ślōkaḥ
śrībhagavānuvācha
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam ।
Chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ vēda sa vēdavit ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning
śrī-bhagavān uvācha — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ūrdhva-mūlam — with roots above; adhaḥ — downwards; śākham — branches; aśvattham — a banyan tree; prāhuḥ — is said; avyayam — eternal; chandāṃsi — the Vedic hymns; yasya — of which; parṇāni — the leaves; yaḥ — anyone who; tam — that; vēda — knows; saḥ — he; vēda-vit — the knower of the Vedas.
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
ślōkaḥ
adhaśchōrdhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā
guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ ।
adhaścha mūlānyanusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣyalōkē ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning
adhaḥ — downward; cha — and; ūrdhvam — upward; prasṛtāḥ — extended; tasya — its; śākhāḥ — branches; guṇa — by the modes of material nature; pravṛddhāḥ — developed; viṣaya — sense objects; pravālāḥ — twigs; adhaḥ — downward; cha — and; mūlāni — roots; anusantatāni — extended; karma — to work; anubandhīni — bound; manuṣya-lōkē — in the world of human society.
Translation
The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.
ślōkaḥ
na rūpamasyēha tathōpalabhyatē
nāntō na chādirna cha sampratiṣṭhā ।
aśvatthamēnaṃ suvirūḍhamūla-
masaṅgaśastrēṇa dṛḍhēna Chittvā ॥ 3 ॥
tataḥ padaṃ tatparimārgitavyaṃ
yasmingatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ ।
tamēva chādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadyē
yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning
na — not; rūpam — the form; asya — of this tree; iha — in this world; tathā — also; upalabhyatē — can be perceived; na — never; antaḥ — end; na — never; cha — also; ādiḥ — beginning; na — never; cha — also; sampratiṣṭhā — the foundation; aśvattham — banyan tree; ēnam — this; su-virūḍha — strongly; mūlam — rooted; asaṅga-śastrēṇa — by the weapon of detachment; dṛḍhēna — strong; chittvā — cutting; tataḥ — thereafter; padam — situation; tat — that; parimārgitavyam — has to be searched out; yasmin — where; gatāḥ — going; na — never; nivartanti — they come back; bhūyaḥ — again; tam — to Him; ēva — certainly; cha — also; ādyam — original; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; prapadyē — surrender; yataḥ — from whom; pravṛttiḥ — the beginning; prasṛtā — extended; purāṇi — very old.
Translation
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. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.
ślōkaḥ
nirmānamōhā jitasaṅgadōṣā
adhyātmanityā vinivṛttakāmāḥ ।
dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasañjñai-
rgachChantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning
niḥ — without; māna — false prestige; mōhāḥ — and illusion; jita — having conquered; saṅga — of association; dōṣāḥ — the faults; adhyātma — in spiritual knowledge; nityāḥ — in eternity; vinivṛtta — disassociated; kāmāḥ — from lust; dvandvaiḥ — from the dualities; vimuktāḥ — liberated; sukha-duḥkha — happiness and distress; sañjñaiḥ — named; gachchanti — attain; amūḍhāḥ — unbewildered; padam — situation; avyayam — eternal; tat — that.
Translation
Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.
ślōkaḥ
na tadbhaāsayatē sūryō na śaśāṅkō na pāvakaḥ ।
yadgatvā na nivartantē taddhāma paramaṃ mama ॥ 6 ॥
Meaning
na — not; tat — that; bhāsayatē — illuminates; sūryaḥ — the sun; na — nor; śaśāṅkaḥ — the moon; na — nor; pāvakaḥ — fire, electricity; yat — where; gatvā — going; na — never; nivartantē — they come back; tat dhāma — that abode; paramam — supreme; mama — My.
Translation
That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.
ślōkaḥ
mamaivāṃśō jīvalōkē jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ ।
manaḥṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning
mama — My; ēva — certainly; aṃśaḥ — fragmental particle; jīva-lōkē — in the world of conditional life; jīva-bhūtaḥ — the conditioned living entity; sanātanaḥ — eternal; manaḥ — with the mind; ṣaṣṭhāni — the six; indriyāṇi — senses; prakṛti — in material nature; sthāni — situated; karṣati — is struggling hard.
