Bhagavad Gita chapter 15.1. Please explain about the Banyan tree

Sacrificer           Vyas N B
Sacrifice code       wfor0453
Sacrifice date       25 march 2009

Bhagavad Gita chapter 15.1. Please explain about the Banyan tree

Hari Om

Re The Banyan Tree. Vishnuji has raised 3 questions.

1. How to know about the Banyan Tree referred in Gitaji 15:1 to 3?
2. What does this actually mean?
3. How does it actually relate to life?

Actually Gitaji is the voice of God. It has so many meanings that it
is impossible to firm up any one sentiment . It has unlimited
spheres. Every talker about Gitaji therefore only introduces a
personal interpretation. Still I am daring.

WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN?

In fact God has classified this Chapter of merely 20 slokas (stanzas)
as a Scripture in itself (Shastra). Because in just 20 slokas here
the God has given nectar of all elements existing in this universe.
There are only 3 elements in this universe- SELF ( Jeeva, You, Me and
every living being as a soul), the WORLD ( Jagat including all
bodies - yours , mine and that of every one including the Mind,
intellect , and Ego- collectively known as Chitta - every thing which
changes is WORLD) and GOD ( Jagdeesh- the owner of both Jeeva and
Jagat- superior to Jeeva and beyond the Jagat ) . In this Chapter
five stanzas are attributed to each of these elements and 5 stanzas
explain the relationship among these elements making it 20 in all.
Banyan tree referred here means the WORLD.

HOW TO KNOW ABOUT THIS TREE ?

God himself says in stanza 4 that the form of this tree is invisible
and cant be established upon enquiry. We can only understand or feel
it. It is not knowledge prone. It is felt .

HOW DOES IT ACTUALLY RELATE TO LIFE?

This is the question in essence. How to co relate with practical
life? One view- my view- Spirituals aspirants (Saadhaks) may kindly
consider.

A tree with roots at top. (Urdhva moolam)Consider your body. What is
at top? The brain which is the root cause of the body- the
controller! Below that are Sense organs like eyes , ears, mouth,
hands, genitals(adhah saakham)- all of which are engaged in their
respective objects- eyes to the form, tongue to the taste, ears to
the sound, skin to the touch,nose to the smell and so on. They all
get fed by Gunas and sense objects (Gunah pravriddha vishaypravala).
These sense organs - these branches of the tree - keep loitering,
hankering after sense objects and this binds the SELF to the worldly
things and to the world (karmanubandhini manushyaloke) .

You cant see this world as described or by reasoning, you cant
establish its identity ( na roopam syeh tathopalabhyate) . It is
unending, beginningless and BASELESS ! ( Nanto na chadir na cha
sampratistha). In fact it doesnot actually exist. There no world
existing actually , it is all in mind. In fact only God is existing
and nothing else (Gitaji 7:19). Still by your mind you have attached
with it so firmly ,that it has embedded in you as reality- , its
roots now are so firm that it is appearing to you as reality (
ashwathmenam suviroodhmoolam) . You have by your mind got connected
with this world so strongly that inspite of it not existing -it is
seen, felt and experienced by you as existing! Just as in darkness we
perceive a simple piece of rope as snake! Just as the objects seen in
the dream are perceived as actual! The fact remained that there was
no snake at all! The fact remained that there was no elephant
actually which came into your bedroom and which elephant you saw in
the dream, felt and experienced! It was all in the mind and no where
else!

This is how the God describes the world vis-à-vis You. How to get
out ? By detatchment ! (Asang shashtren dridhen chhitwa)! By strong
willed detachment! (dridhen) ! By turning away yourself from it !
Leave the mind, the body, the world doing what they are doing, YOU
get away! How to get away ? By not getting impacted by them! By using
that excellent tool called EQUANIMITY! (Samata)!

Hope this answers queries fully. Do revert if further elaboration is
required. GITAJI IS BOON TO THE HUMANITY AT LARGE! Irrespective of
Caste, creed, color, country, religion it provides answers to every
query. Have that trust in Gitaji and feel free.

First correction of fact. It is in stanza no 3 and not 4 (as stated
in my reply) that God has said - the form of this tree is invisible
and cant be established by enquiry! Sorry. We all are imperfect human
beings.

