यथा तरोर्मूलनिषेचनेन
तृप्यन्ति तत्स्कन्धभुजोपशाखा: ।
प्राणोपहाराच्च यथेन्द्रियाणां
तथैव सर्वार्हणमच्युतेज्या ॥
yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ |
prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.31.14)
“As the trunks, branches, and sub-branches of a tree are all satiated by watering the root thereof, and as [satiation] of the sense organs comes about as a result of an offering [of food] to the vital air, so exactly honoring of all [beings] comes about by worship of Acyuta.”
Commentary
kiṁ ca nānā-karmabhis tat-tad-devatā-prīti-nimittāny api phalāni hari-prītyā bhavanti, kevalaṁ tat-tad-devatārādhanena tu na kiñcid iti sadṛṣṭāntam āha—yatheti | mūlāt prathama-vibhāgāḥ skandhāḥ, tad-vibhāgā bhujāḥ, teṣām apy upaśākhāḥ, upalakṣaṇam etat patra-puṣpādayo’pi, tṛpyanti, na tu mūla-sekaṁ vinā tāḥ sva-sva-niṣecanena | prāṇasyopahāro bhojanaṁ, tasmād evendriyāṇāṁ tṛptiḥ, na tu tat-tad-indriyeṣu pṛthak pṛthag anna-lepanena, tathācyutārādhanam eva sarva-devatārādhanaṁ, na pṛthag ity arthaḥ |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā; cited partially in Bhakti Sandarbha: 52)
“Moreover, even the results of various karmas the cause of which is the satisfaction of the various devatās occur as a result of the satisfaction of Hari, and nothing, rather, occurs as a result of worship of the various devatās alone [without the satisfaction of Hari]. He explains this with an illustration: yathā … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. (1) Trunks, that is, the first divisions [of a tree] from the roots, (2) branches, that is, divisions of those [trunks], and (3) sub-branches of these as well—this [description] being an indicator of leaves, flowers, and so on as well—are satiated [by watering the tree’s root], and not, rather, by watering of themselves without watering the roots. ‘An offering’ to the vital air refers to food. From that alone satiation of the sense organs occurs, and not, rather, from smearing food separately upon each of the sense organs. Similarly, furthermore, worship of Acyuta is itself worship of all the devatās, and not separate [from that, meaning, by worshiping Acyuta all the devatās are worshiped such that there is no need to worship the devatās separately]. This is the meaning.”
śrī-bhagavad-arcanenaiva jagataḥ santoṣa iti sadṛṣṭāntam āha—yatheti | mūlāt prathama-vibhāgāḥ skandhāḥ, tad-vibhāgā bhujāḥ, teṣām apy upaśākhāḥ, upalakṣaṇam etat patra-puṣpādayo’pi, tṛpyanti, na tu mūla-sekaṁ vinā sva-sva-niṣecanena | prāṇasyopahāro bhojanam | tasmād evendriyāṇāṁ tṛptiḥ, na tu tat-tad-indriyeṣu pṛthak-pṛthag-anna-lepanāt | tathā cācyutārādhanam eva sarva-devatārādhanaṁ, na pṛthag ity arthaḥ |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.257)
“Satisfaction of the world occurs only by means of worship of Śrī Bhagavān. He explains this with an illustration: yathā … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. (1) Trunks, that is, the first divisions [of a tree] from the roots, (2) branches, that is, divisions of those [trunks], and (3) sub-branches of these as well—this [description] being an indicator of leaves, flowers, and so on as well—are satiated [by watering the tree’s root], and not, rather, by watering of themselves without watering of the roots. ‘An offering’ to the vital air refers to food. From that alone satiation of the sense organs occurs, and not, rather, from smearing food separately upon each of the sense organs. Similarly, furthermore, worship of Acyuta is itself worship of all the devatās, and not separate [from that, meaning, by worshiping Acyuta all the devatās are worshiped such that there is no need to worship the devatās separately]. This is the meaning.”
evaṁ karma-jñāna-kāṇḍayoḥ śrī-harāv eva paryavasānam uktvopāsanā-kāṇḍasyāpy āha—yatheti |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā)
“Having thus described the culmination in Śrī Hari alone of the karma and jñāna sections [of the Vedas], he describes that [culmination in Śrī Hari] of the upāsanā section [of the Vedas] as well: yathā … [i.e., he speaks this verse].”
