41 What is the upside-down tree metaphor Gita 15.01

Thank you all for joining today. We’re diving into one of the most vivid yet often misunderstood metaphors from the Bhagavad Gita: the metaphor of the upside-down tree. This unique imagery, found in the 15th chapter, serves as a profound representation of our material existence and its entanglements. Through this session, we’ll explore what this metaphor represents and its deeper spiritual significance.

In our previous session, we discussed the three modes of material nature as described by Krishna, particularly focusing on how these modes bind the soul to the material world. Starting from Chapter 13, Krishna delves into an analytical perspective—what could be termed as Jnana—to redirect our attention from the material world to the ultimate spiritual reality, which is Krishna Himself.

Chapter 13, for instance, identifies the root cause of our bondage: illusory desire. Krishna explains this beautifully in the verse:
“Purusha prakriti stho hi, bhumte prakriti jaan gunan, karanam guna sangosya, sadasad yoni janmasu.”

This verse, which Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur describes as the “seed of material existence,” highlights two key causes of bondage:

1. The soul’s desire to enjoy the material world (kama).
2. The influence of the modes of material nature (guna-sanga).

This seed verse (13.22) essentially encapsulates the problem of material existence, and the chapters that follow unravel its implications and the path to liberation. Chapter 14 elaborates on the three modes—sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance)—and how they perpetuate bondage.

The 15th chapter then presents a metaphor to help us understand the nature of our entanglement. This is the famous metaphor of the upside-down tree, found in the verse:
“Urdhva-mulam adhah-shakham, ashwatham prahur-avyayam, chandamsi yasya parnani, yas tam veda sa veda-vit.”

This verse describes a peculiar tree:

• Its roots are upwards, and its branches extend downward.
• It is called ashwatha, often translated as a banyan tree, and is said to be imperishable.
• The leaves of this tree are the Vedic hymns (chandamsi).
• One who truly understands this tree is said to know the Vedas.

This statement—that understanding this tree equates to knowing the Vedas—is quite significant. Clearly, Krishna is not referring to a literal tree; this is not a botanical lesson. Instead, the tree is metaphorical, representing the material world and its entanglements.

Interestingly, Krishna does not explicitly say, “This tree represents the material world.” The metaphor is implied rather than directly stated. This requires us to use our intelligence to infer its meaning, as it is not self-evident on the surface. The deeper significance of the tree, its roots, branches, and leaves, must be uncovered through thoughtful analysis and reflection.

In today’s session, we’ll explore the structure and symbolism of this tree, its connection to Maya (illusion), and what it teaches us about the nature of the material world. By understanding this metaphor, we can gain insights into how to cut through the entanglements of material existence and move toward liberation.

Let’s begin.

In this context, we find that the metaphor of the upside-down tree in the Bhagavad Gita not only refers to the world but also helps us understand its true nature. When we grasp the essence of this tree, we can also grasp the teachings of the Vedas and learn how to navigate our lives in this world.

To begin, let’s look at the nature of the world itself. One recurring observation we can make is that something always seems to be wrong somewhere. With news constantly pouring in from around the globe, it’s clear that there are many issues at play—natural disasters, conflicts, and calamities that affect countless people. Yet beyond these specific events, there’s an underlying sense that something is fundamentally amiss in the world.

What is it that is wrong? There are a few broad categories we can consider:

1. Dissatisfaction:
   One of the most apparent issues in the world is a universal sense of dissatisfaction. People are often unhappy with what they have, with who they are, or with how the world around them operates. Even when people go on vacation or visit a resort in hopes of escaping daily life, they may still feel a nagging sense that something is wrong. This dissatisfaction is pervasive, both on a personal and global scale.
2. Moral Degradation:
   Another problem that adds to the dysfunction of the world is moral degradation. Left unchecked, humanity’s moral compass tends to decline. This isn’t about mere nostalgia for the past or moralizing about how things used to be better. It’s a recognition that human actions are directly causing harm. Whether overtly evil or covertly destructive, people’s choices and behaviors are often hurting others and the world at large.
3. Physical Destruction and Decay:
   Beyond mental and moral concerns, there is the inevitable physical deterioration of the world. Everything in the material world decays, breaks down, and is eventually destroyed. Whether through natural forces or human actions, the world faces continual decline and destruction.

To better understand these issues, we can categorize them into three types of distress:

• Adhidaivic: Distress caused by nature (e.g., natural disasters).
• Adhibhautic: Social distress (e.g., conflicts, inequality).
• Adhyatmic: Psychophysical distress (e.g., dissatisfaction, mental and emotional struggles).

