न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च संप्रतिष्ठा ।
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥
अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ॥
Hindi · हिन्दी
इस संसारवृक्षका जैसा रूप देखनेमें आता है, वैसा यहाँ विचार करनेपर मिलता नहीं क्योंकि इसका न तो आदि है, न अन्त है और न स्थिति ही है । इसलिये इस दृढ़ मूलोंवाले संसाररूप अश्वत्थवृक्षको दृढ़ असङ्गतारूप शस्त्रके द्वारा काटकर ॥
English
Its form is not perceived here as it truly is: it has no beginning, no end, and no fixed base. Cut down this deeply rooted ashvattha tree with the strong sword of detachment.
What this verse means
The world-tree cannot be grasped as a normal thing, because it has no clear beginning, end, or stable base. Cut through it with firm detachment.
Context & commentary
On Kurukshetra, with Arjuna frozen between duty and fear, Krishna explains the world as a vast tree of changing appearances. This verse gives the method: do not try to master it by grasping it; cut through attachment itself.
Why this verse still matters
You keep replaying the breakup, the job offer, the family argument, trying to find the exact point where everything became real. The mind wants a fixed story; this verse says the story itself must be cut loose.
The takeaway
What looks solid loses its grip when you stop clinging to it.
Word-by-word translation
न (not) / रूपम् (form) / अस्य (of this) / इह (here) / तथा (thus) / उपलभ्यते (is perceived) / न (not) / अन्तः (end) / न (not) / च (and) / आदिः (beginning) / न (not) / च (and) / संप्रतिष्ठा (fixed base) / अश्वत्थम् (ashvattha tree) / एनम् (this) / सु-विरूढ-मूलम् (deeply rooted) / असङ्ग-शस्त्रेण (with the weapon of detachment) / दृढेन (strong) / छित्त्वा (having cut)
This verse is part of Bhagavad Gita Chapter 15: Purushottama Yoga — The Yoga of the Supreme Person, which contains 20 verses.
Explore related themes: vairagya (51 verses)