Bhagavad Gita BG 15.1
Chapter 15, Verse 1 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् । छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥
urdhva-mulam adhah-shakham ashvattham prahur avyayam chandAmsi yasya parnani yas tam veda sa veda-vit
Meaning
The imperishable Ashvattha tree, with roots above and branches below — the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows it is the knower of the Vedas.
Understanding
The Ashvattha (peepal/bo) tree with urdhva-mulam (roots above — the Divine is the root) and adhah-shakham (branches below — the manifestation extends downward into the world). Avyayam (imperishable — this world-tree continues). Chandamsi parnani (the Vedic hymns are the leaves — the ritual/knowledge structures that sustain the tree). Yas tam veda sa veda-vit (one who knows THIS is the true knower of the Vedas). The entire cosmic manifestation seen as a tree rooted in the Divine — Brahman is the source (above) and the world is the downward extension.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ऊर्ध्वमूलम् | urdhva-mulam | with roots above (the Divine as the root) |
| अधःशाखम् | adhah-shakham | branches below (manifestation extending down) |
| अश्वत्थम् | ashvattham | the Ashvattha/peepal tree (the cosmic world-tree) |
| अव्ययम् | avyayam | imperishable, inexhaustible (the samsara-tree continues) |
| छन्दांसि | chandAmsi | the Vedic meters/hymns |
| पर्णानि | parnani | leaves, foliage |
| श्री भगवान् उवाच | śrī bhagavān uvāca | the blessed Lord said |
| ऊर्ध्व-मूलम् | ūrdhva-mūlam | with roots above |
| अधः-शाखम् | adhaḥ-śākham | with branches below |
| अश्वत्थम् | aśvattham | the Ashvattha tree (sacred fig) |
| प्राहुः | prāhuḥ | they say, they call |
| छन्दांसि | chandāṃsi | the Vedic hymns |
| यस्य | yasya | of which, whose |
| पर्णानि | parṇāni | the leaves |
| यः | yaḥ | who |
| तम् | tam | that |
| वेद | veda | knows |
| सः | sa | he |
| वेद-वित् | veda-vit | the knower of the Vedas |