Verse 15.2

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 15.2:

अधश् चोर्द्ध्वं प्रसृतास् तस्य शाखा गुण-प्रवृद्धा विषय-प्रवालाः ।
अधश् च मूलान्य् अनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्य-लोके ॥ २ ॥

adhaś corddhvaṃ prasṛtās tasya śākhā guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ |
adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke || 2 ||

adhaḥ–downwards (to various species of life such as human beings and animals); ca–and; ūrddhvam–upwards (to superior species such as the demigods); prasṛtāḥ–are extended; tasya–of this (tree of this material world); śākhāḥ–branches; guṇa-pravṛddhāḥ–nurtured by the three binding influences of material nature; viṣaya-pravālāḥ–its twigs are the objects of the senses; adhaḥ–downwards; ca–and; mūlāni–its roots; anusantatāni–are always expanding; karma-anubandhīni–binding to fruitive activities; manuṣya-loke–in human society.

The leaves on the branches of this tree of the material world, in the form of various sense objects, are nurtured by the three modes of nature. Its branches spread to the lower species of life such as human beings and animals, as well as to the higher species such as the demigods. The roots of this tree are the desires for sense enjoyment. They bind one to the flow of actions and the reactions of action and increasingly spread downwards.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

The branches of this tree of the material world spread everywhere. Adhaḥ means ‘in the lower species, such as animals’, and ūrddhva means ‘in the higher species, such as the demigods’. As a tree is nourished by pouring water on it, this tree of the material world is nourished by the different tendencies of the modes of nature, such as the mode of goodness. Sense objects such as sound are its leaves. Moreover, some believe that a great treasure is hidden beneath the original roots of the tree. Like a banyan tree, this tree also has branches and matted tangles. Although its origin is in Brahma-loka, its roots are in human society. These roots, which take support from fruitive acts (karma) are ever-expanding. The living entity undergoes the result of his actions by receiving a body in any other species. Then, upon attaining a human body, he engages in fruitive action.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, “Many branches on this tree take support of the mode of ignorance and spread downwards. Many branches are nourished by the mode of passion and are situated in the middle of the tree, spreading outward. And many branches are supported by the mode of goodness and spread upwards. Material sense pleasures are the shoots of these branches. The external matted roots of this tree search for the fruit of action, and like that of a banyan tree, spread downwards.”