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Cosmic tree

2 verses from the Bhagavad Gita on cosmic tree. Explore teachings across 1 chapter.

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Chapter 15 • Verse 1 →The Yoga of the Supreme Person
Urdhva-mulam adhah-shakham ashvattham prahur avyayam, chandamsi yasya parnani yas tam veda sa veda-vit

The Supreme Lord said: There is an eternal banyan tree with roots above and branches below; its leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

  • •The tree of material existence
  • •Roots in the divine, branches in the world
  • •Understanding this is true knowledge
material existencerootsknowledgesymbolism
Chapter 15 • Verse 2 →The Yoga of the Supreme Person
Adhaśh chordhvaṁ prasṛitās tasya śhākhā guṇa-pravṛiddhā viṣhaya-pravālāḥ, adhaśh cha mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣhya-loke

The branches of the tree extend both upward and downward, nourished by the three gunas, with sense objects as the sprouts. Its roots extend downward, binding one to actions in the human world.

  • •Cosmic tree represents material existence
  • •Gunas nourish worldly attachments
  • •Roots of karma bind us to the world
gunasmaterial worldkarmabondage