In Bhagavad Gita 15.1, Krishna describes the eternal ashvattha tree with roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns; one who knows it knows the Vedas.
Sanskrit Verse
श्रीभगवानुवाच · The Blessed Lord said
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखम्
अश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्
छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि
यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥ १५-१ ॥
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākham
aśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam
chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni
yastaṃ veda sa vedavit
English transliteration oordhvamoolamadhahshaakham
ashvattham praahuravyayam
chhandaamsi yasya parnaani
yastam veda sa vedavit ॥ 15.1 ॥
Translation / Meaning
The Blessed Lord said: They speak of the imperishable ashvattha tree, with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows it is a knower of the Vedas.
Word Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ऊर्ध्वमूलम् ūrdhvamūlam | with roots above ūrdhva (above) + mūlam (roots) |
| अधःशाखम् adhaḥśākham | with branches below adhaḥ (below) + śākham (branches) |
| अश्वत्थम् aśvattham | the aśvattha tree |
| प्राहुः prāhuḥ | they speak of |
| अव्ययम् avyayam | imperishable |
| छन्दांसि chandāṃsi | Vedic hymns |
| यस्य yasya | whose |
| पर्णानि parṇāni | leaves |
| यः yaḥ | who |
| तम् tam | it |
| वेद veda | knows |
| सः saḥ | he |
| वेदवित् vedavit | knower of the Vedas veda (Vedas) + vit (knower) |
Word-wise Chanting
- ūr–dhva–mū–la–ma–dhaḥ–śā–kham– 8 syllables oor-dhva-moo-la-ma-dhah-shaa-kham-
- aś–vat–thaṃ prā–hu–rav–ya–yam | 8 syllables ash-vat-tham praa-hu-rav-ya-yam
- chan–dāṃ–si yas–ya par–ṇā–ni 8 syllables chhan-daam-si yas-ya par-naa-ni
- yas–taṃ ve–da sa ve–da–vit || 15-1 8 syllables yas-tam ve-da sa ve-da-vit
How to read this
How to chant: each line is one pāda (quarter-verse); chant it in one breath. The hyphen (-) divides the syllables, inside a word and across a sandhi join, so every pāda shows its 8 syllables (11 in triṣṭubh verses). A consonant cluster is divided after its first consonant (kar-ma, vet-ti): that syllable is held longer. Mark above a syllable: guru, long (two beats); laghu, short (one beat). | closes the half-verse, || the verse; the number is the syllable count of the pāda.
Deeper Explanation – Chapter 15 Verse 1
Context
Chapter 15, the Yoga of the Supreme Person, opens with the image of the world as an inverted tree (15.1–15.4).
Meaning
The world of saṃsāra is pictured as an aśvattha, a sacred fig, growing upside down. Its root is above, in the Supreme; its branches spread below into the world. Its leaves are the chandas, the Vedic hymns, which nourish it with rituals and their rewards. To understand this tree is to understand the purpose of the Vedas.
The image comes from the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. The word aśvattha is often read as “that which will not last until tomorrow”, pointing to the world’s impermanence, even though the tree as a whole is called avyaya, unending, because the cycle continues.
In Practice
Look at a large tree today and picture its roots in the Divine, with all of life as its branches.
Related Verses
Continue Your Study
This verse belongs to Chapter 15: Purushottama Yoga (The Supreme Person). Read the chapter overview, browse every verse of the Gita, or return to the chapter-by-chapter guide. For a reading plan, see how to study the Bhagavad Gita and the study resources.