Forum

Replies

  • Sushmita Das June 24, 2013 at 9:27pm

    Hare Krishna..
    i completely agree with you Veeral prabhuji and Mataji.

    and you know what? though i don't have a shiksha or diksha guru and i don't chant properly but Sravanam,Kirtanam and Sangati has helped me a lot.
    It feels really great!!

  • Sushmita Das June 24, 2013 at 12:53pm

    Beautiful Explanation Veeral ji..
    "he spiritual world is 'standing' on the banks of desires"
    and once we cross these desires we are free..
    thanks a lot..
    Hare Krishna.._/\_

    • Volunteer
      Mohini Madhavi > Sushmita Das June 24, 2013 at 1:23pm

      we can not stop desiring. It is the action of the soul. no desire no life.

      But in order to go to Spiritual world we need to have spiritual desire which means satisfaction senses of Krishna - Krishna. In order to stay here we need to have covering so that we be in the darkness and in that darkness we will think that we are this body and goal should be sense gratification.

      Your servant, 

  • Sushmita Das June 23, 2013 at 1:38pm

    Hare Krishna..
    Thank You Veeral Ji for such a simplified explanation..
    could you please elaborate the underlined lines below..

    thank you..
    Hari bol..

    TRANSLATION

    The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

    PURPORT

    After the discussion of the importance of bhakti-yoga, one may question, "What about the Vedas?" It is explained in this chapter that the purpose of Vedic study is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, who is engaged in devotional service, already knows the Vedas.

    The entanglement of this material world is compared here to a banyan tree. For one who is engaged in fruitive activities, there is no end to the banyan tree. He wanders from one branch to another, to another, to another. The tree of this material world has no end, and for one who is attached to this tree, there is no possibility of liberation. The Vedic hymns, meant for elevating oneself, are called the leaves of this tree. This tree's roots grow upward because they begin from where Brahmā is located, the topmost planet of this universe. If one can understand this indestructible tree of illusion, then one can get out of it.

    This process of extrication should be understood. In the previous chapters it has been explained that there are many processes by which to get out of the material entanglement. And, up to the Thirteenth Chapter, we have seen that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the best way. Now, the basic principle of devotional service is detachment from material activities and attachment to the transcendental service of the Lord. The process of breaking attachment to the material world is discussed in the beginning of this chapter. The root of this material existence grows upward. This means that it begins from the total material substance, from the topmost planet of the universe. From there, the whole universe is expanded, with so many branches, representing the various planetary systems. The fruits represent the results of the living entities' activities, namely, religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation.

    Now, there is no ready experience in this world of a tree situated with its branches down and its roots upward, but there is such a thing. That tree can be found beside a reservoir of water. We can see that the trees on the bank reflect upon the water with their branches down and roots up. In other words, the tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. This reflection of the spiritual world is situated on desire, just as the tree's reflection is situated on water. Desire is the cause of things' being situated in this reflected material light. One who wants to get out of this material existence must know this tree thoroughly through analytical study. Then he can cut off his relationship with it.

    This tree, being the reflection of the real tree, is an exact replica. Everything is there in the spiritual world. The impersonalists take Brahmā to be the root of this material tree, and from the root, according to sāṅkhya philosophy, come prakṛti, puruṣa, then the three guṇas, then the five gross elements (pañca-mahābhūta), then the ten senses (daśendriya), mind, etc. In this way they divide up the whole material world. If Brahmā is the center of all manifestations, then this material world is a manifestation of the center by 180 degrees, and the other 180 degrees constitute the spiritual world. The material world is the perverted reflection, so the spiritual world must have the same variegatedness, but in reality. The prakṛti is the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and the puruṣa is the Supreme Lord Himself, and that is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Since this manifestation is material, it is temporary. A reflection is temporary, for it is sometimes seen and sometimes not seen. But the origin from whence the reflection is reflected is eternal. The material reflection of the real tree has to be cut off. When it is said that a person knows the Vedas, it is assumed that he knows how to cut off attachment to this material world. If one knows that process, he actually knows the Vedas. One who is attracted by the ritualistic formulas of the Vedas is attracted by the beautiful green leaves of the tree. He does not exactly know the purpose of the Vedas. The purpose of the Vedas, as disclosed by the Personality of Godhead Himself, is to cut down this reflected tree and attain the real tree of the spiritual world.
    bhakti -- devotional service -- Sanskrit Dictionary
    bhakti -- devotional service
  • Volunteer
    Radhe June 21, 2013 at 10:43pm

    i always find a picture helpful for me, so I have attached one here2544775272?profile=originalTranslation from Prabhupada's 1972 complete ed:

    The Blessed Lord said: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.

