Yogaratova bhogaratova
Sangaratova sangaviheenah
Yasya brahmani ramate chittam
Nandati nandati nandatyeva
Satsangatve nissangatvam
Nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nishchalatattvam
Nishchalatattve jeevanmukti
Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam
Punarapi janani jathare shayanam
Iha samsare bahudustare
Kripayapare pahi murare
Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam
Govindam bhaja mudamate
Yogaratova, Bhogaratova – either in yoga or in bhoga, either in discipline or in pleasure, somehow make it. It doesn’t matter how; the important thing is you get there.
His Highness Sadhguru
Introduction
Bhaja Govindam was written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.
A biography of Shankara and his other compositions of Vedic Literature can be found in the shankara.itx document. Bhaja govindaM is one of the minor compositions of the spiritual giant, Adi Shankaracharya. It is classified as a prakaraNa grantha, a primer to the major works. Though sung as a bhajan, it contains the essence of Vedanta and implores the man to think, Why am I here in this life? Why am I amassing wealth, family, but have no peace ? What is the Truth? What is the purpose of life?
The person thus awakened gets set on a path to the inner road back to the God principle.
The background of Bhaja GovindaM is worth examining. During his stay in Kashi, Adi Shankaracharya noticed a very old man studying the rules of Sanskrit by Panini. Shankara was touched with pity at seeing the plight of the old man spending his years at a mere intellectual accomplishment while he would be better off praying and spending time to control his mind.
Shankara understood that the majority of the world was also engaged in mere intellectual, sense pleasures and not in the divine contemplation. Seeing this, he burst forth with the verses of Bhaja govindaM. In 31 verses, he, like no other, explains our fallacies, our wrong outlook for life, and dispels our ignorance
and delusions. Thus bhaja govindaM was originally known as moha mudgAra, the remover of delusions.
Shankara explains, nay chides, us for spending our time in useless trivia like amassing wealth, lusting after (wo)men and requests us to discriminate and cultivate the knowledge to learn the difference between the real and the unreal. To emphasise that, he concludes that all knowledge other than the Self-Knowledge is useless,
Shankara makes the person realize how foolish he/she is in the conduct and behaviour by these verses, and shows the purpose of our worldly existence, which is to seek Govinda and attain Him.
Bhaja govindaM is divided into dvAdashamanjarikA stotram and chaturdashamanjarika stotram. At the end of composing the first stanza, it is said that Shankara burst forth with the next 12 stanzas of bhaja govindam. Thus stanzas 2-13 with 1st as refrain are called dvAdashmanjarika stotram. Inspired by the extempore recital by Shankara, each of his 14 disciples composed a verse and the 14 verse compendium is called chaturdashamanjarika stotram.
(There are no evidences to prove the exact individual authorship of these 14 verses, we have some traditional hearsay evidences as attribution.) Shankara added the finishing touches by adding five of his own stanzas at the last bringing the total to 31.
The combined 31 are also termed as mohamudgaraH by some. The last two verses in this version is not found in all editions.
Bhaja govindaM has been set to musical tones and sung as prayer songs by children. It is divided into dvAdashamanjarikA and charpaTapanjarikA for this purpose. The former is a set of verses (verses 2-13) while the rest of the verses form charpaTamanjarikA.
Anyone who listens to the music of Bhaja govindaM is attracted to it. However, the significance of the text goes much deeper and contains a well-defined philosophy of attaining salvation.
Shankara's words seem to be quite piercing and seem to lack the softness and tenderness often found in his other texts, thus addressing directly. The reason is that this was an extempore recital to an old man. His words can be compared to a knife of a surgeon. The surgeon's knife cruelly removes the tumour with much pain, but removing the tumour ultimately restores good health in the patient. So are Shankara's words, which pierce and point out our ignorance. It is a knife into the heart of worldliness, and by removing this tumour of ignorance, we can attain everlasting bliss with the grace of Govinda.
