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Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 3 (15.3)

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15 Verse 3 (15.3)

न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते । नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा | | अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूलं | असङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा | | १५-३ | |

na rūpamasyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na chādirna cha sampratiṣhṭhā aśhvatthamenaṁ suvirūḍhamūlaṁ asaṅgaśhastreṇa dṛiḍhena chhittvā

Word-by-word guide:
Line 1:
  • (na) — नहीं(not)
  • रूपम् (rupam) — रूप(form)
  • asye joined in rūpamasyeha
  • अहम् (aham) — मैं(I)
  • तत् (tad) — वह(that)
  • opalab joined in tathopalabhyate
  • यत् (yat) — जो कि(that which)
  • e joined in tathopalabhyate
Line 2:
  • n joined in nānto
  • अन्तः (antah) — अंत(end)
  • (na) — नहीं(not)
  • चादिः (chadih) — और आरंभ(beginning)
  • (na) — नहीं(not)
  • (cha) — और(and)
  • सम्प्रतिष्ठा (sampratishtha) — आधार(foundation/existence)
Line 3:
  • अश्वत्थम् (ashvattham) — अश्वत्थ वृक्ष(Ashvattha tree)
  • एनम् (enam) — चोम्फोर्तेद् यह फ्रिघ्तेनेद् एक(this)
  • सुविरूढमूलम् (su-virudha-mulam) — गहरी जड़ वाला(strongly rooted)
Line 4:
  • असङ्गशस्त्रेण (asanga-shastrena) — अनासक्ति के शस्त्र से(with the weapon of detachment)
  • दृढेन (dridhena) — दृढ़(firm)
  • छित्त्वा (chittva) — काटकर(having cut)

English: In this world its true form is not known, neither its origin nor its end, and its strength is not understood., until the tree with its roots striking deep into the earth is hewn down by the sharp axe of not being stuck.

💡 Commentary Note

The true form of this tree is not perceived in this world—neither its beginning, nor end, nor foundation. This strongly-rooted tree must be cut down with the firm weapon of non-attachment (asanga).

Learnings from Shloka 3:
  • Incomprehensible Tree:: The material world's origin and end are beyond the reach of ordinary sensory understanding.
  • Weapon of Detachment:: Use the sharp axe of non-attachment (asanga) to cut through the entanglement of desires.

Gita/Sanskrit Language Quiz

Practice this shloka vocabulary

Match Sanskrit words from shloka 15.3 with their Hindi and English meanings.

Practice vocabulary