Treelogies ensemble of 12 tree scapes in watercolor while living in kokan about 15 years ago, artist mumbiram was so impressed with the unique and pristine quality of the flora of the region that he made a series of tree scapes that bring out their fragile yet vital aesthetic importance in. The supreme abode is the supremes abode bhagavad gita. Bhagavan sri krishna became the charioteer of arjuna. Beautiful tales of the allattractive volume 1 if you are new to the spiritual drama and philosophy of india, or if you are a seasoned connoisseur, you will delight in the divine love evoked in this enthralling novelization of the srimad bhagavatam. I will share my own experience of reading bhagavad gita with you. What is the significance of the upside down tree described in 15th. The roots of the trees are like pillars growing large and making the tree strong. This book explores and interprets the myriad connections between two spiritual classics, henry david thoreaus walden and the bhagavad gita. The picture of upside down pipal tree in kathopanisad is highlighted as tree of life here by rsi. Sitting by a pond on a clear day, looking at the water shows the tree in an upside down way. Once it is felled, you must search out what is beyond it. The srimad bhagavad gita chapter 15 verses 1 4, 16, 17 states that the saint who tells all the branches of the upside down tree of this universe is the true saint. Is it only because bhagavad gita is the fifth veda in reality, not mbh. A simple, modern translation and explanation of the bhagavad gita with shloka verse meaning gita journey is a straightforward, modern, contemporary, basic explanation and commentary of the bhagawat gita, with sanskrit to english word meanings.
This tree can be cut down with the strong weapon of detachment, consequent upon the realisation of the identity of the self with brahman, through hearing the vedanta texts, contemplating upon their meaning, and profound meditation thereon. Lord krishna discussed in the bhagavad gita in my book amazing secrets of the bhagavad gita published during 2015. The gita recounts a dialogue in the moments leading up to the war. Upside down tree what is the significance of the upside down tree described in 15th chapter of bhagvadgita. According to western scholarship, it was composed later than. Some people think that the ultimate destination is the impersonal brahman effulgence, the. Three english versions of the bhagavad gita, the greatest devotional book of hinduism.
It has long been recognized as one of the worlds most important spiritual classics and a hindu guide to all on the path of truth. The entire gita book written by the author of this blog, as well as shorter, easier to read versions of the gita are available here. Chapter 15, verse 1 bhagavad gita, the song of god. Samsaara, our existence on this world, is the outward growth of this tree. It is a marvelous dialogue between lord krishna and arjuna on the battlefield, before the commencement of the great war. Bhagavad gita verse 2, chapter 15 a simple, modern. What is the significance of the upside down tree described. The real tree is elsewhere, and this is merely a reflection, with no end, no beginning, and no real substance. Home original bhagavadgita art favorites added to the gallery. Like the banyan, it sends out roots into the air, spreading above and below.
The picture of the upside down tree drawn by bharadraja as a sample is good. The chapter opens with the image of an upside down tree, a world tree rooted in brahman which branches out into a manifold creation in this realm below. Bhaktivedanta swami prabhupada picture index the illustrations of bhagavad gita as it is were painted by members of the international society for krishna consciousness working under the personal direction of the author, their spiritual master, in the following descriptive index, the numbers in boldface type which. Our existence in this world is illustrated using an upside down tree, similar to a family tree. One who knows this tree is the knower of the vedas.
The tree of this material world has no end, and for one who is attached to this tree, there is no possibility of liberation. In the bhagavad gita krishna, the greatest of yogis, says that of all trees. Summary of bhagavad gita chapter 15 a simple, modern. When you look at a tree standing on the other shore of a clean lake, in the lake will be an upsidedown reflection of the tree. Regarding the descriptions in bhagavad gita ch xv in verse 1 the leaves are described as the vedic hymns and in the 2nd verse, the sense objects or vishaya are compared with the twigs. But it wasnt till i started studying yoga that i learned what this inverted tree really is. Lord shree krishna speaks of the eternal ashvatth tree, which is an upsidedown peepal sacred fig tree with its roots above and branches below. The root of this tree is ishvara wielding the power of prakriti, the saguna brahman, the eternal essence with attributes. Lord krishna, in the bhagavad gita describes one such tree the ashvatta tree or what is popularly known as the peepul tree. This tree holds a deep significance in buddhism as wellknown also as the bo tree and bodhi tree it is the tree the buddha sat beneath when he reached enlightenment. The bhagavadgita with all its depth and detail in simple, succinct, straightforward terms.
This is said to be an ashvattha or pipal tree, a kind of fig. In the fifteenth chapter of the bhagavadgita, the real picture of the material world is given. What is the mystery behind the upsidedown tree mentioned in. 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. He compares the material world to an upside down ashvatth tree sacred fig. The bhagavad gita consists of 18 smaller chapters and is around 700 verses. Day 111 bhagavad gita samsar as an upside down peepal tree swami nikhilananda saraswati monday, february 1, 2016 reading time. Related study and download yoga online yoga international.