    Excerpt from Prabhupada's purport:

    The entanglement of this material world is compared here to a banyan tree. For one who is engaged in fruitive activities, there is no end to the banyan tree. He wanders from one branch to another, to another, to another. The tree of this material world has no end, and for one who is attached to this tree, there is no possibility of liberation. The Vedic hymns, meant for elevating oneself, are called the leaves of this tree. This tree's roots grow upward because they begin from where Brahma is located, the topmost planet of this universe. If one can understand this indestructible tree of illusion, then one can get out of it. 

     

    The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the fruitive actions of human society.

     

    PURPORT

    The description of the banyan tree is further explained here. Its branches are spread in all directions. In the lower parts, there are variegated manifestations of living entities, such as human beings, animals, horses, cows, dogs, cats, etc. These are situated on the lower parts of the branches, whereas on the upper parts are higher forms of living entities: the demigods, Gandharvas and many other higher species of life. As a tree is nourished by water, so this tree is nourished by the three modes of material nature. Sometimes we find that a tract of land is barren for want of sufficient water, and sometimes a tract is very green; similarly, where the modes of material nature are proportionately greater in quantity, the different species of life are manifested in that proportion. 
    The twigs of the tree are considered to be the sense objects. By development of the different modes of nature, we develop different senses, and, by the senses, we enjoy different varieties of sense objects. The source of the senses--the ears, the nose, eyes, etc.--is considered to be the upper twigs, tuned to the enjoyment of different sense objects. The leaves are sound, form, touch--the sense objects. The roots, which are subsidiary, are the by-products of different varieties of suffering and sense enjoyment. Thus we develop attachment and aversion. The tendencies toward piety and impiety are considered to be the secondary roots, spreading in all directions. The real root is from Brahmaloka, and the other roots are in the human planetary systems. After one enjoys the results of virtuous activities in the upper planetary systems, he comes down to this earth and renews his karma, or fruitive activities for promotion. This planet of human beings is considered the field of activities.

    On a side note: I find it nice that Lord Krsna was instructing Arjuna below and banyan tree and gave this example. One can almost imagine this :)

     

    • Sushmita Das > Radhe June 23, 2013 at 1:47pm

      Hare Krishna..

      thanks for this picture..now i can visualize this Banyan tree..
      but still have got few doubts..
      if you can kindly explain the underlined sentences..

      Hari Bol..

  • Sushmita Das June 21, 2013 at 7:39pm

    Hare Krishna..
    All Glories to Param Purushottam Lord Krishna..

    I am extremely sorry that i didn't specify the chapter/sloka
    I was asking about 15th chapter of Bhagwat Gita,where Lord says about a Ashwatha Tree.
    I have been struggling for last 3/4 days with 1st  two slokas.
    kindly help..

    Thanking you in advance.
    Hari bol..

  • Volunteer
    Radhe June 19, 2013 at 9:50pm

    I assume you are talking about the first chapter - the whole "setting the scene" type of thing or are you talking about the second chapter when Krsna begins instructing Arjuna. If you could clarify what exactly you have trouble understanding, devotees on IDT will be able to explain more clearly. 

    In either case I highly suggest that you check out this "study guide". It's very helpful and very organized and an excellent resource to use while reading the Gita to get more information. It's by Gauranga Priya Prabhu, who is an excellent devotee. 

    http://ebooks.iskcondesiretree.info/pdf/Bhagvad_Gita_Notes_Complete...

    • Ashish Jalan > Radhe June 25, 2013 at 6:15pm

      Dandvat Prabhu !! I was desperately looking for these notes on BG.
      Hare Krishna !! Thanks !!

    • Sushmita Das > Radhe June 21, 2013 at 7:41pm

      Hare Krishna
      I am extremely sorry that i didn't specify the chapter/sloka
      I was asking about 15th chapter of Bhagwat Gita,where Lord says about a Ashwatha Tree.
      I have been struggling for last 3/4 days with 1st  two slokas.
      kindly help..
      Hari Bol..

This reply was deleted.