Adhashchordhwam prasritaastasya shaakhaah Gunapravriddhaa vishayapravaalaah; Adhashcha moolaanyanusantataani Karmaanubandheeni manushyaloke 15th Discourse 2nd Verse Bhagavad Gita Below and above spread the branches nourished by the Gunas; sense –objects are its buds; And below in the world of men stretch forth the roots, originating action. The countless objects, large and small, which life needs, are all products of the five elements through the activities of the qualities. This tree of Samsara is nourished by the three qualities of Nature. The sense-objects are its buds, and the roots which grow downwards are the bonds of Karma for those who lead a life of greed, passion and attachment in this world, and who are under the sway of likes and dislikes. The sprouts of this marvellous tree are the charming objects of the senses in the form of sound, touch, colour,taste and smell. The roots-the Karmic tendencies form past lives –grow downwards to generate bonds of Karma in the world of men. These roots strengthen bondage by further actions. The primal root is ignorance. From it arises the eightfold Nature-the five elements, mind, intellect and egoism. From the stem of the tree spring forth four branches called Svedaja, Andaja, Jarayuja and Udbhijja. Eighty-four lakhs (eight million four hundred thousand) species come into being. (Cf.XIV.3) One branch shoots straight upwards. It is the branch of Dharma, which yields the fruit of enjoyment in heaven. Another branch is the branch of dispassion, which yields the fruit of Self-realisation. The sun, the planets, the manes and the sages have also come out of this wonderful tree. Above them are the branches of the worlds of Indra and the gods. Still higher are those of the sages and men of austerity. Still higher is Satyaloka, where Hiranyagarbha dwells. From man down to the immovable objects below, and from him up to the realm of the Creator above, whatever regions are attained in accordance with the nature of knowledge or action, are all the ramifying branches of the tree of Samsara. They are nurtured and strengthened by the three Gunas, namely, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, which form their material base. The sense-objects such as sound, touch, colour, taste and smell represent the buds that sprout from the branches of the physical bodies, which are the products of actions. The highest root of this wonderful tree is the Self. The secondary roots are the latent impressions of likes and dislikes, which spread in this world of men, impel them to perform virtuous and vicious actions, and thereby bind them firmly to actions. Now listen to the way by which this tree can be cut off. Only he who thus cuts his bondage to this tree of worldly existence can be ever happy, content and peaceful even in this world. He possesses the highest wisdom and knowledge, because he stands as a silent and impartial spectator of this tree and knows it as it is, without being tied to it.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 12:50:57 +0000
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