15th Chapter of Gita-- 3rd sloka

Hare Krishna,

In the earlier slokas we have seen lord Krishna talking about the tree of the world, explaining its substratum and its parts. we have also seen about how human beings get entangled in this world doing actions , because of the 3 gunas of sattva, raja and tamo gunas and sense objects . Now in the 3rd sloka, Lord Krishna talks about how this tree of the world which is maya can be overcome.


15.3 – Na rupamasyah tatopalabhyathe na anto na cha adi na cha sampratistha
Asvastham enam suvirudha moolam asanga shastrena dhridena chittva

Meaning of words:

Na – not
Rupam – form
Asya – of the tree which is being described
Tatha- in that way
Upalabhyathe – is perceived
Na antho – no end or limit
Na cha adi -- no beginning
Na sampratista – nor its substratum…
Asvasttam – peepul tree
Enam – this tree
Suvirudha moolam – whose roots are very strong and developed
Asanga--- detachment
shastrena – weapon
Dhridena – strong
Chittva --- mind

Meaning of sloka
The nature of the world is not known nor its beginning or end . This tree has to be uprooted with a strong mind and with detachment to the worldly things as the weapon to know its nature.

Lord Krishna in earlier slokas has explained the world as a tree .Also the activities of the world are attributed to the strong deep roots of the tree, by which the tree grows. After mentioning that the actions are the main cause for the human being getting entangled in this world , he talks about finding the nature of the tree to solve the problem.

Krishna in this sloka says that the world just seems to be existent and that its like a mirage in the desert and can be removed through detachment. He says that the nature of the world, nor its origin or end is known by knowing the tree. As a beginning or end of an illusion cannot be derived. So also the beginning and end of this tree of the world cannot be concluded. One cannot say when one started to see the mirage in the desert. Because once he knows it as mirage ,he will be out of the illusion. Once he knows that its only a desert. So one can realize that its an illusion when its substratum is known. So knowing the substratum of the tree is knowing the substratum of this illusionary world. Thus Krishna brings out the illusionary nature of the world in this sloka.

This substratum can be seen only by cutting down the tree of world. Only realizing that the water doesn’t exist in the desert and its just an illusion.
Detachment here means detachment to the world, to the entities in the world. This detachment is possible only with a strong mind ,with strong will power .Mind becomes string when empowered with viveka or discrimination.
So with mind strengthened with discrimination one should cut down this tree of the world, which is but an illusion in the substratum of the ultimate reality ,to realize the substratum.


Hare Krishna

Thanks,
Aparna