FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.19.39

సత్యం పుష్పఫలం విద్యాదాత్మవృక్షస్య గీయతే । వృక్షేఽజీవతి తన్న స్యాదనృతం మూలమాత్మన: ॥ ౩౯ ॥
satyaṁ puṣpa-phalaṁ vidyād
[satyam pushpa-phalam vidyaad]
ātma-vṛkṣasya gīyate
[aatma-vrikshasya geeyate]
vṛkṣe ’jīvati tan na syād
[vrikshe ’jeevati tan na syaad]
anṛtaṁ mūlam ātmanaḥ
[anritam moolam aatmanah]
satyam — the factual truth puṣpa-phalam — the flower and the fruit vidyāt — one should understand ātma-vṛkṣasya — of the tree of the body gīyate — as described in the Vedas vṛkṣe ajīvati — if the tree is not living tat — that (puṣpa-phalam) na — not syāt — is possible anṛtam — untruth mūlam — the root ātmanaḥ — of the body.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
satyaṁ puṣpa-phalaṁ vidyād
satyam
the factual truth
puṣpa-phalam
the flower and the fruit
vidyāt
one should understand
ātma-vṛkṣasya gīyate
ātma-vṛkṣasya
of the tree of the body
gīyate
as described in the Vedas
vṛkṣe ’jīvati tan na syād
vṛkṣe ajīvati
if the tree is not living
tat
that (puṣpa-phalam)
na
not
syāt
is possible
anṛtaṁ mūlam ātmanaḥ
anṛtam
untruth
mūlam
the root
ātmanaḥ
of the body.
The Vedas enjoin that the factual result of the tree of the body is the good fruits and flowers derived from it. But if the bodily tree does not exist, there is no possibility of factual fruits and flowers. Even if the body is based on untruth, there cannot be factual fruits and flowers without the help of the bodily tree.

This śloka explains that in relation to the material body even the factual truth cannot exist without a touch of untruth. The Māyāvādīs say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: “The spirit soul is truth, and the external energy is untruth.” The Vaiṣṇava philosophers, however, do not agree with the Māyāvāda philosophy. Even if for the sake of argument the material world is accepted as untruth, the living entity entangled in the illusory energy cannot come out of it without the help of the body. Without the help of the body, one cannot follow a system of religion, nor can one speculate on philosophical perfection. Therefore, the flower and fruit ( puṣpa-phalam ) have to be obtained as a result of the body. Without the help of the body, that fruit cannot be gained. The Vaiṣṇava philosophy therefore recommends yukta-vairāgya. It is not that all attention should be diverted for the maintenance of the body, but at the same time one’s bodily maintenance should not be neglected. As long as the body exists one can thoroughly study the Vedic instructions, and thus at the end of life one can achieve perfection. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā: yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram. Everything is examined at the time of death. Therefore, although the body is temporary, not eternal, one can take from it the best service and make one’s life perfect.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
One should know from scriptures that the fruits and flowers of the tree of the body are true. If the body does not live, there can be no fruits and flowers. Therefore it is permissible to maintain the body by any means. Untruth is the root of the body. Truth cannot be perfected without a slight amount of untruth. One should know that the fruit and flowers of the tree consisting of the body are truth, since this is stated in scripture. If the tree does not live, there will be no fruits and flowers. Therefore make efforts to maintain the body. The body must live even by untruth, by not maintaining truth at all times.
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