Translation
The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.
ślōkaḥ
śarīraṃ yadavāpnōti yachchaāpyutkrāmatīśvaraḥ ।
gṛhītvaitāni saṃyāti vāyurgandhānivāśayāt ॥ 8 ॥
Meaning
śarīram — the body; yat — as; avāpnōti — gets; yat — as; cha api — also; utkrāmati — gives up; īśvaraḥ — the lord of the body; gṛhītvā — taking; ētāni — all these; saṃyāti — goes away; vāyuḥ — the air; gandhān — smells; iva — like; āśayāt — from their source.
Translation
The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another, as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another.
ślōkaḥ
śrōtraṃ chakṣuḥ sparśanaṃ cha rasanaṃ ghrāṇamēva cha ।
adhiṣṭhāya manaśchāyaṃ viṣayānupasēvatē ॥ 9 ॥
Meaning
śrōtram — ears; chakṣuḥ — eyes; sparśanam — touch; cha — also; rasanam — tongue; ghrāṇam — smelling power; ēva — also; cha — and; adhiṣṭhāya — being situated in; manaḥ — mind; cha — also; ayam — he; viṣayān — sense objects; upasēvatē — enjoys.
Translation
The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects.
ślōkaḥ
utkrāmantaṃ sthitaṃ vā'pi bhuñjānaṃ vā guṇānvitam ।
vimūḍhā nānupaśyanti paśyanti jñānachakṣuṣaḥ ॥ 10 ॥
Meaning
utkrāmantam — quitting the body; sthitam — situated in the body; vā api — either; bhuñjānam — enjoying; vā — or; guṇa-anvitam — under the spell of the modes of material nature; vimūḍhāḥ — foolish persons; na — never; anupaśyanti — can see; paśyanti — can see; jñāna-chakṣuṣaḥ — those who have the eyes of knowledge.
Translation
The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.
ślōkaḥ
yatantō yōginaśchainaṃ paśyantyātmanyavasthitam ।
yatantō'pyakṛtātmānō nainaṃ paśyantyachētasaḥ ॥ 11 ॥
Meaning
yatantaḥ — endeavoring; yōginaḥ — transcendentalists; cha — also; ēnam — this; paśyanti — can see; ātmani — in the self; avasthitam — situated; yatantaḥ — endeavoring; api — although; akṛta-ātmānaḥ — those without self-realization; na — do not; ēnam — this; paśyanti — see; achētasaḥ — having undeveloped minds.
Translation
The endeavoring transcendentalists who are situated in self-realization can see all this clearly. But those whose minds are not developed and who are not situated in self-realization cannot see what is taking place, though they may try.
ślōkaḥ
yadādityagataṃ tējō jagadbhaāsayatē'khilam ।
yachchandramasi yachchaāgnaau tattējō viddhi māmakam ॥ 12 ॥
Meaning
yat — that which; āditya-gatam — in the sunshine; tējaḥ — splendor; jagat — the whole world; bhāsayatē — illuminates; akhilam — entirely; yat — that which; chandramasi — in the moon; yat — that which; cha — also; agnau — in fire; tat — that; tējaḥ — splendor; viddhi — understand; māmakam — from Me.
Translation
The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.
ślōkaḥ
gāmāviśya cha bhūtāni dhārayāmyahamōjasā ।
puṣṇāmi chauṣadhīḥ sarvāḥ sōmō bhūtvā rasātmakaḥ ॥ 13 ॥
Meaning
gām — the planets; āviśya — entering; cha — also; bhūtāni — the living entities; dhārayāmi — sustain; aham — I; ōjasā — by My energy; puṣṇāmi — am nourishing; cha — and; auṣadhīḥ — vegetables; sarvāḥ — all; sōmaḥ — the moon; bhūtvā — becoming; rasa-ātmakaḥ — supplying the juice.
Translation
I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.
