Padma Purana — Bhumi Khanda, Shloka 23
The Narrative of Suvrata: Tapas, Surrender-Prayer, and Cyclical Time
संसारवृक्षमतिजीर्णमपीह उच्चं मायासुकंदकरुणा बहुदुःखशाखम् । जायादिसंगच्छदनं फलितं मुरारे तत्राधिरूढपतितं भगवन्हि रक्ष
saṃsāravṛkṣamatijīrṇamapīha uccaṃ māyāsukaṃdakaruṇā bahuduḥkhaśākham | jāyādisaṃgacchadanaṃ phalitaṃ murāre tatrādhirūḍhapatitaṃ bhagavanhi rakṣa
O Murāri, ang matayog na punò ng pag-iral sa sanlibutan—bagama’t lipas at ubod ng tanda—ay may pandaraya bilang punòng-kahoy at hitik sa maraming sanga ng dalamhati. Ang lilim nito’y mga pagkakapit gaya ng asawa at iba pa, at namumunga. Inakyatan ko ito at nahulog—O Panginoon, iligtas Mo ako mula roon.
Unknown (verse is a direct supplication to Vishnu as Murāri; surrounding dialogue not provided)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Sandhi Resolution Notes: संसारवृक्षम्+अतिजीर्णम्+अपि+इह → संसारवृक्षमतिजीर्णमपीह; जाया+आदि → जायादि; सङ्ग+च्छदनम् → संगच्छदनम्; तत्र+अधिरूढपतितम् → तत्राधिरूढपतितम्; भगवन्+हि → भगवन्हि
FAQs
It portrays saṃsāra (worldly existence) as a tall tree: māyā is its trunk, many sorrows are its branches, and attachments like spouse and family form its canopy—showing how entanglement leads to downfall.
The speaker directly appeals to Vishnu (Murāri) for rescue, expressing helplessness after falling into saṃsāra—an archetypal bhakti posture of surrender and reliance on divine grace.
It warns against being overpowered by māyā and binding attachments, urging vigilance and spiritual refuge in God when one recognizes suffering and instability in worldly pursuits.