As a sandalwood tree is decorated with fragrant flowers and branches, the Lord’s body was decorated with valuable jewels and pearls. As the sandalwood tree spreads its branches everywhere, the Lord spreads his arms over the universe. As the tree’s root cannot be seen, the Lord origin cannot be understood. As the sandalwood tree is the king of trees, the Lord protects the world by his great power. As a sandalwood tree is covered with many snakes, so the Lord’s shoulders were touched by the hoods of Ananta. Because his fame perfumes the whole universe, the Lord is compared to a sandalwood tree. He had thousands of arms which spread all over the universe (paryasta) like a thousand branches of a tree. His source cannot be traced out, since he is beginningless, just as sandalwood tree’s root cannot be traced out. Sa ātmā svāśrayāśrayaḥ: the Lord is his own shelter. (SB 2.10.9) The comparison with a tree is clear. By one foot he protects the worlds (bhuvana aṅghri-pā) and has great power (indram). This refers to his control over the eka-pada-vibhuti, the extent of the material world. In terms of trees, the sandalwood tree is the king of trees (aṅghri-pa) in the world. The Lord has his shoulders touched (adhivīta) by the hoods or limbs of Śeṣa. Śruti says śatavalśo viroha: O tree with a hundred branches, grow! (Śatapaṭha-bṛāhmaṇa 3.6.4.16) The sandalwood tree’s branches (valśam) are surrounded by many snakes.