These categories help us see that the dissatisfaction we feel often stems from internal struggles, external actions, and the inevitable decline of the material world.

Now, if we look at history, thinkers have long tried to comprehend the nature of the world. No one has ever truly viewed the world as a perfect place where everything is wonderful. But the pressing question remains: If the world isn’t wonderful, can it be fixed? And if so, how?

One answer comes from the idea of modernity. Modern thought proposes that human effort, especially through technological progress, can fix the world’s problems. The belief was that if we could advance technologically, we could conquer nature’s disasters, provide for our material needs, and thus alleviate our dissatisfaction. The expectation was that through progress, life would become safer and more comfortable, leading to a more harmonious existence.

A related idea is that transhumanism, a branch of science concerned with overcoming human limitations, shares some surprising similarities with the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Transhumanists identify the same problems the Gita points out—old age, disease, and mortality—and their solution is technological advancement. The goal is to combat these issues and extend human life indefinitely.

But even beyond these technological hopes, there was the belief that reason and rationality could bring about moral improvement. It was thought that as humanity evolved, reason would overcome ignorance and superstition, leading people to make better decisions. If people acted rationally, they would understand the consequences of their destructive behaviors and choose moral paths.

Yet, as we look at these solutions, we must ask: Are they truly addressing the root cause of the world’s problems? Is it really just a matter of more technology or better reasoning, or is there something deeper that needs to be addressed?

The First and Second World Wars were profound shocks to the modern psyche. Despite having advanced science and technology, humanity continued to behave in ways that were deeply destructive. In fact, these advancements were sometimes used to cause even greater harm. The wars demonstrated that technology alone cannot prevent mankind from making choices that lead to destruction.

Now, it’s true that certain problems can be addressed through human effort. For example, in the case of a pandemic, we work together to find cures and mitigate the disease. Specific issues like these can and should be fixed through human ingenuity. However, when we look at the world as a whole, the problem is more complex.

Some people believe that the world will be fixed by divine intervention. For instance, Christianity teaches that the Second Coming of Christ will transform the world into a paradise. This belief suggests that if we propitiate God, the world can become a place where all desires are fulfilled. This idea has also influenced movements like the “prosperity gospel” in America, which holds that worldly prosperity is a sign of God’s favor. In essence, if we satisfy God, the world will become a happier, more fulfilling place.

But the Bhagavad Gita offers a different perspective. It doesn’t promise that the world will become a perfect place for enjoyment. Rather, the Gita teaches that the purpose of life is not to indulge in worldly pleasures but to transcend the material world. The world can be fixed enough for us to carry out this transcendent purpose, but we need to approach it with the right mindset. By combining human effort with divine guidance, we can cooperate to fix the world in a way that supports our spiritual progress.

In an earlier discussion, we likened the world to a hospital, not a hotel. A hospital doesn’t provide luxury or endless comfort—it provides what is necessary for recovery. The goal is not to stay in the hospital but to transcend it. Similarly, the purpose of the world is not for enjoyment but for spiritual growth. Just as a patient must cooperate with the doctor to recover, we must cooperate with divine wisdom and intelligence to transcend the limitations of the material world.

The world is “fixable,” but this fixability depends on the intelligent cooperation between humans and the divine. Without this cooperation, the world cannot fulfill its purpose of supporting our transcendence.

This brings us to the concept of Maya, or illusion. The fundamental problem we face is not that the world is inherently evil, but that we are caught in illusion. So, what exactly is the nature of this illusion?

When we say something is wrong, is it merely an illusion? To explore this, we need to understand that illusion can occur in two ways. First, there’s illusion in perception. For example, when a stick is placed in water, it appears bent, even though it isn’t. Similarly, a mirage may appear to be water, but it is not. These are examples of how our senses can mislead us.

But is this the kind of illusion we’re talking about in the material world? Are the things we find attractive simply illusions in perception? Yes, at some level, this is true. The material world presents many things that seem appealing—attractive people, objects, experiences. But this attraction isn’t entirely illusory. The beauty or appeal we perceive is real to some extent, though it may not be what it appears to be.

This leads us to a deeper understanding of Maya. It’s not just about mistaken perception; it’s about illusion in conception. This means that we conceive of things as having purposes or meanings that they don’t actually have. We may think that the purpose of the world is to enjoy sensory pleasures, but the true purpose is spiritual growth and transcendence. This is the deeper illusion we are caught in—misunderstanding the nature and purpose of the world itself.

