BhG 15.3-4

syntax

iha (here) asya [aśvatthasya] (of this holy fig tree) rūpam (form) na upalabhyate (it is not perceived),
tathā antaḥ (similarly the end) na [upalabhyate] (it is not perceived),
ādiḥ (beginning) na [upalabhyate] (it is not perceived),
sampratiṣṭhā ca (and basis) na [upalabhyate] (it is not perceived).
enam su-virūḍha-mūlam aśvattham (of this holy fig tree, whose root is fully developed) dṛḍhena asaṅga-śastreṇa (with the strong weapon of detachment) chittvā (after cutting),
tataḥ (then) tat padam (that abode) parimārgitavyam (to be sought) [asti] (it is),
yasmin [pade] (that abode which to) gatāḥ (having gone) bhūyaḥ (again) na nivartanti (they do not return),
yataḥ [puruṣāt] (he from whom) eṣā purāṇī pravṛttiḥ (this ancient activity) prasṛtā (begun) [asti] (it is),
tam eva ca ādyam puruṣaṁ (and indeed to this primeval person) prapadye (I surrender).

grammar

na	–	av. – not;
rūpam	–	rūpa 1n.1 n. – shape, figure, beauty (from: √rūp – to form);
asya	–	idam sn. 6n.1 n. – of this;
iha	–	av. – here (often meaning: in this world);
tathā	–	av. – in that manner, so, in like manner;
upalabhyate	–	upa-√labh (to obtain, to perceive) Praes. pass. 1v.1 – it is perceived;
na	–	av. – not;
antaḥ	–	anta 1n.1 m. – end, limit, settlement, inside, nature;
na	–	av. – not;
ca	–	av. – and;
ādiḥ	–	ādi 1n.1 m. – beginning, origin;
na	–	av. – not;
ca	–	av. – and;
saṁpratiṣṭhā	–	saṁpratiṣṭhā 1n.1 f. – base, foundation, position (from: prati-√sthā – to stand firmly);
aśvattham	–	aśvattha 2n.1 m. – under which a horse stands; holy fig tree / [Ficus Religiosa] (from: aśva – horse; √sthā – to stand; other names of this tree: pippala, bodhi-druma; according to tradition: śvaḥ āgāmi-divasa-paryantaṁ sthāsyatīti śvattham, na śvattham iti aśvattham vinaśvaram – śvas [tomorrow] – lasting till the end of the coming day – this is śvattha, not lasting till the end of the coming day – this is aśvattha, or perishable);
enam	–	etat sn. 2n.1 m. – this;
suvirūḍha-mūlam	–	suvirūḍha-mūla 2n.1 m.; BV: yasya mūlāni suvirūdhāni santi tam – whose roots are fully developed (from: su – prefix: good, excellent, beautiful, virtuous; vi-√ruh – to grow out, to remove, PP suvirūḍha – fully grown up, fully developed; mūla – root, source, basis, foundation);
asaṅga-śastreṇa	–	asaṅga-śastra 3n.1 n.; TP: asaṅgasya śastreneti – with the weapon of detachment (from: √śas – to cut; śastra – a weapon which is handled as opposed to weapon which is thrown – astra; sam-√gam – come together or √sañj – to attach, to stick, to embrace, a-saṅga – lack of attachment, lack of desires, lack of relations);
dṛḍhena	–	dṛḍha (√dṛṁh – to make strong) PP 3n.1 n. – with firm, with hard, not to be bent;
chittvā	–	√chid (to cut) absol. – after cutting;

*****

tataḥ	–	av. – then, after that, from that, for that reason (from: tat – indeclinable ablative with an ending -tas);
padam	–	pada 1n.1 n. – step, foot, mark, site, part, word (from: √pad – to fall, to go, to apply to);
tat	–	tat sn. 1n.1 n. – that;
parimārgitavyam	–	parimārgitavya (pari-√xmārg – to search) PF 1n.1 n. – to be searched, to be sought;
yasmin	–	yat sn. 7n.1 m. – in which;
gatāḥ	–	gata (√gam – to go) PP 1n.3 m. – those having gone;
na	–	av. – not;
nivartanti	–	ni-√vṛt (to stop, to turn back) Praes. P 1v.3 – they return;
bhūyaḥ	–	av. – more, again, besides;
tam	–	tat sn. 2n.1 m. – that;
eva	–	av. – certainly, just, merely;
ca	–	av. – and;
ādyam	–	ādya 2n.1 m. – first, main, excellent;
puruṣam	–	puruṣa 2n.1 m. – person (from: √pur – to precede, to lead or √pṝ – to fill, to nourish, puru – abundance, pūru – people);
prapadye	–	pra-√pad (to surrender) Praes. Ā 3v.1 – I surrender;
yataḥ	–	av. – from which (from: yat – which; indeclinable ablative with an ending –tas);
pravṛttiḥ	–	pravṛtti 1n.1 f. – activity (from: pra-√vṛt – to start to act, to surpass);
prasṛtā	–	pra-sṛtā (pra-√sṛ – to move forward, to spread out) PP 1n.1 f. – being extended, being wide-spreading;
purāṇī	–	purāṇī 1n.1 f. – ancient, belonging to old times (from: √pur – to precede; purāṇa – ancient, belonging to old times);

