गुणप्रवृद्धा विषयप्रवालाः ।
अधश्च मूलान्यनुसन्ततानि
कर्मानुबन्धीनि मनुष्यलोके ॥ २ ॥
adhaścordhvaṃ prasṛtāstasya śākhāḥ
guṇapravṛddhā viṣayapravālāḥ .
adhaśca mūlānyanusantatāni
karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke .. 2 ..
Read the commentary
From man down to unmoving objects below, and from him up to the abode of Brahma, the Creator of the Universe, whatever regions are attained as the suitable reward of knowledge and action,—each varying according to the character of knowledge or of action,—they are the spreading branches as it were of that Tree; they are nourished and fattened by the gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, which form their material basis (upadana). The sense-objects such as sound are the buds, as it were, sprouting from the branches of the physical and other bodies which are the result of actions.—The Highest Root of the Tree of Saṃsāra has been mentioned already, and now will be mentioned the secondary roots as it were (of the universe), as leading to acts of dharma or a-dharma: viz., the latent impressions (vasanas) of the feelings of attachment and aversion, etc., which were caused by the fruits of actions. These roots are spread in this world of man below*—below the regions of Devas and the like—and give rise to acts of dharma and a-dharma, these acts springing up on the up-springing of those vasanas. Those roots are spread especially in the world of man. It is while here, as is well-known to all, that men concern themselves with action†.
i.e., in the linga-sariras of men these feelings of attachment and aversion are constantly present.—A.
That is to say, it is while in the human body especially, that one is fit to engage in action.—A.