Gita 15.3
Purushottama Yoga
न रूपमस्येह तथोपलभ्यते नान्तो न चादिर्न च सम्प्रतिष्ठा | अश्वत्थमेनं सुविरूढमूल- मसङ्गशस्त्रेण दृढेन छित्त्वा ||३||
na rūpam asyeha tathopalabhyate nānto na cādir na ca sampratiṣṭhā | aśvattham enaṁ suvirūḍha-mūlam asaṅga-śastreṇa dṛḍhena chittvā ||3||
In essence: This tree cannot be perceived in its true form from within it—it has no traceable beginning, end, or foundation—therefore, cut this deeply-rooted tree with the strong weapon of non-attachment.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "If I cannot perceive this tree's true form from within it, how can I know I am cutting the right thing?"
Guru: "You cannot see the whole tree, but you can feel the roots binding you. Where there is attachment, there is a root. Where there is compulsive desire, there is a root. You need not map the entire tree; simply notice where you are bound and apply the weapon there."
Sadhak: "Non-attachment sounds cold. Will I become an unfeeling person?"
Guru: "Observe carefully: attachment creates anxiety, fear of loss, clinging. When you love with attachment, there is always an undercurrent of demand and fear. Non-attachment allows love without these distortions—purer, freer, more genuine. You are cutting bondage, not capacity for love. In fact, only the unattached can truly love."
Sadhak: "The roots are described as firmly grown. After so many lives of attachment, how can I cut through?"
Guru: "The same way any deeply rooted pattern is overcome: persistent, firm, daily wielding of the weapon. Krishna says 'dṛḍhena'—firmly. This is not weekend spirituality but resolute, unwavering practice. Each moment of genuine non-attachment weakens the root. It may take time, but each cut counts. The alternative is endless samsara."
Did this resonate with you? Share it with someone who needs to hear this.
🌅 Daily Practice
Before rising, hold the intention: 'Today, I wield the weapon of non-attachment.' This is not about rejecting experience but about not being enslaved by outcomes. Feel the firmness (dṛḍha) of this resolve before entering the day's activities where attachment will be tested.
When you notice attachment arising—clinging to an outcome, fearing a loss, demanding something from someone—inwardly invoke the weapon. Not by suppressing the desire but by questioning it: 'What am I attached to here? What root am I strengthening?' This inquiry is itself the cutting edge of the weapon.
Review the day: where did attachment grip? Where did you successfully remain free? Notice the quality of experience in each case. Usually, non-attached moments were more peaceful, more spacious, more genuinely connected. Let this experiential evidence strengthen your resolve to wield the weapon more firmly tomorrow.