Shloka 14
Brahmopadeśa on Saṃnyāsa, Tapas, and Jñāna (ब्रह्मोपदेशः—संन्यासतपोज्ञानविमर्शः)
आजीव्य: सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्म॒वृक्ष: सनातन: । एनं छित्त्वा च भित्त्वा च तत्त्वज्ञानासिना बुध:
ājīvyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ brahmavṛkṣaḥ sanātanaḥ | enaṁ chittvā ca bhittvā ca tattvajñānāsinā budhaḥ ||
Vāyu dit : «Cet antique “arbre de Brahman” est la subsistance et le soutien de tous les êtres. Mais le sage l’abat et le fend avec l’épée de la connaissance véritable (tattva-jñāna), discernant le réel tel qu’il est et tranchant la racine de l’illusion.»
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that what appears to be the fundamental support of worldly existence can be transcended: the wise person uses discriminative knowledge (tattva-jñāna) to cut through and dismantle the structures of ignorance and attachment, moving toward liberation.
Vāyudeva is instructing the listener through a vivid metaphor: an eternal ‘Brahman-tree’ that sustains beings is to be ‘cut and split’ by the wise using the ‘sword of true knowledge,’ indicating an inner act of discernment rather than physical violence.