textual variants

tathopalabhyate → tathopapadyate / tatopalabhyate (thus [one does not] come to / for this reason it is perceived);
saṁpratiṣṭhā → saṁpratiṣṭhitā (position);
suvirūḍha-mūlam → pravirūḍha-mūlam / sva-virūḍha-mūlam (whose roots are strong / whose own roots are strong);
dṛḍhena → śitena (with sharp);
chittvā → hitvā (after abandoning);
padaṁ → paraṁ (supreme);
tat → yat (that which);
parimārgitavyaṁ → padaṁ mārgitavyaṁ / para-mārgitavyaṁ (abode to be sought / supreme to be sought);
yasmin gatā na nivartanti bhūyaḥ → yasmin gato na nivarteta bhūyaḥ (where to gone, again they would not return);
prapadye → prapadyed / taṁ prapadya (he would surrender / to that you must surrender);

Śāṃkara

yas tv ayaṃ varṇitaḥ saṃsāra-vṛkṣaḥ—
na rūpam asyeha yathopavarṇitaṃ tathā naiva upalabhyate, svapna-marīcy-udaka-māyā-gandharva-nagara-samatvāt | dṛṣṭa-naṣṭa-svarūpo hi sa ity ata eva nānto na paryanto niṣṭhā parisamāptir vā vidyate | tathā na cādiḥ | “ita ārabhyāyaṃ pravṛttaḥ” iti na kenacid gamyate | na ca saṃpratiṣṭhā sthitir madhyam asya na kenacid upalabhyate | aśvattham enaṃ yathoktaṃ suvirūḍha-mūlaṃ suṣṭhu virūḍhāni virohaṃ gatāni sudṛḍhāni mūlāni yasya tam enaṃ suvirūḍha-mūlam | asaṅga-śastreṇa asaṅgaḥ putra-vitta-lokaiṣaṇābhyo vyutthānaṃ tenāsaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena paramātmābhimukhya-niścaya-dṛḍhīkṛtena punaḥ punar vivekābhyāsāśma-niśitena cchitvā saṃsāra-vṛkṣaṃ sa-bījam uddhṛtya |

tataḥ paścāt yat padaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ tat parimārgitavyam, parimārgaṇam anveṣaṇaṃ jñātavyam ity arthaḥ | yasmin pade gatāḥ praviṣṭā na nivartanti nāvartante bhūyaḥ punaḥ saṃsārāya | kathaṃ parimārgitavyam ity āha—tam eva ca yaḥ pada-śabdenokta ādyam ādau bhavam ādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye ity evaṃ parimārgitavyaṃ tac-charaṇatayā ity arthaḥ | ko’sau puruṣaḥ ? ity ucyate—yato yasmāt puruṣāt saṃsāra-māyā-vṛkṣa-pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā niḥsṛtā aindrajālikād iva māyā | purāṇī ciraṃtanī

Rāmānuja

enam uktaprakāraṃ suvirūḍhamūlam suṣṭhu vividhaṃ rūḍhamūlam aśvatthaṃ samyagjñānamūlena dṛḍhena guṇamayabhogāsaṃgākhyena śastreṇa chitvā, tataḥ viṣayāsaṃgād dhetoḥ tat padaṃ parimārgitavyam anveṣaṇīyam, yasmin gatā bhūyo na nivartante

katham anādikālapravṛtto guṇamayabhogasaṃgaḥ tanmūlaṃ ca viparītajñānaṃ nivartata ity ata āha
ajñānādinivṛttaye tam eva ca ādyam kṛtsnasyādibhūtam, „mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram”, „ahaṃ sarvasya prabhavo mattas sarvaṃ pravartate”, „mattaḥ parataraṃ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya” ityādiṣūktam ādyaṃ puruṣam eva śaraṇaṃ prapadyet tam eva śaraṇaṃ prapadyeta / yataḥ yasmāt kṛtsnasya sraṣṭur iyaṃ guṇamayabhogasaṅgapravṛttiḥ, purāṇī purātanī prasṛtā / uktaṃ hi mayaitatpūrvam eva, „daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mam māyā dūratyayā / mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṃ taranti te” iti / prapadyeyataḥ pravṛttir iti vā pāṭhaḥ; tam eva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prpadya śaraṇam upagamya, iyataḥ ajñānanivṛttyādeḥ kṛstnasyaitasya sādhanabhūtā pravṛttiḥ purāṇī purātanī praṛtā / purātanānāṃ mumukṣūṇāṃ pravṛttiḥ purāṇī / purātanā hi mumukṣavo mām eva śaraṇam upagamya nirmuktabandhās saṃjātā ityarthaḥ

