अधश् चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास् तस्य शाखा गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः । अधश् च मूलान्य् अनुसन्ततानि कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥
adhaś cordhvaṃ prasṛtās tasya śākhā guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ | adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke ||
Guṇa-fed branches spread everywhere; in the human world, karma-roots grow downward entangling further.
Word by word (3)
- adhaś cordhvaṃ prasṛtās tasya śākhā
- — its branches (śākhā) spread (prasṛtāḥ) both downward (adhas) and upward (ūrdhvam) — encompassing all levels of creation from lowest to highest
- guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ
- — nourished/enlarged by the guṇas (guṇa-pravṛddhāḥ), with sense-objects as buds/shoots (viṣaya-pravālāḥ) — the guṇas feed the tree, senses are its growing tips
- karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke
- — in the human world (manuṣya-loke), secondary roots extend downward, binding by karma (karma-anubandha) — human desires and karma create further entanglement
Its branches spread both upward and downward, nourished by the three guṇas, with sense-objects as new shoots. And in the human world, further secondary roots extend downward, binding through karma.
A modern analogy
A banyan tree sends aerial roots down from its branches — each root touches the ground and becomes a new trunk. Similarly, each desire we act on in the human world sends a new root downward, creating another attachment that becomes another trunk, another life.
V2 extends the aśvattha metaphor by detailing its middle structure: branches fed by guṇas (all of manifest creation) with sense-objects as the attractive new growth, and in the special case of the human realm, secondary roots that create fresh karma-cycles. The human world is the unique site where the tree's root-system is actively reinforced — only humans have the capacity for deliberate action and therefore deliberate bondage or liberation.
The double root-system is philosophically critical: the primary root is ūrdhva (Brahman above), but there are secondary roots (karma-roots) formed in the human world from below. These secondary roots are what rebirth-cycles are made of. The guṇas as 'nourishment' shows how even sattva perpetuates saṃsāra — all three guṇas are fuel for the tree, not just tamas and rajas.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Below and above are its branches spread, nourished by the gunas, sense-objects its buds; and below in the world of man stretch forth the roots ending in action. [1]
Below and above spread its branches, nourished by the Gunas; sense-objects are its buds; and below in the world of man stretch forth the roots, originating action. [4]
Upwards and downwards extend its branches, which are enlarged by the qualities, and the sprouts of which are sensuous objects. And downwards to this human world are continued its roots which lead on to action. [9]
Downwards and upwards are stretched its branches which are enlarged by the qualities; its sprouts are the objects of senses. Downwards its roots, leading to action, are extended to this world of men. [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Move through the world with senses free from attraction and aversion — that clarity is the natural reward.
Tamas — born of ignorance — deludes all beings and binds through carelessness, laziness, and sleep.
Those whose sin has ended — virtuous in deed, freed from dvandva-delusion — worship Me with firm resolve.
Do My work, hold Me supreme, be My devotee, attachment-free, without enmity toward all — such a one comes to Me!
All actions are done by the gunas of nature. The ego-deluded one thinks 'I am the doer' — this is the root of bondage.
Destroyed is my delusion, memory restored by Your grace — I stand firm, free of doubt, and will do Your word.