In the Bhagavad Gita, the metaphor of the upside-down tree is used to describe the illusory nature of the material world. This metaphor goes beyond simple perception and addresses deeper misconceptions, especially how we conceive the world and our own identities.

To illustrate this, imagine a child encountering fire for the first time. The child might mistakenly think of the fire as a toy because it looks shiny and attractive. This is not just a perceptional illusion but a deeper misconception—illusion in conception—where the child wrongly associates the fire with something safe and playful, rather than recognizing it as something dangerous. This deeper misconception is what the Gita highlights as the true form of illusion in the material world.

The Bhagavatam further explains that the fundamental illusion in the world is the belief that everything exists separately from Krishna. For example, we might find someone physically attractive, but the illusion is thinking that this attraction exists for our enjoyment. A spiritual perspective sees the attraction as a reflection of Krishna’s divine power, and the goal is to direct our attraction toward Krishna, recognizing the divine spark in everything.

Furthermore, we also experience illusion in self-identification. Just as a madman might think he is a king, we mistakenly identify ourselves as our bodies and the roles we play in society, which are temporary and not our true nature. This false self-identification contributes to the confusion and dissatisfaction we experience in life.

Ultimately, the material world itself is illusory because it encourages wrong perceptions, wrong conceptions, and false self-identifications. The upside-down tree metaphor illustrates this concept, symbolizing how the world appears to be one thing, but in truth, it is a reflection of deeper spiritual realities. Through various texts, such as the Bhagavatam and Shankaracharya’s works, this metaphor helps us understand the complex nature of the material world and the spiritual wisdom needed to transcend it.

This metaphor points to the need to perceive the world and ourselves from a spiritual perspective, recognizing the divine presence in everything rather than being trapped in illusions.

The upside-down tree metaphor in the Bhagavad Gita represents the disorienting and illusory nature of material existence. Prabhupada explains that being upside down feels unnatural and uncomfortable, much like how a thoughtful person feels something unnatural about life in this world. There’s a sense that something is wrong or off in the material world, but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what.

When we think of the concept of “upside down,” we often imagine a reflection. In a mirror, we see an image that reverses left and right, but when something is reflected in water, it appears upside down, which is more aligned with the metaphor. The upside-down tree in the Gita signifies that the material world is a reflection of the spiritual world, but it’s distorted. This distorted reflection exists because of the conditioned soul’s desires. The desire to enjoy the material world creates the illusion, and if these desires were absent, this reflection would not exist.

The “normal tree” in this metaphor refers to the spiritual world, which is the true reality, while the upside-down tree represents the illusory material world. Vishwanath Chakravarti Thakur further explains that the higher planets in the material world are closer to the roots of the upside-down tree, symbolizing that beings in higher realms are closer to reality, or spiritual truth. Conversely, those in lower realms are farther away from this truth.

Water plays a significant role in this metaphor. Just as a tree requires water for growth, the material tree grows through the influence of the three modes of nature (goodness, passion, and ignorance). The more entangled we become in these modes, the more the tree of illusion grows.

The Vedic hymns are compared to the leaves of the tree. In a tree, leaves are crucial for perpetuating the tree’s life cycle, just as the words of the Vedas nourish and sustain material existence. Krishna refers to the Vedic words as “flowery words” in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, implying that they are part of the material illusion unless understood in the proper spiritual context. Thus, while the Vedic texts can guide us, they are also part of the reflective material world, and true understanding requires transcending this reflection to grasp the spiritual truth.

In the upside-down tree metaphor, the Vedic hymns are compared to flowers. Flowers are attractive but short-lived, symbolizing the material benefits derived from rituals in the Vedas. The Vedas offer numerous ceremonies and sacrifices designed to fulfill specific desires, such as having a child or curing a disease. These rituals, like flowers, attract us but do not provide lasting satisfaction. Even if one’s desires are fulfilled, the sense of fulfillment is temporary, and soon another desire arises, highlighting the fleeting nature of material enjoyment.

The true fruit of the material world, according to this metaphor, is distress. While one may climb the tree (engage in worldly pursuits), the ultimate outcome is suffering. Krishna often refers to the world as temporary and filled with distress, reinforcing that material pursuits lead to dissatisfaction and pain.

