Bhagavad-gītā

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ūrdhva-mūlam — with roots above; adhaḥ — downwards; śākham — branches; aśvattham — a banyan tree; prāhuḥ — is said; avyayam — eternal; chandāṁsi — the Vedic hymns; yasya — of which; parṇāni — the leaves; yaḥ — anyone who; tam — that; veda — knows; saḥ — he; veda-vit — the knower of the Vedas.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

adhaḥ — downward; ca — and; ūrdhvam — upward; prasṛtāḥ — extended; tasya — its; śākhāḥ — branches; guṇa — by the modes of material nature; pravṛddhāḥ — developed; viṣaya — sense objects; pravālāḥ — twigs; adhaḥ — downward; ca — and; mūlāni — roots; anusantatāni — extended; karma — to work; anubandhīni — bound; manuṣya-loke — in the world of human society.

The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.

na — not; rūpam — the form; asya — of this tree; iha — in this world; tathā — also; upalabhyate — can be perceived; na — never; antaḥ — end; na — never; ca — also; ādiḥ — beginning; na — never; ca — also; sampratiṣṭhā — the foundation; aśvattham — banyan tree; enam — this; su-virūḍha — strongly; mūlam — rooted; asaṅga-śastreṇa — by the weapon of detachment; dṛḍhena — strong; chittvā — cutting; tataḥ — thereafter; padam — situation; tat — that; parimārgitavyam — has to be searched out; yasmin — where; gatāḥ — going; na — never; nivartanti — they come back; bhūyaḥ — again; tam — to Him; eva — certainly; ca — also; ādyam — original; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; prapadye — surrender; yataḥ — from whom; pravṛttiḥ — the beginning; prasṛtā — extended; purāṇi — very old.

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.

niḥ — without; māna — false prestige; mohāḥ — and illusion; jita — having conquered; saṅga — of association; doṣāḥ — the faults; adhyātma — in spiritual knowledge; nityāḥ — in eternity; vinivṛtta — disassociated; kāmāḥ — from lust; dvandvaiḥ — from the dualities; vimuktāḥ — liberated; sukha-duḥkha — happiness and distress; saṁjñaiḥ — named; gacchanti — attain; amūḍhāḥ — unbewildered; padam — situation; avyayam — eternal; tat — that.

Those who are free from false prestige, illusion and false association, who understand the eternal, who are done with material lust, who are freed from the dualities of happiness and distress, and who, unbewildered, know how to surrender unto the Supreme Person attain to that eternal kingdom.

na — not; tat — that; bhāsayate — illuminates; sūryaḥ — the sun; na — nor; śaśāṅkaḥ — the moon; na — nor; pāvakaḥ — fire, electricity; yat — where; gatvā — going; na — never; nivartante — they come back; tat dhāma — that abode; paramam — supreme; mama — My.

That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this material world.

mama — My; eva — certainly; aṁśaḥ — fragmental particle; jīva-loke — in the world of conditional life; jīva-bhūtaḥ — the conditioned living entity; sanātanaḥ — eternal; manaḥ — with the mind; ṣaṣṭhāni — the six; indriyāṇi — senses; prakṛti — in material nature; sthāni — situated; karṣati — is struggling hard.

The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.

śarīram — the body; yat — as; avāpnoti — gets; yat — as; ca api — also; utkrāmati — gives up; īśvaraḥ — the lord of the body; gṛhītvā — taking; etāni — all these; saṁyāti — goes away; vāyuḥ — the air; gandhān — smells; iva — like; āśayāt — from their source.

The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another, as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another.

śrotram — ears; cakṣuḥ — eyes; sparśanam — touch; ca — also; rasanam — tongue; ghrāṇam — smelling power; eva — also; ca — and; adhiṣṭhāya — being situated in; manaḥ — mind; ca — also; ayam — he; viṣayān — sense objects; upasevate — enjoys.

The living entity, thus taking another gross body, obtains a certain type of ear, eye, tongue, nose and sense of touch, which are grouped about the mind. He thus enjoys a particular set of sense objects.

utkrāmantam — quitting the body; sthitam — situated in the body; vā api — either; bhuñjānam — enjoying; vā — or; guṇa-anvitam — under the spell of the modes of material nature; vimūḍhāḥ — foolish persons; na — never; anupaśyanti — can see; paśyanti — can see; jñāna-cakṣuṣaḥ — those who have the eyes of knowledge.

