Bhagavad Gita 15.2 · Krishna
Roots that tie us to action
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके॥
adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhā guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥadhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke
Its branches spread up and down, fed by the gunas, budding with sense objects. Below, its roots bind people to action.
Words
- guṇa
- karma
What it means
Krishna continues the image. The tree's branches spread everywhere, fed by the three gunas. Its buds are sense objects, things we want. And downward, secondary roots grow, tying people to karma, action and its results, in the human world. The tree of life is beautiful, and also binding.
The story
Arjuna sees how desire buds into action, and action roots us deeper into obligations. It's how his family ended up at war, one tangled root after another.
In your life
Maybe you know someone who took a high-paying job, then a bigger mortgage, then felt trapped. Each choice rooted deeper. Notice one root that's binding you. Ask if it still serves you.
Notice which roots bind you.