‘yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena’ iti nyāyena sarva-dharma-paryāpti-hetuṁ … |
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 62)
“[Worship of Śrī Bhagavān is] A cause of the accomplishment of all dharmas as per the principle stated in SB 4.31.14], ’As the trunks, branches, and sub-branches of a tree are all satiated by watering its root …’ (yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena …).”
tathā ‘yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena’ ity-ādi-vākyena hari-paricaryāyāṁ kriyamāṇāyāṁ sarveṣām anyeṣām api devādīnām upāsanā svata eva sidhyatīty ato’pi sārvatrikatā |
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 115)
“As per the statement [in SB 4.31.14], ’As the trunks, branches, and sub-branches of a tree are all satiated by watering its root …’ (yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena …), when attendant service of Hari is performed, worship even of all other devatās and so forth is accomplished of its own accord. Because of this as well, there is universality (sārvatrikatā) [of Bhagavad-bhakti].”
sarva-prīṇana-hetutvam uktam—‘yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena’ ity-ādinā |
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 131)
“[Bhakti’s] Being a cause of satisfaction for all [beings] is stated by [the statement in SB 4.31.14], ’As the trunks, branches, and sub-branches of a tree are all satiated by watering its root …’ (yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena …).”
na ca devādīnāṁ tarpaṇa-mātra-tātparyeṇāpi pṛthak-pṛthag-ārādhanaṁ kartavyaṁ ‘yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena’ ity-ādau tat-paunaruktya-prāpteḥ |
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 173)
“And it is not that separate individual worship of the devas and so forth is to be done even with the intent only of satisfaction [of them, i.e., even without the intent of receiving some reward from them for worshiping them and simply worshiping them for their satisfaction] on account of the repetition thereof [i.e., of redundantly performing an action meant to bring about their satisfaction since simply worship Śrī Bhagavān itself satisfies them] as per [the statement in SB 4.31.14], ’As the trunks, branches, and sub-branches of a tree are all satiated by watering its root …’ (yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena …).”
nanu karma-jñānādīnāṁ yathā bhakti-miśratvam āvaśyakaṁ, tathā bhakter api karma-miśratvam āvaśyakam eva, devarṣi-pitrādy-arhaṇa-lakṣaṇasya nitya-karmaṇo’karaṇe pratyavāya-śravaṇād ity ata āha—yatheti | mūlāt prathama-vibhāgāḥ skandhāḥ, tad-vibhāgā bhujāḥ, teṣām apy upaśākhāḥ, upalakṣaṇaṁ patra-puṣpādayo’pi, tṛpyanti, na tu mūla-sekaṁ vinā sva-sva-niṣecanena | tathaiva acyutejyaiva sarvārhaṇam | acyutasya pūjāyāṁ sarva eva pūjitāḥ syur ity arthaḥ | nanv aśaktasyaiva bhavatv etat | śaktena tu acyutasya pūjā kartavyā | devādīnāṁ ca yathā mūlasya skandhādīnāṁ ca seke na doṣaḥ, pratyuta guṇa evety āśaṅkya dṛṣṭāntāntaram āha | prāṇasyopahāro bhojanaṁ, tasmād evendriyāṇāṁ tṛptiḥ, na tu tat-tad-indriyeṣu pṛthak pṛthag anulepāt, pratyuta nayana-karṇādiṣv āndhyāvadhiryādy-utpādanāt doṣa eva |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[An objection is raised:] ‘Well, as there is a necessity of karma, jñāna, and so forth being mixed with bhakti, so there is certainly a necessity of bhakti’s also being mixed with karma because of hearing [in the śāstra] of [the occurrence of] a transgression as a result of non-performance of compulsory karma, such as [tjhe compulsory karmas of] worship of the devas, ṛṣis, forefathers, and so on.’ Thus, he says yathā … [i.e., he speaks this verse to address this objection]. (1) Trunks, that is, the first divisions [of a tree] from the roots, (2) branches, that is, divisions of those [trunks], and (3) sub-branches of these as well—this [description] being an indicator of leaves, flowers, and so on as well—are satisfied [by watering the tree’s root], and not, rather, by watering of themselves without watering of the roots. So exactly, honoring of all [beings] comes about only by worship of Acyuta, meaning, verily all shall be worshiped [i.e., propitiated] when worship of Acyuta occurs.
“[An objection is raised:] ‘Well, let this be so only for one who is incapable [of worshiping the devas, ṛṣis, forefathers, and others in addition to worshiping Acyuta]. Worship of Acyuta and of the devas and others [i.e., the ṛṣis, forefathers, and others who are considered necessary to worship on the path of karma] is to be performed by the capable, just as no fault occurs as a result of watering the trunk [of a tree] and so on above the roots, and rather, there is a verily a virtue [in doing so].’ Expecting this [objection], he states another illustration. ‘An offering’ to the vital air refers to food. From that alone satiation of the sense organs occurs, and not, rather, from smearing [food] separately upon each of the sense organs. Rather, a fault verily occurs [if food is smeared upon the sense organs] as a result of creating blindness, deafness, and so on in the eyes, ears, and so on.”