The foolish cannot understand how a living entity can quit his body, nor can they understand what sort of body he enjoys under the spell of the modes of nature. But one whose eyes are trained in knowledge can see all this.

yatantaḥ — endeavoring; yoginaḥ — transcendentalists; ca — also; enam — this; paśyanti — can see; ātmani — in the self; avasthitam — situated; yatantaḥ — endeavoring; api — although; akṛta-ātmānaḥ — those without self-realization; na — do not; enam — this; paśyanti — see; acetasaḥ — having undeveloped minds.

The endeavoring transcendentalists who are situated in self-realization can see all this clearly. But those whose minds are not developed and who are not situated in self-realization cannot see what is taking place, though they may try.

yat — that which; āditya-gatam — in the sunshine; tejaḥ — splendor; jagat — the whole world; bhāsayate — illuminates; akhilam — entirely; yat — that which; candramasi — in the moon; yat — that which; ca — also; agnau — in fire; tat — that; tejaḥ — splendor; viddhi — understand; māmakam — from Me.

The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.

gām — the planets; āviśya — entering; ca — also; bhūtāni — the living entities; dhārayāmi — sustain; aham — I; ojasā — by My energy; puṣṇāmi — am nourishing; ca — and; auṣadhīḥ — vegetables; sarvāḥ — all; somaḥ — the moon; bhūtvā — becoming; rasa-ātmakaḥ — supplying the juice.

I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.

aham — I; vaiśvānaraḥ — My plenary portion as the digesting fire; bhūtvā — becoming; prāṇinām — of all living entities; deham — in the bodies; āśritaḥ — situated; prāṇa — the outgoing air; apāna — the down-going air; samāyuktaḥ — keeping in balance; pacāmi — I digest; annam — foodstuff; catuḥ-vidham — the four kinds.

I am the fire of digestion in the bodies of all living entities, and I join with the air of life, outgoing and incoming, to digest the four kinds of foodstuff.

sarvasya — of all living beings; ca — and; aham — I; hṛdi — in the heart; sanniviṣṭaḥ — situated; mattaḥ — from Me; smṛtiḥ — remembrance; jñānam — knowledge; apohanam — forgetfulness; ca — and; vedaiḥ — by the Vedas; ca — also; sarvaiḥ — all; aham — I am; eva — certainly; vedyaḥ — knowable; vedānta-kṛt — the compiler of the Vedānta; veda-vit — the knower of the Vedas; eva — certainly; ca — and; aham — I.

I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.

dvau — two; imau — these; puruṣau — living entities; loke — in the world; kṣaraḥ — fallible; ca — and; akṣaraḥ — infallible; eva — certainly; ca — and; kṣaraḥ — fallible; sarvāṇi — all; bhūtāni — living entities; kūṭa-sthaḥ — in oneness; akṣaraḥ — infallible; ucyate — is said.

There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.

uttamaḥ — the best; puruṣaḥ — personality; tu — but; anyaḥ — another; parama-ātmā — the Supreme Self; iti — thus; udāhṛtaḥ — is said; yaḥ — who; loka — of the universe; trayam — the three divisions; āviśya — entering; bibharti — is maintaining; avyayaḥ — inexhaustible; īśvaraḥ — the Lord.

Besides these two, there is the greatest living personality, the Supreme Soul, the imperishable Lord Himself, who has entered the three worlds and is maintaining them.

yasmāt — because; kṣaram — to the fallible; atītaḥ — transcendental; aham — I am; akṣarāt — beyond the infallible; api — also; ca — and; uttamaḥ — the best; ataḥ — therefore; asmi — I am; loke — in the world; vede — in the Vedic literature; ca — and; prathitaḥ — celebrated; puruṣa-uttamaḥ — as the Supreme Personality.

Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible, and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in the Vedas as that Supreme Person.

yaḥ — anyone who; mām — Me; evam — thus; asammūḍhaḥ — without a doubt; jānāti — knows; puruṣa-uttamam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saḥ — he; sarva-vit — the knower of everything; bhajati — renders devotional service; mām — unto Me; sarva-bhāvena — in all respects; bhārata — O son of Bharata.

Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is the knower of everything. He therefore engages himself in full devotional service to Me, O son of Bharata.

iti — thus; guhya-tamam — the most confidential; śāstram — revealed scripture; idam — this; uktam — disclosed; mayā — by Me; anagha — O sinless one; etat — this; buddhvā — understanding; buddhi-mān — intelligent; syāt — one becomes; kṛta-kṛtyaḥ — the most perfect in his endeavors; ca — and; bhārata — O son of Bharata.

This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.