Śrīdhara

kiṃ ca, na rūpam iti | iha saṃsāre sthitaiḥ prāṇibhir asya saṃsāra-vṛkṣasya tathordhva-mūlatvādi-prakāreṇa rūpaṃ nopalabhyate | na cānto ‚vasānam aparyaptatvāt | na cādir anāditvāt | na ca sampratiṣṭhā sthitiḥ | kathaṃ tiṣṭhatīti nopalabhyate | yasmād evambhūto ‚yaṃ saṃsāra-vṛkṣo durucchedo ‚narthakaraś ca tasmād enaṃ dṛḍhena vairāgyena śastreṇa cchitvā tattva-jñāne yatetety āha aśvattham enam iti sārdhena | enam aśvatthaṃ suvirūḍha-mūlam atyanta-baddha-mūlaṃ santam | asaṅgaḥ saṅga-rāhityam ahaṃ-mamatā-tyāgaḥ | tena śastreṇa dṛḍhena samyag-vicāreṇa cchittvā pṛthak-kṛtya |

tata iti | tataś tasya mūla-bhūtaṃ tat padaṃ vastu parimārgitavyam anveṣṭavyaṃ | kīdṛśaṃ, yasmin gatā yat padaṃ prāptāḥ santo bhūyo na nivartanti nāvartanta ity arthaḥ | anveṣaṇa-prakāram evāha tam eveti | yata eṣā purāṇī cirantanī saṃsāra-pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā vistṛtā | tam eva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye śaraṇaṃ vrajāmi | ity evam ekānta-bhaktyānveṣṭavyam ity arthaḥ

Madhusūdana

yas tv ayaṃ saṃsāra-vṛkṣo varṇita iha saṃsāre sthitaiḥ prāṇibhir asya saṃsāra-vṛkṣasya tathordhva-mūlatvādi tathā tena prakāreṇa rūpaṃ nopalabhyate svapna-marīcy-udaka-māyā-gandharva-nagaravan mṛṣātvena dṛṣṭa-naṣṭa-svarūpatvāt tasya | ata eva tasyānto ‚vasānam nopalabhyate | etāvatā kālena samāptiṃ gamiṣyatīti aparyaptatvāt | na cāsyādir upalabhyate | ita ārabhya pravṛtta ity anāditvāt | na ca sampratiṣṭhā sthitir madhyama-sthopalabhyate | ādy-anta-pratiyogikatvāt tasya | yasmād evaṃ-bhūto ‚yaṃ saṃsāra-vṛkṣo durucchedaḥ sarvānartha-karaś ca tasmād anādy-ajñānena suvirūḍha-mūlam atyanta-baddha-mūlaṃ prāg-uktam aśvatthaṃ asaṅga-śastreṇa saṅgaḥ spṛhāsaṅgaḥ saṅga-virodhi vairāgyaṃ putra-vitta-lokaiṣaṇā-tyāga-rūpaṃ tad eva śastraṃ rāga-dveṣa-maya-saṃsāra-virodhitvāt, tenāsaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena paramātma-jñānautsukhya-dṛḍhīkṛtena punaḥ punar vivekābhyāsa-niśitena cchittvā sa-mūlam uddhṛtya vairāgya-śama-damādi-sampattyā sarva-karma-saṃnyāsaṃ kṛtvety etat |

tato gurum upasṛtya tato ‚śvatthād ūrdhvaṃ vyavasthitaṃ tad vaiṣṇavaṃ padaṃ vedānta-vākya-vicāreṇa parimārgitavyaṃ mārgayitavyam anveṣṭavyaṃ so ‚nveṣṭabhyaḥ sa vijijñāsitavya iti śruteḥ | tat padaṃ śravaṇādinā jñātavyam ity arthaḥ | kiṃ tat padaṃ yasmin pade gatāḥ praviṣṭā jñānena na nivartanti nāvartante bhūyaḥ punaḥ saṃsārāya | kathaṃ tat parimārgitavyam ? ity āha – yaḥ pada-śabdenoktas tam eva cādyam ādau bhavaṃ puruṣaṃ yenedaṃ sarvaṃ pūrṇaṃ taṃ puruṣu pūrṣu vā śayānaṃ prapadye śaraṇaṃ gato ‚smīty evaṃ tad-eka-śaraṇatayā tad anveṣṭavyam ity arthaḥ | taṃ kaṃ puruṣaṃ ? yato yasmāt puruṣāt pravṛttir māyā-maya-saṃsāra-vṛkṣa-pravṛttiḥ purāṇī cirantany anādir eṣā prasṛtā niḥsṛtaindrajālikād iva māyā-hasty-ādi taṃ puruṣaṃ prapadya ity anvayaḥ

