Bhagavad Gita · Chapter 15, verse 1
The striking image of the upside-down ashvattha tree, an old symbol also found in the Katha Upanishad, used here for the tangle of worldly life.
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ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥
ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam |chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit ||
Shri Krishna says: People speak of an eternal ashvattha (sacred fig) tree with its roots above and branches below. Its leaves are the Vedic hymns. Whoever knows this tree knows the Vedas.
श्रीकृष्ण कहते हैं: लोग एक अविनाशी अश्वत्थ (पीपल) वृक्ष की बात करते हैं, जिसकी जड़ें ऊपर और शाखाएँ नीचे हैं। वेद के मंत्र उसके पत्ते हैं। जो इस वृक्ष को जानता है, वही वेदों को जानता है।
श्रीकृष्ण म्हणतात: लोक एका अविनाशी अश्वत्थ (पिंपळ) वृक्षाविषयी बोलतात, ज्याची मुळे वर आणि फांद्या खाली आहेत. वेदांचे मंत्र ही त्याची पाने आहेत. जो हा वृक्ष जाणतो, तोच वेद जाणतो.
In Sanskrit, sounds at word edges merge (sandhi), so a line looks like one long word. Split it to see each word and its meaning.
ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् ।छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ॥
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