Chapter 15, Verse 1 (Bhagavad Gita 15.1)
Chapter 15: Puruṣhottam Yog – The Yoga of the Supreme Divine Personality
Sanskrit Shloka
श्री भगवानुवाचऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्।छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्
Transliteration
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śhākham aśhvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam chhandānsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit
Word Meanings
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha—the Supreme Divine Personality said; ūrdhva-mūlam—with roots above; adhaḥ—downward; śhākham—branches; aśhvattham—the sacred fig tree; prāhuḥ—they speak; avyayam—eternal; chhandānsi—Vedic mantras; yasya—of which; parṇāni—leaves; yaḥ—who; tam—that; veda—knows; saḥ—he; veda-vit—the knower of the Vedas
Translation
Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said: They speak of an eternal banyan tree that has its roots above and its branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who understands this tree is the knower of the Vedas.
Meaning & Commentary
In this profound revelation, Shri Krishna unveils the mystery of samsara, the cosmic cycle of existence, likening it to an eternal banyan tree rooted in the divine realm of Brahman rather than the material world. By placing the roots above, Shri Krishna teaches Arjuna that the origin of all existence is the Supreme Divine, not the temporary manifestations of matter below. The leaves, representing the Vedic hymns, sustain the tree and offer the seeker a pathway of knowledge, yet true liberation lies in detaching from these branches to return to the source. Shri Krishna invites every soul to transcend this inverted structure, shifting their focus from the ephemeral fruits of worldly action to the eternal, unmanifest origin that resides within His own being.