Here is an attempt - a brief attempt- to answer probable queries
which may arise and few more thoughts- all for combined benefit of
all of us with no intention of reflecting any individual wisdom or
knowledge of the subject. Chapter 15 is the Scripture in itself (
Read 15:20) . No where such a precise, pointed , self contained
description of every element is visible. It is so beautifully drafted
that it is impossible to believe that anybody else except God could
have drafted anywhere near to it! Why you cannot know the world or
establish its identity? Because it does not exist at all ! It is a
great answer by God. How can you know what does not exist ? Next Q is
how it is not existing ? Answers is Just as the circle seen by
constant running of fan does not exist. We can see the circle but we
know it does not exist. Principle- anything which gets manifested
because of constant changes is as good as circle of fan! Now this
world is changing constantly, unceasingly, continuously, is not it?
How can a thing be said to be ""existing" if it does not remain the
same even the next moment? This is key upon which Saadhaks should
fearlessly rely upon. Your mind is the root cause of this tree- your
abode in this world. In fact it is not mind but your association with
this mind is the root cause of this world. Entire Gitaji wants you to
stop relying upon this instrument called mind. It is root cause of
all of your sorrows and bondage. If you are able to FIRST believe
that it is not YOU in fact- half the battle is won then and there!
How can it be you when it is changing constantly and you are watching
the changes! How can the "seer" and the "seen" be the same? You are
not your mind at all! This is fundamental ! Once you have firmly
believed that you are the master or the owner of the mind then you
have to decide whether you have to associate with it or not?
SECONDLY, therefore you should decide to detach with it? Why? Because
it is unnatural to you! You have no symmetry with it- be it element
wise or nature wise. You are totally different from it! This fellow
MIND keeps changing . Day before Yesterday it told you - I will be
happy if you earn say Rs one million. You put every effort and earned
but yesterday it told now earn 10 millon to be happy! You did even
that taking uncountable troubles and compromises and today it says
not enough! How easily this MIND cheats us? How can you be friendly
with such an unreliable guy? And the entire army is with him only- be
it eyes , ears , tongue, skin, the body as a whole, ego, intellect
all are in unison cheating you! You do not listen at all to
CONSCIENCE because it speaks truth and that speaking of truth is not
liked by Ego, intellect , mind and body! Why? Because they are
dissimilar to you. They are different than you. What have you got so
far by your association with them- pains and pleasures? What else?
Are you happy ?Are you peaceful? THEREFFOR you must disassociate with
them! This is substance of first three stanzas. Fourth stanza then
goes on to guide you as to what you should do AFTER you have by stron
will disassociated with this non existent, strongly rooted, bondage
creating BANYAN TREE which has roots at the top and branches towards
the south.

Thoughts as they keep coming! Why the error of stanza 3 or 4 type
took place? Reliance upon instrument called MIND! It indeed cheats!
How entire body- gross, subtle and causal- and the entire world
follows the mind? Through EGO! When brain ( the root) cheats you ,
your real friend CONSCIENCE hits you with truth! But you do not
listen ! Why? Ego! When you falter your mind says - time was bad,
circumstances, kaliyuga, this man, that thing, fate, destiny,
God .... " I was right"! When things are OK , your mind says - It is
Me Me . You , the pure vou also join the chorus - my mind, my idea,
my intelligence, ME ME MINE MINE ... What non sense! This is MAYA!
Hence Gitaji says in stanza 3 - asang- DETACH!

What a Scripture this Gitaji is?

Jai Shree Krishna

Vyas N B

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Dear Sadhak
Hari Om

In the shloka that u mentioned Udhvarmulam refers to PARAMATMA
Adhahshaakham refers to BRAHMAJI and Ashvatham refers to This
SANSARA . This tree is the SANSARA tree which is inverted, the mool
{root} is the uppermost which is a place where after going once the
jeeva cannot come back. the tanaa is where brahmaji resides from
where life originates i.e why Brahmaji is the main part of the tree
but Brahmalok is still a bit lower than Bhagvatlok {root} the rest of
the branches refer to all the yonis and this SANSARA. Here the moola
is upwards {the root} n the root is the main part of a TREE therefore
a place where Paramatma resides is the place of utmost importance n
this is the place from where the Brahmaji arises. Parmatma is the
supreme from every aspect whether it be place, time, principles,
Gunas, roopa, Gyana, etc.Also there is no one. like GOD. As the ROOT
is the main support {reason} for a tree likewise the GOD is the main
AADHARA for this World. He is the main reason for the origin n
destruction of the world hence the one behind everything that happens
to us or the position that we hold today. After Taking his Sharan
the jeeva becomes KRITARTHA {grateful} . REFER shloka 4 after this.

