The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality
Verse 15.3
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा।अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा।।15.3।।
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na chādir na cha sampratiṣhṭhā aśhvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā
Word Meanings
na—not; rūpam—form; asya—of this; iha—in this world; tathā—as such; upalabhyate—is perceived; na—neither; antaḥ—end; na—nor; cha—also; ādiḥ—beginning; na—never; cha—also; sampratiṣhṭhā—the basis; aśhvattham—sacred fig tree; enam—this; su-virūḍha-mūlam—deep-rooted; asaṅga-śhastreṇa—by the axe of detachment; dṛiḍhena—strong; chhittvā—having cut down;
Translation · English
Its form is not perceived here as such, nor its end, origin, foundation, or resting place; having cut asunder this firmly rooted peepul tree with the strong axe of non-attachment.
Deep Meaning · English
In this verse, Bhagavan Krishna employs the powerful metaphor of the Ashvattha tree to describe the samsaric existence—the world of perpetual becoming. He characterizes this tree as having its roots upward and branches downward, signifying that the origin of our perceived reality lies in the transcendental Divine, while our worldly life is merely an inverted reflection. The 'form' of this tree is elusive because it is fundamentally illusory; it has no discernible beginning in time, nor a final end, and its stability is constantly shifting, sustained only by our own cravings and karmic entanglements. It represents the psychological trap of identifying with a transient, ever-changing world that lacks a substantive core. The crux of Krishna's instruction here is the call to action through the 'axe of detachment' (asanga-shastrena). This is not a physical act, but a profound internal rupture of the heart's attachment to the fruits of action. By cutting through the deep-rooted egoic identifications that anchor us to this tree, the seeker realizes that the tree of samsara is essentially a phantom projection. This detachment is the prerequisite for liberating the soul from the cyclical nature of birth and death, allowing one to perceive the immutable reality beneath the shifting shadows of the phenomenal world.
The world is an ever-changing illusion without a substantial foundation; only by severing our psychological identification with it through the sword of detachment can we realize the eternal truth of our own being.
Connected Verses
Provides the essential context for this verse by introducing the inverted Ashvattha tree as the symbol of the cosmic manifestations of Brahman.
Emphasizes that true vision is seeing the eternal Reality that remains unchanged even when the material world experiences cycles of destruction and creation.
Confirms that the mind is difficult to restrain, but can be subdued through the practice of detachment and consistent spiritual discipline.
Highlights the state of the tranquil soul who remains unmoved by desires, mirroring the detachment required to cut the metaphorical tree.
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