Contents
Shri Sankara's Gita Bhashya
(Sri Sankaracharya's Commentary on the Gita)
CHAPTER -15
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"The eternal tree of Brahman[1] has sprung up from the root, "Avyakta" (the Unmanifested); and it has developed by the strength of the very same Avyakta. Its trunk is buddhi, and its hollows are the apertures of the senses; its branches are the Great Elements, its leaves are the sense-objects; its fair flowers are dharma and adharma; it yeilds the fruits of pleasure and pain; and it pro vides livelihood to all creatures. And it is the resort of Brahman, wherein Brahman acts eternally[2]. Cutting off and splitting this tree with the supreme sword of Knowledge[3] and then attaining to the bliss of the Self, one does not come back again therefrom"[4] and so on. And that tree, the illusory sarhsāra, with roots above, they speak of as branching below.. Mahat (the Great: Intellect), Ahamkara (Egoism), the Tan-mātras (Elemental Essences), etc., which form its branches as it were, extend downwards; and there fore the tree is spoken of as branching below. They call it Aivattha, because it does not remain the same even for a day (lit. till tomorrow; "a": not, "śva": tomorrow) and is perishable every moment. |
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References and Context
- ↑ i.e. the tree presided over, occupied, led, superintended by Brahman. It is eternal, since it cannot be destroyed except by Knowledge. (A)
- ↑ Brahman abides in the tree of sathsāra; of that tree of sarhsāra, Brahman is the essence (sāra-bhūtam). Or, Brahman is the support of this tree of saihsSro, the infinite universe that is samsara; it (samsāra) has no basis otherwise than in Brahman; for, indeed, it is Brahman alone, that, owing to avidyā, be comes subject to sarhsdra (mundane existence). (A)
- ↑ i.e. the unswerving knowledge that " I am Brahman ". (A)
- ↑ M.B. Aśv. 47, 12-15