न रूपम् अस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर् न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा । अश्वत्थम् एनं सुविरूढमूलम् असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā | aśvattham enaṃ suvirūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ||
The tree of saṃsāra has no graspable form, end, or origin — cut it with the firm axe of non-attachment.
Word by word (3)
- na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate
- — its (asya) form (rūpa) is not thus (tathā) perceived (upalabhyate) here — the tree as a whole cannot be grasped by ordinary perception
- nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā
- — neither end (anta) nor beginning (ādi) nor foundation (sampratiṣṭhā) — the tree of saṃsāra has no graspable limit or ground
- asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā
- — having cut (chittvā) with the firm (dṛḍha) weapon (śastra) of non-attachment (asaṅga) — the prescribed remedy: not analysis but the axe of vairāgya
Its true form cannot be perceived here — nor its end, nor its beginning, nor its foundation. Having cut down this deeply-rooted aśvattha tree with the strong weapon of non-attachment—
A modern analogy
You can't find the edge of a dream from within the dream. No matter how far you walk, there's always more dream-landscape. Only waking up — the 'non-attachment' to the dream — actually ends it. Similarly, you cannot think your way out of saṃsāra from within saṃsāra; only asaṅga cuts the root.
V3 makes the turn from description to prescription. After two verses showing the tree's vast structure, V3 admits: you cannot map this tree. The rational mind cannot find saṃsāra's beginning or end. Therefore the approach is not intellectual but surgical — asaṅga (non-attachment) is a śastra (weapon), and it must be dṛḍha (firm). V3 is a hinge verse — description ends, practice begins.
The statement 'na rūpam upalabhyate' is important for Advaita: the world-appearance cannot be described as either real or unreal from within itself — it is anirvacanīya (indescribable). Śaṅkara uses this to ground the concept of māyā. The axe is asaṅga — Vedantic vairāgya — not detachment from life but from the RESULTS and IDENTITY embedded in the world-process.
Public-domain translations (4) compare all →
Its form is not perceived as such here, neither its end nor its origin nor its existence. Having cut asunder this firm-rooted Asvattha with the strong weapon of non-attachment, [1]
Its form is not thus perceived here, nor its end, nor origin, nor foundation. Having cut through this firm-rooted Ashvattha with the strong weapon of non-attachment— [4]
Its form is not thus known here, nor its end, nor beginning, nor support. But having with the firm weapon of unconcern cut this Aśvattha whose roots are firmly fixed— [9]
Its form cannot here (below) be thus known, nor (its) end, nor (its) beginning, nor (its) support. Cutting, with the hard weapon of unconcern, this Aswattha of roots firmly fixed— [13]
This verse speaks to
Where this thread continues
Thinking → clinging → craving → anger. The chain of suffering begins in where you let your mind dwell.
Satisfied by knowledge and realisation, senses mastered, gold and mud equally seen — this is the true steadfast yogi.
Practising thus always, with a controlled mind — the yogi reaches the supreme peace of nirvāṇa, abiding in the Supreme.
Supreme bliss comes naturally to the yogi whose mind is fully at peace, passion quieted, stainless — Brahman-become.
With mind attached, practising yoga, taking refuge in Me — hear how you shall know Me fully, without doubt.
Yoga is the disconnection from suffering — practise it with firm resolve and a mind that does not despond.