Hope this provides some help
NAMAN IN THY HOLY FEET
Komal Gurdasani

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Chapter XV Purushothama Yoga
'Swa' means 'tomorrow' and 'Stha' means 'that which remains'.
'A-swatha' means that which will not remain the same till tomorrow
(ever-changing).

(From the previous chapterX-26: Among all trees (I am) the
ASHWATTHA -tree; among Divine RISHIS , Narada ; among GANDHARVAS ,
Chitraratha ; among Perfected ones , the MUNI Kapila . OF ALL THE
TREES I AM THE ASHWATTHA-TREE --- Both in its magnitude and life-
span, the Ashwattha tree (Pipal) can be considered as the "all-
pervading" and the
"Immortal," inasmuch as it lives generally for centuries. The Hindu
has learnt to worship it, and there is a sentiment of divinity
attached to it. It is also a fact that the Ashwattha brings up in
our mind fresh memories of the Upanishadic comparison of it with
samsara. Later, in the Geeta itself (XV-I) we have a mention of the
peepal tree as representing the pluralistic phenomenal world that
has shot up to spread itself like mushrooms of false sorrows over
what is dreamy nothingness.)

In any tree there are nodular buds which are potential branches that
have not yet developed, but are waiting for a chance to burst forth.
Corresponding to them, Lord Krishna says, in the Ashwattha-tree, are
the sense-objects, the 'buds.' It is a fact that in the presence of
an 'object' our tendencies revolt against all our higher concepts
and ideals, and run amuck to gain their gratification: a
new "branch."

DOWNWARD THE ROOTS EXTEND --- If the main root of the Tree-of-
Samsara is lost in the Absolute Reality, High above, the "secondary
roots" which spring from it are spread all around, and grow even
downward, "IN THE WORLD OF MAN, INITIATING ALL ACTIONS." Here,
secondary roots are thought-channels (vasanas), which are created in
us, and which propel each one of us towards his own typical actions
and reactions in the world. They are the very causes that promote
man's evil as well as meritorious activities in the world. Just as
the main taproot, while spreading its secondary roots, claws the
earth through them and gets the plant well-rooted, so too, these
Samskaras, actions and their reactions, both good and evil, bind the
individuals fast to the earthy plane of likes and dislikes, of
profits and losses, of earning and spending.

THE FOLLOWING TWO STANZAS INDICATE HOW WE CAN ANNIHILATE THE TREE
AND THEREBY COME TO EXPERIENCE THE PURE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE'S
MANIFESTATIONS, THE INFINITE LIFE:

3. Its form is not perceived here as such, neither its end, nor its
origin, nor its foundation, nor its resting-place; having cut
asunder this firm-rooted ASHWATTHA -tree with the strong axe of non-
attachment. . .
4. Then that Goal should be sought after, where having gone, none
returns again. I seek refuge in that 'primeval PURUSHA' from which
streamed forth, from time immemorial, all activity (or energy) .

In order that the students may not misunderstand this mystic
symbolism, and take the Tree too literally, the Geeta acharya owns
that 'ITS FORM, AS SUCH, IS NOT
PERCEIVED HERE.' The Tree-of-life, as described in the previous
stanzas, evidently represents the entire field of manifested life.
The subtle Principle of Life manifests
through us, in different planes and in a variety of forms --- as
perceptions of the body; as emotions and feelings of the mind; as
ideals and thoughts of the intellect; and as mere
non-apprehension of the causal-body. All these vehicles and their
experiences, manifesting in the Infinite Life, in their totality,
constitute the Ashwatth a-tree spreading out into all quarters.
Naturally, therefore, Lord Krishna says that very few have the
comprehensive vision to see them all as such in one gaze. Not only
are the different vehicles and their expressions not recognised as
such in their entirety, but very few of us
in the world come to recognise "THEIR END OR THEIR BEGINNING, OR
THEIR EXISTENCE.' The Tree-of-life springs from the 'ignorance' of
Reality (Avidya) and it ends on the "realisation of the Self"
(Vidya), and it exists only so long as the mental demands and
desires (vasanas) function. These subjective implications are not
generally
perceived, or recognised, or understood, by the majority of men.

