shown as the jīva in all living beings. Then Brahman was shown as the jagat, the inert universe: the light in the sun, moon, and fire; the sustaining power in the earth; the nourishing Soma in plants; the digestive fire in beings; and the consciousness in the heart from which memory, knowledge, and forgetfulness arise. Then 15.16–15.18 defined Puruṣottama as the nirguṇa caitanyam beyond kṣara, the manifest material universe, and superior to akṣara, unmanifest māyā. 15.19 gave the result: the one who knows Puruṣottama without delusion becomes sarvavit and worships Bhagavān with the whole being.

Now Bhagavān says: iti guhyatamaṃ śāstram idam uktaṃ mayā — thus this most secret teaching has been taught by Me. Guhyatamam means the most secret, not because someone is hiding it out of selfishness, but because it is extremely subtle and rare. Ordinary knowledge deals with objects. All objective sciences study either kṣara, manifest matter, or akṣara, unmanifest matter. They can study the body, mind, elements, energy, cosmology, and subtle material causes. But Puruṣottama, nirguṇa caitanyam, is not an object available for ordinary investigation. It is the very consciousness because of which all objects are known. Therefore this is para-vidyā, the highest knowledge, and it is rare.

This teaching is also called śāstram because it is not a casual idea, personal opinion, or poetic inspiration. It is a means of knowledge unfolded by śāstra. It teaches what cannot be known by sense perception or ordinary reasoning alone. The knowledge of Puruṣottama must be received through Vedānta, from a competent teacher, by a prepared mind.

Bhagavān addresses Arjuna as anagha — sinless, pure-minded. This is important. Such teaching is not given merely because someone is intellectually curious. The mind must be prepared. Arjuna asked, and Arjuna was qualified. Anagha means one whose mind has been purified enough to receive this subtle teaching. Purity here does not mean a person has never made any mistake. It means the mind has enough sincerity, humility, and fitness for Vedāntic assimilation.

Then Bhagavān says: etad buddhvā — having known this. This does not mean merely hearing the words once. It means receiving, understanding, and assimilating the teaching. The assimilation is: “I am not the body, which is kṣara. I am not the mind, which is also kṣara. I am not even the kāraṇa-śarīra, the causal body, which belongs to akṣara. I am the uttama-puruṣaḥ, the Puruṣottama, the consciousness beyond all three bodies.” This can also be connected with the Māṇḍūkya teaching: I am not merely the waking experiencer, not the dream experiencer, not the deep sleep causal condition, but Turīya, the consciousness that is the truth of all states.

The result is buddhimān syāt — one becomes wise. This wisdom is not cleverness, scholarship, argument skill, or memory power. It is the clear knowledge of one’s real nature as Puruṣottama, nirguṇa caitanyam. A person may know many things and still miss the Self. Such a person is informed but not truly wise. Here buddhimān means the one who has assimilated the highest discrimination: kṣara is not the Self, akṣara is not the Self, Puruṣottama alone is the real nature.

Finally Bhagavān says: kṛtakṛtyaḥ ca — one becomes fulfilled, one who has done what has to be done. This does not mean the jñānī will never perform ordinary duties. It means the fundamental human search is complete. The endless inner pressure — “What next? What next? What else must I become to be complete?” — comes to an end. Other accomplishments are partial and temporary. Education, wealth, status, family responsibilities, and achievements may give temporary satisfaction, but they do not end the sense of incompleteness. Puruṣottama-jñānam gives the recognition that the Self was never incomplete. Therefore the person becomes kṛtakṛtyaḥ, fulfilled.

This is the majestic conclusion of the chapter. The teaching began with the problem of saṃsāra, showed the means of detachment and enquiry, unfolded Brahman as all, defined Puruṣottama as nirguṇa caitanyam, and concluded by saying: understand this, assimilate this, and become wise and fulfilled.