Worldly life has its root in the Divine.
Krishna speaks to Arjuna
श्रीभगवानुवाच |ऊर्ध्वमूलमधःशाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम् |छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित् ||१५-१||
śrībhagavānuvāca . ūrdhvamūlamadhaḥśākhamaśvatthaṃ prāhuravyayam . chandāṃsi yasya parṇāni yastaṃ veda sa vedavit ||15-1||
Use this verse to start the World Tree reflection.
Meaning
The Blessed Lord said: They speak of the imperishable ashvattha tree with roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns; one who knows this tree knows the Veda.
Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).
In plain words
Krishna compares worldly existence to an upside-down sacred tree.
Word-by-word meaning
Tap a word to see its meaning.
Explanation
Chapter 15 begins with a powerful image: the world-tree has its root above in the Divine and branches below in worldly life. The leaves are sacred knowledge, showing that scriptures help us understand the structure of existence.
Read the traditional commentary
Krishna opens the chapter with a striking image: the ashvattha tree of cosmic existence, growing upside-down with its root above and branches below. The 'root above' is Brahman, the divine source from which all manifestation descends; the branches spreading downward are the worlds and beings that depend on it. The tree is called avyaya — indestructible — because the cycle of life it represents seems to renew itself endlessly.
Its leaves are the chandas, the Vedic hymns, suggesting that scriptural knowledge protects and nourishes this living tree of existence. To truly 'know' this tree is to understand both the world of appearances and the divine root that sustains it. Such a person, Krishna says, is the real vedavit — the knower of the Vedas — not one who merely recites verses, but one who grasps the source from which everything flows.
In daily life
Look beyond visible branches to the higher root of life.
A person caught in daily stress can remember that life is not random branches; it has a deeper divine root.
Try this today
Write one visible problem and its deeper spiritual root.
I seek the divine root behind life.Reflect
Am I looking only at branches, or also at the root?
Private — only you can see this
Quick check
What does ‘छन्दांसि’ mean in this verse?
The Gita on vedas, in other chapters
- Verse 17.23Every sacred act draws its true meaning from the Divine — invoking 'Om Tat Sat' consecrates work, study, and giving to the Absolute.
- Verse 5.21Stop chasing pleasure in external things and turn within — the Self holds an inexhaustible joy that nothing can take away.
- Verse 7.29The honest longing to transcend death, rooted in refuge in the Divine, opens into complete knowledge of Self and action.
- Verse 8.1 · ArjunaReal understanding begins when you have the courage to ask what a teaching truly means rather than pretending to know.
Swipe left for 15.2 · Sense attraction and karma deepen worldly roots.
Questions about Bhagavad Gita 15.1
Who says Bhagavad Gita 15.1, and to whom?
Krishna speaks to Arjuna in verse 15.1, in Chapter 15, Purushottama Yoga (Purushottama Yoga).
What does Bhagavad Gita 15.1 mean?
The Blessed Lord said: They speak of the imperishable ashvattha tree with roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the Vedic hymns; one who knows this tree knows the Veda. (Translation: Gita Guidance (original English rendering).)
What is the lesson of Bhagavad Gita 15.1 for daily life?
Look beyond visible branches to the higher root of life. A person caught in daily stress can remember that life is not random branches; it has a deeper divine root.
What do the Sanskrit words in Bhagavad Gita 15.1 mean?
ऊर्ध्वमूलम् — with roots above; अधःशाखम् — with branches below; अश्वत्थम् — the peepul (banyan) tree; अव्ययम् — imperishable, eternal; छन्दांसि — the Vedic hymns / metres.
Where does verse 15.1 come in the Bhagavad Gita?
It is verse 1 of 20 in Chapter 15, Purushottama Yoga. The next verse is 15.2.