Viśvanātha

kiṃ ceha manuṣya-loke ‚sya rūpaṃ svarūpaṃ tathā sa-niścayaṃ nopalabhyate satyo ‚yaṃ mithyāyaṃ nityo ‚yam iti vādi-mata-vaividhyād iti bhāvaḥ | na cānto ‚paryantatvān na cādir anāditvān na ca sampratiṣṭhāśrayaḥ | kiṃ vādhāraḥ ko ‚yam ity api nopalabhyate tattva-jñānābhāvād iti bhāvaḥ | yathā tathāyaṃ bhavatu jīva-mātra-duḥkhaika-nidānasyāsya chedakaṃ śastram asaṅgaṃ jñātvā tenaitaṃ chittvaivāsya mūla-tala-stho mahānidhir anveṣṭavya ity āha aśvattham iti | asaṅgo ‚nāsaktiḥ sarvatra vairāgyam iti yāvat tena śastreṇa kuṭhāreṇa cchitvā svataḥ pṛthak-kṛtya tatas tasya mūla-bhūtaṃ tat-padaṃ vastu mahā-nidhi-rūpaṃ brahma parimārgitavyam | kīdṛśaṃ tad ata āha yasmin gatā yat padaṃ prāptāḥ santo bhūyo na nivartante na cāvartanta ity arthaḥ | anveṣaṇa-prakāram āha yata eṣā purāṇī cirantanī saṃsāra-pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā vistṛtā tam evādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye bhajāmīti bhaktyā anveṣṭavyam ity arthaḥ

Baladeva

na rūpam iti asyāśvatthasya rūpam iha manuṣya-loke tathā nopalabhyate yathordhva-mūlatvādi-dharmakatayā mayopavarṇitam | na cāsyānto nāśa upalalabhyate | katham ayaṃ anartha-vrāta-jaṭilo vinaśyed iti na jñāyate | na cāsyādi-kāraṇam upalabhyate | kuto ‚yam īdṛśo jāto ‚stīti | na cāsya sampratiṣṭhā samāśrayo ‚py upalabhyate | kiṃ samāśrayo ‚yaṃ satiṣṭhat iti |
kintu manusyoo ‚haṃ putro yajña-dattasya,, pitā ca deva-dattasya, tad-anurūpa-karma-kārī sukhī duḥkhī, sāsmin deśe ‚smin grāme nivasāmīty etāvad eva vijñāyata ity arthaḥ | yasmād evaṃ durbodho ‚nartha-vrate hetuś cāyam aśvatthas tasmāt sat-prasaṅga-labdha-vastu-yāthātmya-jñānenainam asaṅga-śastreṇa vairāgya-kuṭhāreṇa dṛḍhena vivekābhyāsa-niśitena cchitvā svataḥ pṛthak-kṛtya tat padaṃ parimārgitavyam iti pareṇānvayaḥ | saṅgo viṣayābhilāṣas tad-virodhy asaṅgo vairāgyaṃ, tad eva śastraṃ tad-abhilāṣa-nāśakatvāt suvirūḍha-mūlaṃ pūrvokta-rītyātyantaṃ baddha-mūlam | tataḥ saṃsārāśvattha-mūlād uparisthitaṃ tat padaṃ parimārgitavyaṃ mat-prasaṅga-labdhaiḥ śravaṇādibhiḥ sādhanair anveṣṭavyam |
tat padaṃ kīdṛśaṃ tatrāha yasminn iti | yasmin gatās taiḥ sādhanair yat prāptā janās tato na nivartante svargād iva na patanti | mārgaṇa-vidhim āha tam eveti | yataḥ purāṇī cirantanīyaṃ jagat-pravṛttiḥ prasṛtā vistṛtā | tam eva cādyaṃ puruṣaṃ prapadye śaraṇaṃ vrajāmīti prapatti-pūrvakaiḥ śravaṇādibhis tan-mārgaṇam uktam | yo jagad-dhetur yat-porapattyā saṃsāra-nivṛttiḥ sa khalu kṛṣṇa eva ahaṃ sarvasya prabhavaḥ ity ādeḥ | daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī ity ādeś ca tad-ukteḥ | na tad bhāsayata ity ādinā vyaktībhāvitvāc ca