This metaphor emphasizes the unnaturality of material existence, portraying it as a reflection of the spiritual world. The message is clear: we should move from this illusory reflection to the reality of the spiritual world. One of the most famous Vedic aphorisms, tamasoma jyotir gama (from darkness to light) and mrityorma amritam gama (from death to immortality), suggests the journey from illusion to truth, from ignorance to knowledge, and from suffering to liberation.

To move from the reflection to the reality, Krishna advises using an “axe” (asanga shastra), a tool that can cut through attachment and illusion. By severing the attachment to the material world with spiritual wisdom, one can transcend the reflection and reach the true reality. This represents the path of liberation, where one breaks free from the cycle of material desires and suffering.

 Context: The discussion is about the metaphor of the “upside-down tree” from the Bhagavad Gita, which is often not well understood but is a significant metaphor in understanding the nature of the world.

 Background: The 13th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita explains that the soul is bound by material existence due to illusionary desires (Purusha prakriti stho hi). The 15th chapter uses the metaphor of the upside-down tree to further explain this bondage.

 The Metaphor: The “upside-down tree” is described in the verse:

• “Urdhamulam adhashakham, ashwatham prahuravyam” (Bhagavad Gita 15:1).
• The roots are upward, and the branches are downward, symbolizing a reflection of the real tree (spiritual world).
• This tree represents the material world, which is disorienting and unnatural.

 Vedic Significance: The Vedic hymns are likened to the leaves of this tree, symbolizing rituals and ceremonies that can give temporary material benefits. They are short-lived like flowers on a tree.

 The Role of the Tree:

• The tree represents the material world where we are bound by illusion.
• The roots of the tree are higher (closer to spiritual reality), and the branches are downward (symbolizing the illusionary aspects of the material world).

 Human Dissatisfaction: The world inherently has issues:

• Dissatisfaction with life, with people, and with circumstances.
• Moral degradation and the tendency for humans to harm others.
• Physical destruction and deterioration.
• The world is constantly in a state of decline, which reflects the illusionary nature of material existence.

 Maya (Illusion):

• Maya refers to the illusion in both perception and conception.
• Illusion in perception involves seeing things wrong, like mistaking a stick in water for being bent or seeing a mirage.
• Illusion in conception means misunderstanding the purpose of things, like the child mistaking fire for a toy.
• The ultimate illusion is seeing the world as separate from Krishna, the true reality.

 Fixing the World: There are different views on fixing the world:

• Human Effort: The idea of modernity suggests technology can fix the world’s problems, but the World Wars showed that technological advancement alone doesn’t solve deeper issues.
• Divine Intervention: Religious perspectives like Christianity suggest that God’s grace can fix the world, but the Bhagavad Gita suggests that we must transcend the world through spiritual wisdom, not just fix it for enjoyment.

 The Purpose of the World:

• The world is not meant for enjoying; it is a place for transcending material illusions.
• The world should be understood as a hospital, not a hotel – a place to cure our spiritual ailments, not a place for constant enjoyment.

 The Role of the Modes: The growth of the upside-down tree is nourished by the three modes of material nature. The more one gets entangled in these modes, the more the tree (material existence) grows.

 Higher and Lower Realms: The higher planets are closer to the roots (spiritual reality), and the lower realms are further away, representing the disorienting nature of material existence.

 Maya’s Illusory Nature: The world is illusory in both perception (seeing things wrong) and conception (understanding them wrongly). The ultimate illusion is to see anything separate from Krishna.

 Spiritual Liberation: The goal is to transcend the illusion of the material world and realize that everything is connected to Krishna. By understanding the world as a reflection of the spiritual reality, one can move from darkness to light and from death to immortality.

 Key Message: The upside-down tree metaphor illustrates the unnatural and illusory nature of material existence. To transcend this illusion, one must seek spiritual wisdom and move towards the reality of Krishna.

In conclusion, the metaphor of the upside-down tree from the Bhagavad Gita illustrates the illusory and disorienting nature of the material world. It suggests that the world, while appearing real, is actually a reflection of a higher spiritual reality, with the roots representing the eternal truth and the branches symbolizing the transient, illusionary aspects of material existence. The Bhagavad Gita encourages us to transcend the illusions of perception and conception, realizing that the ultimate truth lies in understanding our connection to Krishna. True liberation comes from moving beyond material attachments and recognizing the spiritual reality that underlies all of creation. The world is not meant for enjoyment, but for spiritual growth, and by overcoming the illusions of maya, one can attain enlightenment and eternal peace.