The manifested world constituting the Ashwattha-tree can be
cleft 'BY THE STRONG AXE OF DETACHMENT." The world of matter is
inert and insentient. The experience of life gained through it is
known and lived only because of the play of Consciousness upon it.
As long as the wheels of a car are geared on to the machine, the
vehicle moves.

In case we can clutch the motive-power off from the moving wheels,
the vehicle must necessarily come to its own natural motionless
condition. Similarly, if Consciousness is withdrawn from the body-
mind-intellect vehicle, its play of perception-emotion-thought must
necessarily halt. This clutching off of Consciousness from the inert
matter vehicles is detachment. With the axe of detachment, Krishna
advises Arjuna, to cut down the tree
of multiple experiences.

At our present level of conscious-existence we are apt to protest
against this advice, because, to us detachment from these three
vehicles is a complete retirement from the worlds of perception, from the realms of emotion, and from the fields of thought. In fact, we know no other world to tread, and therefore, intellectually, we reach but a state of utter nihilistic
nothingness. This is a despairing situation indeed. But Krishna
adds, almost in the same breath, "THEN THAT GOAL SHOULD BE SOUGHT
AFTER, TO WHICH MEN GO AND DO NOT RETURN AGAIN."

On the whole, the tone of suggestion and the manner of expression in
these two stanzas clearly indicate that the students who seek the
Divine in themselves should learn to withdraw more and more from
their usual dissipations with perceptions, feelings and thoughts,
and must, in "the still moments of meditation, contemplate upon the
Higher
--- the Source from which the Ashwattha-tree itself draws its
sustenance and nourishment.

Had this advice been merely given out and left at that, it would
have been, at best, only a poetic vision, or an impossible
suggestion. As a practical hand-book of instructions to man on how
to live nobly and grow out of his instinctive weaknesses, the Geeta
has to show the seekers some practical methods of self-improvement
at every stage. And this is accomplished when the stanzas are closed
with a prayer: "I SEEK REFUGE IN THAT
PRIMEVAL PURUSHA WHENCE STREAMED FORTH THE ANCIENT CURRENT."

The stanza indicates that when our personality has, to a maximum
degree, retired from its extrovert pursuits, the intellect is to be
consciously turned, in an attitude of love and surrender, to the
goal --- the goal from which the stream of Consciousness flows to
the matter-vehicles facilitating them to play their parts. In short,
HALT the manifestations of life, and seek the Eternal Life, the
Source of all expressions of life. What this primeval Purusha is and
how one is to conceive It is the theme of the entire chapter.

to be continued..
Pranams,
Vanaja Ravi Nair

Chapter XV Purushothama Yoga
- by Swami Chinmayananda

(From the previous chapterX-26: Among all trees (I am) the
ASHWATTHA -tree; among Divine RISHIS , Narada ; among GANDHARVAS ,
Chitraratha ; among Perfected ones , the MUNI Kapila . OF ALL THE
TREES I AM THE ASHWATTHA-TREE --- Both in its magnitude and life-
span, the Ashwattha tree (Pipal) can be considered as the "all-
pervading" and the
"Immortal," inasmuch as it lives generally for centuries. The Hindu
has learnt to worship it, and there is a sentiment of divinity
attached to it. It is also a fact that the Ashwattha brings up in
our mind fresh memories of the Upanishadic comparison of it with
samsara. Later, in the Geeta itself (XV-I) we have a mention of the
peepal tree as representing the pluralistic phenomenal world that
has shot up to spread itself like mushrooms of false sorrows over
what is dreamy nothingness.)

Swa means tomorrow; stha means that which lasts till tomorrow; `A-
swatha' means that which will not last till tomorrow that is ever
changing.

