Chapter 15, Verse 2

Original Sanskrit verse

Transliteration

English translation

Its branches spread below and above, nourished by the Gunas; its buds are sense-objects, and its roots stretch forth below in the world of men, originating action.

— Swami Sivananda

Commentary

The countless objects; large and small; which life needs are all products of the five elements through the activity of the qualities. This tree of Samsara is nourished by the three qualities of Nature. The senseobjects are its buds and the roots which grow downwards are the bonds of Karma for those who lead a life of passion and attachment in this world; who are under the sway of likes and dislikes. The sprouts of this marvellous tree are the charming objects of the senses with their characteristics of sound; touch; colour; taste and smell. The roots; the Karmic tendencies from the past lives; grow downwards to generate the bonds of Karma in the world of men. These roots strengthen the bondage by further actions. The primal root is ignorance from which arises the eightfold Nature -- the five elements; mind; intellect and egoism. From the stem of the tree spring four branches called Svedaja; Andaja;,Jarayuja and Udbhijja. Eightyfour lakhs (eight million and four hundred thousand) of species came into being. One branch shoots straight upwards. This 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 Selfrealisation. 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 the men of austerities and penance. Still higher is the 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; they are the ramifying branches of the tree of Samsara. They are nurtured and fattened by the three Gunas which form their material base. The senseobjects 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 wondeful tree is Brahman. The secondary roots are the latent impressions (Samskaras) of likes and dislikes; which spread in this world of men and impel them to perform virtuus and vicious actions and bind them fast 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 Samsara can be happy even in this world. He has the highest wisdom because he stands as a spectator of this tree and knows it as it is; without being tied to it.

Commentary by Swami Sivananda