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Chapter 15 · The Yoga of the Supreme Person · 20 verses

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Nature & guṇasChapter 15 · The Yoga of the Supreme Person

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is · Text 15.3

The inverted banyan tree of material existence

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते

नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा ।

अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल-

मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥ ३ ॥

तत: पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं

यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूय: ।

तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये

यत: प्रवृत्ति: प्रसृता पुराणी ॥ ४ ॥

na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate

nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā

aśvattham enaṁ su-virūḍha-mūlam

asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā

tataḥ padaṁ tat parimārgitavyaṁ

yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ

tam eva cādyaṁ puruṣaṁ prapadye

yataḥ pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā purāṇī

Translation

The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

What this verse is saying, and where it sits in the story.

Detachment and Surrender

  1. 1This tree’s real form cannot be seen here. One must firmly cut it down with detachment and seek the Supreme Lord.
  2. 2Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa is the original root of everything. Surrender to Him brings freedom from attachment to material life.
  3. 3Learn detachment by discussing authoritative scriptures with knowledgeable devotees, and practice hearing and chanting to develop surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Where we are

In the story

Chapter 15, The Yoga of the Supreme Person: the inverted banyan tree of material existence.

What it teaches

Theme summary

The modes of nature condition behavior.

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Key ideas in this verse

The spiritual concepts this verse connects to.

Key ideas: prakṛti, guṇa.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does BG 15.3 establish in Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport, and how does it connect to nature & guṇas?

Practice

Observe which mode shaped your last decision.

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The story behind it

Mahābhārata episodes and stories from the purports that shed light on this verse.

All stories for chapter 15 ›
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Related verses

Keep going: verses that carry this teaching further.

Study notes are editorial summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport.

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