In any tree there are nodular buds which are potential branches that
have not yet developed, but are waiting for a chance to burst forth.
Corresponding to them, Lord Krishna says, in the Ashwattha-tree, are
the sense-objects, the 'buds.' It is a fact that in the presence of
an 'object' our tendencies revolt against all our higher concepts
and ideals, and run amuck to gain their gratification: a
new "branch."

DOWNWARD THE ROOTS EXTEND --- If the main root of the Tree-of-
Samsara is lost in the Absolute Reality, High above, the "secondary
roots" which spring from it are spread all around, and grow even
downward, "IN THE WORLD OF MAN, INITIATING ALL ACTIONS." Here,
secondary roots are thought-channels (vasanas), which are created in
us, and which propel each one of us towards his own typical actions
and reactions in the world. They are the very causes that promote
man's evil as well as meritorious activities in the world. Just as
the main taproot, while spreading its secondary roots, claws the
earth through them and gets the plant well-rooted, so too, these
Samskaras, actions and their reactions, both good and evil, bind the
individuals fast to the earthy plane of likes and dislikes, of
profits and losses, of earning and spending.

THE FOLLOWING TWO STANZAS INDICATE HOW WE CAN ANNIHILATE THE TREE
AND THEREBY COME TO EXPERIENCE THE PURE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE'S
MANIFESTATIONS, THE INFINITE LIFE:

3. Its form is not perceived here as such, neither its end, nor its
origin, nor its foundation, nor its resting-place; having cut
asunder this firm-rooted ASHWATTHA -tree with the strong axe of non-
attachment. . .
4. Then that Goal should be sought after, where having gone, none
returns again. I seek refuge in that 'primeval PURUSHA' from which
streamed forth, from time immemorial, all activity (or energy) .

In order that the students may not misunderstand this mystic
symbolism, and take the Tree too literally, the Geeta acharya owns
that 'ITS FORM, AS SUCH, IS NOT
PERCEIVED HERE.' The Tree-of-life, as described in the previous
stanzas, evidently represents the entire field of manifested life.
The subtle Principle of Life manifests
through us, in different planes and in a variety of forms --- as
perceptions of the body; as emotions and feelings of the mind; as
ideals and thoughts of the intellect; and as mere
non-apprehension of the causal-body. All these vehicles and their
experiences, manifesting in the Infinite Life, in their totality,
constitute the Ashwatth a-tree spreading out into all quarters.
Naturally, therefore, Lord Krishna says that very few have the
comprehensive vision to see them all as such in one gaze. Not only
are the different vehicles and their expressions not recognised as
such in their entirety, but very few of us
in the world come to recognise "THEIR END OR THEIR BEGINNING, OR
THEIR EXISTENCE.' The Tree-of-life springs from the 'ignorance' of
Reality (Avidya) and it ends on the "realisation of the Self"
(Vidya), and it exists only so long as the mental demands and
desires (vasanas) function. These subjective implications are not
generally
perceived, or recognised, or understood, by the majority of men.

The manifested world constituting the Ashwattha-tree can be
cleft 'BY THE STRONG AXE OF DETACHMENT." The world of matter is
inert and insentient. The experience of life gained through it is
known and lived only because of the play of Consciousness upon it.
As long as the wheels of a car are geared on to the machine, the
vehicle moves.
In case we can clutch the motive-power off from the moving wheels,
the vehicle must necessarily come to its own natural motionless
condition. Similarly, if Consciousness is withdrawn from the body-
mind-intellect vehicle, its play of perception-emotion-thought must
necessarily halt. This clutching off of Consciousness from the inert
matter vehicles is detachment. With the axe of detachment, Krishna
advises Arjuna, to cut down the tree
of multiple experiences.

At our present level of conscious-existence we are apt to protest
against this advice, because, to us detachment from these three
vehicles is a complete retirement from the
worlds of perception, from the realms of emotion, and from the
fields of thought. In fact, we know no other world to tread, and
therefore, intellectually, we reach but a state of utter nihilistic
nothingness. This is a despairing situation indeed. But Krishna
adds, almost in the same breath, "THEN THAT GOAL SHOULD BE SOUGHT
AFTER, TO WHICH MEN GO AND DO NOT RETURN AGAIN."

