श्रीभगवानुवाच
ऊर्ध्वमूलमध:शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥ १ ॥
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam
chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit
श्लोक १: भगवान श्रीकृष्ण ने कहा: कहा जाता है कि एक शाश्वत अश्र्वत्थ वृक्ष है जिसकी जड़ें ऊपर हैं और शाखाएँ नीचे। इसके पत्ते वैदिक श्लोक हैं तथा जो मनुष्य इस वृक्ष को जान लेता है वही वेदों को सही प्रकार से जान पाता है।
Shloka 1: Bhagawan Sri Krishna said - It is said that there is an eternal Ashwattha tree with roots upward and branches downward, where the hymns of the Vedas are its leaves. One who knows this tree is truly a knower of the Vedas.
In Bhagavad Gita 15.1, Krishna introduces a profound metaphor that describes the material world as an upside-down Ashvattha (banyan) tree. This imperishable tree has its roots above and branches spreading downward, with the Vedic hymns represented as its leaves. This striking imagery serves as the foundation for the entire chapter, where Krishna will guide Arjuna toward understanding the illusory nature of material existence and the path to liberation.
This upside-down tree is not a literal tree but a metaphor for samsara—the perpetual cycle of birth and death. The inverted nature of the tree symbolizes how the material world is a reflection of the spiritual reality, just as we might see a tree reflected in water with its image reversed. What appears real and substantial in this world is actually just a shadow of the eternal spiritual realm.
The roots extending upward signify that this material existence originates from the highest plane—Brahma's realm, which is seated above the seven worlds. From this divine source, the material universe manifests and spreads downward through the branches, representing the various species, planes of existence, and experiences within the material realm. The branches below end with various life forms including humans, animals, and plants.
Krishna calls this tree "imperishable" or "immutable" because material existence itself continues eternally, though it cycles through periods of manifestation and non-manifestation. This tree cannot be easily felled because it represents the continuous flow of material life. The only way to break free from its entanglement is through perfect knowledge that leads to detachment.
The leaves of this cosmic tree are said to be the Vedic hymns. This indicates that the Vedas, while sacred and valuable, can also keep souls engaged in this material reflection if not properly understood. Many people use Vedic knowledge to pursue material advancement, prosperity, and pleasure, which only entangles them further in the illusory tree. Krishna suggests that one who truly understands this tree comprehends the real purpose of the Vedas—not to flourish within material existence but to transcend it.
By presenting this metaphor at the beginning of Chapter 15, Krishna is helping Arjuna see beyond the apparent reality of the material world. He's showing that what we perceive as stable, permanent, and desirable is actually a reversed reflection of something higher. Our attachment to the fruits of this reflected tree—success, pleasure, power, recognition—keeps us bound to the cycle of birth and death.
The brilliance of this metaphor lies in how it prepares us for the rest of the chapter. Having established that material existence is a reflection that entangles the soul, Krishna will proceed to explain how to cut our attachment to this illusory tree and reconnect with the Supreme Person who exists beyond this reflection. This verse serves as both a warning about the entangling nature of worldly existence and an invitation to seek what is eternally real and true.
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