I was going through a lot of turmoil in my life in 2009. Notice that you are not these different emotions, these different aspects of life. Evidence shows that thoreau took the gita with him when he moved to walden pond, and the books have much in common, touching on ultimate ethical and metaphysical questions. According to ambedkar, the advent of buddhism was thus a revolution. The obvious place to find an inverted tree is the water. The vedic hymns, meant for elevating oneself, are called the leaves of this tree. The demigods are on the top branches, the human beings are on the middle branches, and the animals are on the lower. It is a symbol that the entire universe originates from a single source. Posted on mar 11, 2018 in chapter 08, text 21 1 comment. The world as an inverted tree commentary on the bhagavadgita. He who knows about this worldlike tree is a tatvdarshi saint. Why does krishna specifically use a metaphor of a banyan. Gurudev, in the fifteenth chapter of the gita, there is a description of a tree which is upside down.
The upside down tree below them is the banyan tree, representing the material world, which is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world. Day 111 bhagavad gita samsar as an upside down peepal. Four analogies used in the bhagavadgita krishnas mercy. Thus the analogy is to a reflection, where the tree exists in the proper orientation, in the same way that the spiritual world is the actual root of existence. In the fifteenth chapter of the bhagavad gita, the real picture of the material world is given. Lord shree krishna speaks of the eternal ashvatth tree, which is an upside down peepal sacred fig tree bhagavad gita the song of god commentary by swami mukundananda. Chapter 15, verse 1 bhagavad gita, the song of god swami. His examination moves through several stages, from an analysis of key symbols, such as the upsidedown tree, to an exposition of social, ethical, and metaphysical values, to a consideration of the many sources of these syncretic works. Now, the bhagavad gita doesnt say directly that this is a reflection of a spiritual reality. This book explores and interprets the myriad connections between two spiritual classics, henry david thoreaus walden and the bhagavadgita.
In upanishads and the bhagavad gita, the cosmic tree is represented as a huge inverted tree also known as inverted tree of life or upside down tree. However, this tree is a powerful allegory of the entire spiritual concept of the relationship between god, the creator, and man and all of the manifest universe, the creation. The yoga masters, the shamans of siberia, the persian priests, the ancient celts, and even the. What does the gitas inverted tree metaphor signify. It is not an allegory ka is making up for the first time in the gita, it is a famous allegory that has been spoken about many times before in the veda prahur. The branches are in the ground and the roots are in the sky. Purushottama yoga discourses on chapter 15 of bhagavad. The upsidedown tree below them is the banyan tree, representing the material world, which is a perverted reflection of the spiritual world. After the discussion of the importance of bhaktiyoga, one may question, what about the vedas. The supreme abode refers to lifes ultimate destination. Bhagavad gita should be read, studied letters to the. The bhagavad gita forms a section of the sixth book of the mahabharata, an important sanskrit epic in the hindu tradition that recounts a lengthy struggle and brief war between two sides of the bharata familythe pandavas and the kauravas over their kingdom of hastinapura. The bhagavad gita in simple english chapter 18 duration.
The bhagavad gita summary from litcharts the creators of. What is the significance of the upside down tree described in 15th chapter of bhagvad gita. This trees roots grow upward because they begin from where brahma is. This tree shakes, being blown by the wind of various desires and actions of the individual. Ambedkar concludes that gita is neither a book of religion nor a book of philosophy. Buddha also preached against the chaturvarnya and turned it upside down, as shudras and women could now become sanyasis. His examination moves through several stages, from an analysis of key symbols, such as the upside down tree, to an. Meaning of the upside down tree bhagavad gita 34 youtube. This is nothing but the upside down tree of samsaara playing out in our lives. There is an eternal tree called the ashvattha, which has its roots above and its branches below, says the katha upanishad, a yogic text which unveils the secrets of death. The word pratibimba or any related word like that, doesnt come in the gita. The inverted tree, ashwattha ficus religiosa, is a metaphor used in bhagavad gita to explain the meaning of life and illustrate the vastness of the universe. Most people are used to seeing trees that grow from the ground up, but yogis talk about a tree that grows upside down. The verse you see by the branch on the top right, is the inspiration for the painting.
Hope that could help you in addressing your situation. Bhagavadgita as it is picture index the hare krishna. There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down, and the vedic hymns are its leaves. The bhagavadgita opens with blind king dhritarashtra requesting his secretary, sanjaya, to narrate the battle between his sons, the kauravas, and their cousins, the pandavas. On a symbolic level, within the bhagavad gita, which is a hindu text, the upside down tree mentioned by krishna also has importance within the religion arapura, 1975. Wisdom and creative energy is dispensed to earth through the branches. Lord krishna, the supreme personality of godhead, out of affection for his devotee, the pandava prince arjuna, has agreed to drive his chariot. The bhagavad gita is sometimes known as the song of the lord or the gospel of the lord shri krishna.
There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the vedic hymns. Bhagavad gita free pdf ebook three modern translations. But the acaryas have explained it that way because thats where in our normal experience we see upside down tree, when it is reflected on a river. The next thing we hear about the tree is that its famous. This banyan cannot be uprooted, but it must be tenaciously cut down with the axe of indifference to it. Symbolism of the inverted tree in hinduism upside down. Question and answers with sri sri ravi shankar in satsang. Difference between bhagavad gita and srimad bhagavatam. If you step a few feet back, you will notice that the tree spans many realms known as lokams.
505 984 553 40 184 1318 217 438 422 643 770 86 1090 773 1465 1373 790 392 433 1517 1370 547 496 210 1556 272 860 1464 51 823 909 687 404 1458 856 239 555 1100 1445