On the whole, the tone of suggestion and the manner of expression in
these two stanzas clearly indicate that the students who seek the
Divine in themselves should learn to withdraw more and more from
their usual dissipations with perceptions, feelings and thoughts,
and must, in "the still moments of meditation, contemplate upon the
Higher
--- the Source from which the Ashwattha-tree itself draws its
sustenance and nourishment.

Had this advice been merely given out and left at that, it would
have been, at best, only a poetic vision, or an impossible
suggestion. As a practical hand-book of instructions to man on how
to live nobly and grow out of his instinctive weaknesses, the Geeta
has to show the seekers some practical methods of self-improvement
at every stage. And this is accomplished when the stanzas are closed
with a prayer: "I SEEK REFUGE IN THAT
PRIMEVAL PURUSHA WHENCE STREAMED FORTH THE ANCIENT CURRENT."

The stanza indicates that when our personality has, to a maximum
degree, retired from its extrovert pursuits, the intellect is to be
consciously turned, in an attitude of love and surrender, to the
goal --- the goal from which the stream of Consciousness flows to
the matter-vehicles facilitating them to play their parts. In short,
HALT the manifestations of life, and seek the Eternal Life, the
Source of all expressions of life. What this primeval Purusha is and
how one is to conceive It is the theme of the entire chapter.

Posted by : vanajaravinair

----------------------------------------------------------
Dear sadhak
This shloka is understood in a very deep meditation, and after the
meaning of it is realized, the consciusness is purified. I really
have neither the words nor the ability to explain but shall try it
for you as best I can.

You have to understand three words a) Satya (truth) b) Zyan
(knowledge) and c) information (empirical evidences, facts, snap
shots, history, etc..).
Sri Krishna explains the relation of these three as a complete tree
which has seed as truth, trunc as knowledge and branches and fruits
as various information. Truth is abstract and has no conflicts and
all understand it in same way; knowledge is predictive (anumaan) in
nature such as physics and chemistry which are nitya (always in work)
and characters in it expresed in symbols and generic terms such as x,
y,Na, Au, Fe, force, velocity etc.. and is called Tatva Gyan
(knowledge of characters); and information is legal or empirical
facts of experiments viz, history. History or court cases or news
item are not knowledge because these once occured and stay in
archives, and is unlike physics which is aways there in all forms.
Lawyers jailors, judges and police, historians, journalists are not
knowledable because they collect evidence to get someone punished or
for selling news or books; rather than having insight of cause and
effect cycles.

Ahankaar is empirical or historical and specific and therefore it is
fruit and branches which often clash and are illusion, the knowledge
of character without specifying any specific person or histoical
evidence is like trunck which is understood in fundamental way. For
example, Bhagwat Gita is a knowledge and it is nitya or remains all
time, and all characters in it are symolic without any real names or
historical evidence. For example Dhrat Rashtra is a term for Laws and
order upon which a nation (rashtra) rests (dhrat). When the dhrat
rashtra is insensitive and selfish, shown as blind then it produced
two sons. One, is Dus Shaasan (bad governance) and Two Dur Yodhan
(bad authority). The terms are obvious, and is understood even now.
The structure of governance which is a beam is called Karna which are
steadfast like loyal and honest employees of government but working
for evil design of Bad Governance and Bad Authority. Bhishm is
illusion of a nation which binds people by a common name but not
allows the dharma to flourish. Bhism is self destructive and no other
can remove it. Shakuni is economic system or the fedreal banks
dealing with fictititious money and value of money is not in hands of
those who work.
The tree or Ashwathha has this structure. And those with knowledge
should cut off the branchs of illsion and ignorance. Because the
idiot has millions of branches and this way, tree grows and illussion
is increased.

Best Regards
K G Misra

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Dear Sadak,
Banyan tree is so huge with roots from branches reaches ground and
penitrates, looking like another trunk. One should exist broadminded
(like branches), allow living things to rest under him with karuniyam
(like so many birds monkeys that rest on), be stable like the strong
large in diameter trunk unable to be shaken by 6 Gunas, be admirable
as the whole tree making an example of divine life, be deep rooted
with sastras and vedas, but remain aloof from worldly matters like
the banyan tree.
B.Sathyanarayan

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