Chapter XV · Śloka 2
अधश्चोर्ध्वं प्रसृतास्तस्य शाखा
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः ।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥
गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः ।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥
adhaś cordhvaṃ prasṛtās tasya śākhā
guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ |
adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke ||
guṇa-pravṛddhā viṣaya-pravālāḥ |
adhaś ca mūlāny anusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣya-loke ||
Its branches spread upward and downward, nourished by the guṇas, with sense objects as their buds. And below, in the world of men, its secondary roots stretch down, binding one through action.
The three guṇas feed the tree's growth, and sense pleasures are its tender shoots enticing the soul. The secondary roots binding humanity are the deep impressions of karma that pull beings back into embodied existence.