ślōkaḥ
ahaṃ vaiśvānarō bhūtvā prāṇināṃ dēhamāśritaḥ ।
prāṇāpānasamāyuktaḥ pachāmyannaṃ chaturvidham ॥ 14 ॥
Meaning
aham — I; vaiśvānaraḥ — My plenary portion as the digesting fire; bhūtvā — becoming; prāṇinām — of all living entities; dēham — in the bodies; āśritaḥ — situated; prāṇa — the outgoing air; apāna — the down-going air; samāyuktaḥ — keeping in balance; pachāmi — I digest; annam — foodstuff; chatuḥ-vidham — the four kinds.
Translation
I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.
ślōkaḥ
sarvasya chāhaṃ hṛdi sanniviṣṭō
mattaḥ smṛtirjñānamapōhanaṃ cha ।
vēdaiścha sarvairahamēva vēdyō
vēdāntakṛdvēdavidēva chāham ॥ 15 ॥
Meaning
sarvasya — of all living beings; cha — and; aham — I; hṛdi — in the heart; sanniviṣṭaḥ — situated; mattaḥ — from Me; smṛtiḥ — remembrance; jñānam — knowledge; apōhanam — forgetfulness; cha — and; vēdaiḥ — by the Vedas; cha — also; sarvaiḥ — all; aham — I am; ēva — certainly; vēdyaḥ — knowable; vēdānta-kṛt — the compiler of the Vedānta; vēda-vit — the knower of the Vedas; ēva — certainly; cha — and; aham — I.
Translation
I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.
ślōkaḥ
dvāvimau puruṣau lōkē kṣaraśchākṣara ēva cha ।
kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭasthō'kṣara uchyatē ॥ 16 ॥
Meaning
dvau — two; imau — these; puruṣau — living entities; lōkē — in the world; kṣaraḥ — fallible; cha — and; akṣaraḥ — infallible; ēva — certainly; cha — and; kṣaraḥ — fallible; sarvāṇi — all; bhūtāni — living entities; kūṭa-sthaḥ — in oneness; akṣaraḥ — infallible; uchyatē — is said.
Translation
There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.
ślōkaḥ
uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmētyudāhṛtaḥ ।
yō lōkatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ ॥ 17 ॥
Meaning
uttamaḥ — the best; puruṣaḥ — personality; tu — but; anyaḥ — another; parama-ātmā — the Supreme Self; iti — thus; udāhṛtaḥ — is said; yaḥ — who; lōka — of the universe; trayam — the three divisions; āviśya — entering; bibharti — is maintaining; avyayaḥ — inexhaustible; īśvaraḥ — the Lord.
Translation
Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them.
ślōkaḥ
yasmātkṣaramatītō'hamakṣarādapi chōttamaḥ ।
atō'smi lōkē vēdē cha prathitaḥ puruṣōttamaḥ ॥ 18 ॥
Meaning
yasmāt — because; kṣaram — to the fallible; atītaḥ — transcendental; aham — I am; akṣarāt — beyond the infallible; api — also; cha — and; uttamaḥ — the best; ataḥ — therefore; asmi — I am; lōkē — in the world; vēdē — in the Vedic literature; cha — and; prathitaḥ — celebrated; puruṣa-uttamaḥ — as the Supreme Personality.
Translation
Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.
ślōkaḥ
yō māmēvamasammūḍhō jānāti puruṣōttamam ।
sa sarvavidbhajati māṃ sarvabhāvēna bhārata ॥ 19 ॥
Meaning
yaḥ — anyone who; mām — Me; ēvam — thus; asammūḍhaḥ — without a doubt; jānāti — knows; puruṣa-uttamam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saḥ — he; sarva-vit — the knower of everything; bhajati — renders devotional service; mām — unto Me; sarva-bhāvēna — in all respects; bhārata — O son of Bharata.
Translation
Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.
ślōkaḥ
iti guhyatamaṃ śāstramidamuktaṃ mayānagha ।
ētadbuddhvā buddhimānsyātkṛtakṛtyaścha bhārata ॥ 20 ॥
Meaning
iti — thus; guhya-tamam — the most confidential; śāstram — revealed scripture; idam — this; uktam — disclosed; mayā — by Me; anagha — O sinless one; ētat — this; buddhvā — understanding; buddhi-mān — intelligent; syāt — one becomes; kṛta-kṛtyaḥ — the most perfect in his endeavors; cha — and; bhārata — O son of Bharata.
Translation
This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.
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