Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 3 — Purusottama Yoga
Sanskrit
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा | अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलं असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ||१५-३||
Transliteration
na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādirna ca sampratiṣṭhā . aśvatthamenaṃ suvirūḍhamūlaṃ asaṅgaśastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ||15-3||
Hindi Meaning
।।15.3।। इस (संसार वृक्ष) का स्वरूप जैसा कहा गया है वैसा यहाँ उपलब्ध नहीं होता है, क्योंकि इसका न आदि है और न अंत और न प्रतिष्ठा ही है। इस अति दृढ़ मूल वाले अश्वत्थ वृक्ष को दृढ़ असङ्ग शस्त्र से काटकर ...৷৷৷৷।।
English Meaning
The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment.
Commentary
It is now clearly stated that the real form of this banyan tree cannot be understood in this material world. Since the root is upwards, the extension of the real tree is at the other end. When entangled with the material expansions of the tree, one cannot see how far the tree extends, nor can one see the beginning of this tree. Yet one has to find out the cause. “I am the son of my father, my father is the son of such-and-such a person, etc.” By searching in this way, one comes to Brahmā, who is generated by the Garbhodaka-śāyī Viṣṇu. Finally, in this way, when one reaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the end of research work. One has to search out that origin of this tree, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the association of persons who are in knowledge of that Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then by understanding one becomes gradually detached from this false reflection of reality, and by knowledge one can cut off the connection and actually become situated in the real tree. The word asaṅga is very important in this connection because the attachment for sense enjoyment and lording it over the material nature is very strong. Therefore one must learn detachment by discussion of spiritual science based on authoritative scriptures, and one must hear from persons who are actually in knowledge. As a result of such discussion in the association of devotees, one comes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then the first thing one must do is surrender to Him. The description of that place whence having gone one never returns to this false reflected tree is given here. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the original root from whom everything has emanated. To gain the favor of that Personality of Godhead, one has only to surrender, and this is a result of performing devotional service by hearing, chanting, etc. He is the cause of the extension of the material world. This has already been explained by the Lord Himself. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: “I am the origin of everything.” Therefore to get out of the entanglement of this strong banyan tree of material life, one must surrender to Kṛṣṇa. As soon as one surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, one becomes detached automatically from this material extension.
Hinglish Commentary
Yeh baat ab bilkul saaf hai ki is banyan tree ka asli roop is material duniya mein samajhna mushkil hai. Iska jo root hai, woh upar ki taraf hai, aur asli tree ka extension dusre end par hai. Jab hum is tree ke material expansions mein ulajh jaate hain, toh humein yeh nahi dikhai deta ki yeh tree kitni door tak hai, ya iska shuruat kahan se hota hai. Lekin humein iski wajah zaroor dhoondni padegi. "Main apne pita ka beta hoon, mera pita kisi aur ka beta hai," is tarah se agar hum khoj karte hain, toh hum Brahmā tak pahunchte hain, jo Garbhodaka-śāyī Viṣṇu se utpann hue hain. Ant mein, jab hum Supreme Personality of Godhead tak pahunchte hain, tab yeh khoj ka kaam khatam hota hai. Humein is tree ke origin, yani Supreme Personality of Godhead ko dhoondhna hai, un logon ke saath milkar jo is Supreme Personality ke gyaan mein hain. Phir samajhne par, hum dheere-dheere is false reality se alag ho jaate hain, aur gyaan ke zariye hum is connection ko kaat sakte hain aur asal tree mein sthit ho sakte hain. Is context mein "asaṅga" shabd bahut important hai, kyunki sense enjoyment aur material nature par raj karne ki chahat bahut majboot hoti hai. Isliye, humein spiritual science ki discussions se detachment seekhna hoga, jo authoritative scriptures par aadharit ho, aur un logon se sunna hoga jo sach mein gyaan rakhte hain. Aise discussions ke natije mein, hum Supreme Personality of Godhead tak pahunchte hain. Phir sabse pehle humein unhe surrender karna chahiye. Us jagah ka varnan yahan diya gaya hai jahan se jaane par koi is false reflected tree mein wapas nahi aata. Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, wahi asli root hain jisse sab kuch nikalta hai. Unse kripa paane ke liye, humein bas surrender karna hai, aur yeh devotional service jaise sunne, gaane, etc. karke hota hai. Woh material duniya ka extension ka kaaran hain, aur yeh khud Bhagwan ne samjhaya hai, "Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ": "Main sab kuch ka origin hoon." Isliye, is strong banyan tree se nikalne ke liye, humein Kṛṣṇa ko surrender karna hoga. Jaise hi hum Kṛṣṇa ko surrender karte hain, hum automatically is material extension se alag ho jaate hain.