Shrimad Bhagavad-gita

by Narayana Gosvami | 2013 | 327,105 words

The Bhagavad-gita Verses 15.3-4, English translation, including the Vaishnava commentaries Sarartha-varsini-tika, Prakashika-vritti and Rasika-ranjana (excerpts). This is verse Verses 15.3-4 from the chapter 15 called “Purushottama-toga (Yoga through understanding the Supreme Person)”

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verses 15.3-4:

न रूपम् अस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर् न च संप्रतिष्ठा ।
अश्वत्थम् एनं सु-विरूढ-मूलम् असङ्ग-शस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥ ३ ॥
ततः पदं तत् परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन् गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः ।
तम् एव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ॥ ४ ॥

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādir na ca saṃpratiṣṭhā |
aśvattham enaṃ su-virūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā || 3 ||
tataḥ padaṃ tat parimārgitavyaṃ yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ |
tam eva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī || 4 ||

na–nor; rūpam–the form; asya–of this (tree); iha–within this world; tathā–as described above; upalabhyate na–is not perceivable; antaḥ–its end; na–nor; ca–also; ādiḥ–its beginning; na–nor; ca–also; saṃpratiṣṭhā–existing but not perceived; aśvatthampīpal tree; enam–this; su-virūḍha-mūlam–very firmly rooted; asaṅga-śastreṇa–by the sharp axe of detachment; dṛḍhena–resolutely; chittvā–having cut down; tataḥ–then; padam–place; tat–that; parimārgitavyam–one must dutifully search out; yasmin–whence; gatāḥ–having attained; na nivartanti–they never return; bhūyaḥ–again; tam–to that; eva–indeed; ca–and; ādyam–primeval; puruṣam–person; prapadye–surrender; yataḥ–whence; pravṛttiḥ–cycle of birth and death; prasṛtā–has been expanded; purāṇī–this ancient.

The actual form of this tree of material existence, as described above, is not perceivable within the world, for its beginning, end and existence cannot be ascertained here. Therefore, after resolutely cutting down this deeply rooted tree of material existence with the sharp axe of intense detachment, one should search out the lotus feet of that primeval Person, Śrī Bhagavān, who is the root of this tree. Once one takes shelter of Him, from whom the cycle of birth and death expands, one never returns to this material world. With the heartfelt feeling, “I fully surrender unto that primeval Person,” one should take full shelter of Him.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

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

In this mortal world, the svarūpa, or actual form, of this tree, as described above, certainly cannot be understood. There are many different opinions about this tree: ‘it is true’, ‘it is false’, ‘it is eternal’. Because this tree has no limit, it is endless, and because it has no beginning, it is beginningless. It also has no substratum, or support. What, then, is its basis, or foundation? What is it? A person with no knowledge of the Truth cannot understand this. Regardless of what it may be, one should cut it down with the weapon of detachment, knowing it to be the only remedy for one’s endless misery. One should then search for the great wealth present at its roots. It is for this end that Śrī Bhagavān speaks this verse describing the banyan tree. Here the word asaṅga (in verse 3) means to be detached from everything. Cutting down this tree with the axe of detachment, one should search for brahma, the Supreme Lord, who is the great wealth and root (origin) of the tree.

 

“What is the nature of that origin?” In response to this question, Śrī Bhagavān says, “Having attained the root, or origin, one never returns to this temporary material world.”

“How is one to search for this root?” To this He responds, “One must take shelter of that primeval Person and devoutly worship Him. It is from Him that this material world, which is without beginning, has expanded, so it is imperative to search for Him with devotion.”

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

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

Ordinary people cannot understand the reality of this tree of material existence. That is, they are unable to ascertain its beginning, end and foundation. Even after they have understood the sequence of the creation of this material world, from the unmanifest material energy (mahat-tattva) to the false ego (ahaṅkāra), etc., they remain ignorant, not knowing that it is the Supreme Lord, in fact, the actual shelter of everyone, who is the original support of material nature. The living entity’s aversion to Bhagavān causes him to be bewildered by the deluding external energy, māyā, and binds him to material existence, consisting of the three material qualities (guṇas). Impelled by these guṇas, he wanders to the lower and higher regions of this material world, finally becoming completely exhausted. Although he feels the need to cut this tree of material existence, he is unable to trace out its root. It is only on the strength of practising bhakti in the association of saintly persons that it is possible to cut attachment to the material realm. With this understanding, a fortunate living entity surrenders to the lotus feet of the Supreme Truth, Śrī Hari, and begins to perform bhajana of Him. As a result, he becomes free from the clutches of the material world and attains eternal service to Śrī Bhagavān in His abode.

This is also described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.18):

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṃ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṃhasā

Intelligent people should only endeavour for transcendental happiness of the self, which cannot be attained by wandering from Brahma-loka in the upper planets to Sutala-loka in the lower planets. However, as far as sense pleasures are concerned, they are automatically obtained without any endeavour in due course of time, in every species of life, even in hell.

Moreover, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.37) it is said:

bhayaṃ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo’smṛtiḥ
tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṃ bhaktyaikayeśaṃ guru-devatātmā

This means that the jīva has lost his memory due to being separated from the Lord, Parameśvara. Bewildered, the living entity becomes absorbed in other sense objects, and because of this, he feels fear arising from misidentifying his self with his body. In this way, the conditioned jīvas are bound by māyā. Learned persons should therefore take shelter of the lotus feet of śrī guru and perform exclusive devotion to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By doing so, they can cross over māyā.

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