Supreme Person - 15 - 01

The Shloka

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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥

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śrī bhagavān uvāca ।

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam ।

chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit ॥

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka introduces a powerful metaphor for understanding the nature of the material world and its relationship to the divine. By understanding the inverted tree, one can gain true knowledge of the Vedas and the ultimate reality.

The Blessed Lord said: They speak of the immutable banyan tree as having its roots upward and its branches downward, and whose leaves are the Vedas. One who knows this is the knower of the Vedas.

Lord Krishna describes the material world as an inverted banyan tree with roots upward and branches downward. The Vedas are its leaves, and one who understands this tree knows the Vedas.

Lord Krishna describes the material world as an inverted tree, the Ashvattha tree. Its roots are upwards, representing the Supreme Being from whom everything originates. The branches extend downwards, signifying the diverse manifestations of the material world. The leaves are the Vedic hymns, which sustain and give apparent beauty to this tree. He who understands the true nature of this tree, its origin, sustenance, and purpose, is considered to be a true knower of the Vedas; he has understood the essence of reality.

Sentence - 1

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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

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Meaning

The Blessed Lord said:

Meaning of Words

श्रीभगवान्	śrī bhagavān
The Blessed Lord Shri Bhagavan refers to Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who possesses all opulence, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation.
उवाच	uvāca
Uvacha means ‘said’ or ‘spoke’. It indicates that the following words are spoken by the Blessed Lord.

Sentence - 2

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ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।

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Meaning

They speak of the immutable banyan tree as having its roots upward and its branches downward.

Meaning of Words

ऊर्ध्वमूलम्	ūrdhva-mūlam
with roots upward Urdhva-moolam means ‘having its roots upward’. ‘Urdhva’ means ‘upward’ or ‘above’, and ‘moolam’ means ‘root’.
अधःशाखम्	adhaḥ-śākham
Adhah-shakham means ‘with branches downward’. ‘Adhah’ means ‘downward’ or ‘below’, and ‘shakham’ means ‘branch’.
अश्वत्थम्	aśvatthaṁ
Ashvattham refers to the banyan tree. The significance here is that the material world is likened to a banyan tree, but inverted.
प्राहुः	prāhur
Prahuh means ‘they speak of’ or ‘they say’. It indicates that this is a well-known description or understanding.
अव्ययम्	avyayam
Avyayam means ‘immutable’, ‘imperishable’, or ‘eternal’. It suggests that this banyan tree (the material world) appears to be long-lasting but is ultimately temporary compared to the eternal spiritual realm. Although the tree is constantly changing and decaying, it appears to persist perpetually.

Sentence - 3

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छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ।

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Meaning

whose leaves are the Vedas; one who knows this is the knower of the Vedas.

Meaning of Words

छन्दांसि	chandāṁsi
Chandamsi refers to the Vedic hymns or meters. Here, it means the Vedas themselves, which are the source of knowledge and rituals.
यस्य	yasya	whose
पर्णानि	parṇāni
Parnani means ‘leaves’. The leaves of the tree represent the Vedic hymns, indicating that the Vedas sustain and give apparent beauty to the material world.
यः	yas	one who
तम्	tam	this
वेद	veda
Veda means ‘knows’. It refers to understanding the true nature of the inverted tree (material world).
सः	sa	he
वेदवित्	veda-vit
Veda-vit means ‘the knower of the Vedas’ or ‘one who knows the Vedas’. It implies that understanding the nature of the material world and its connection to the divine is equivalent to truly understanding the essence of the Vedas.

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