May the AchAryA guide us from ignorance to truth.
OM tat sat.
bhaja govindaM
bhaja govindaM bhaja govindaM
govindaM bhaja mUDhamate |
samprApte sannihite kAle
nahi nahi rakShati DukRRi~NkaraNe || 1||
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !
Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death.
mUDha jahIhi dhanAgamatRRiShNAM
kuru sadbuddhiM manasi vitRRiShNAm |
yallabhase nijakarmopAttaM
vittaM tena vinodaya chittam || 2||
Oh fool! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind to thoughts to the Real. Be content with what comes through actions already performed in the past.
nArIstanabharanAbhIdeshaM
dRRiShTvA mA gA mohAvesham |
etanmAMsavasAdivikAraM
manasi vichintaya vAraM vAram || 3||
Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and lust by seeing a woman's navel and chest. These are nothing but a modification of flesh. Fail not to remember this again and again in your mind.
nalinIdalagatajalamatitaralaM
tadvajjIvitamatishayachapalam |
viddhi vyAdhyabhimAnagrastaM
lokaM shokahataM cha samastam || 4||
The life of a person is as uncertain as rain drops trembling on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief.
yAvadvittopArjanasakta-
stAvannijaparivAro raktaH |
pashchAjjIvati jarjaradehe
vArtAM ko.api na pRRichChati gehe || 5||
So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see what affection all those around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due to old age.
yAvatpavano nivasati dehe
tAvatpRRichChati kushalaM gehe |
gatavati vAyau dehApAye
bhAryA bibhyati tasminkAye || 6||
When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse.
bAlastAvatkrIDAsaktaH
taruNastAvattaruNIsaktaH |
vRRiddhastAvachchintAsaktaH
parame brahmaNi ko.api na saktaH || 7|| var pare
The childhood is lost by attachment to playfulness. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age passes away by thinking over many things. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost in parabrahman.
kA te kAntA kaste putraH
saMsAro.ayamatIva vichitraH |
kasya tvaM kaH kuta AyAta-
stattvaM chintaya tadiha bhrAtaH || 8||
Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this samsAra, the world. Of whom are you? From where have you come? Brother, ponder over these truths.
satsa~Ngatve nissa~NgatvaM
nissa~Ngatve nirmohatvam |
nirmohatve nishchalatattvaM
nishchalatattve jIvanmuktiH || 9||
From satsanga, company of good people, comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness. From self-settledness comes JIvan muktI.
vayasi gate kaH kAmavikAraH
shuShke nIre kaH kAsAraH |
kShINe vitte kaH parivAraH
j~nAte tattve kaH saMsAraH || 10||
What good is lust when youth has fled?
What use is a lake which has no water?
Where are the relatives when wealth is gone?
Where is samsAra, the world, when the Truth is known?
mA kuru dhanajanayauvanagarvaM
harati nimeShAtkAlaH sarvam |
mAyAmayamidamakhilaM hitvA var budhvA
brahmapadaM tvaM pravisha viditvA || 11||
Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of these are destroyed within a minute by time. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of Maya and attain the timeless Truth.
dinayAminyau sAyaM prAtaH
shishiravasantau punarAyAtaH |
kAlaH krIDati gachChatyAyu-
stadapi na mu~nchatyAshAvAyuH || 12||
Daylight and darkness, dusk and dawn, winter and springtime come and go. Time plays and life ebbs away. But the storm of desire never leaves.
kA te kAntA dhanagatachintA
vAtula kiM tava nAsti niyantA |
trijagati sajjanasa~NgatirekA
bhavati bhavArNavataraNe naukA || 13||
Oh mad man! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth? Is there no one to guide you? There is only one thing in three worlds that can save you from the ocean of samsAra, get into the boat of satsanga, company of good people, quickly.
dvAdashama~njarikAbhirasheShaH
kathito vaiyAkaraNasyaiShaH |
upadesho.abhUdvidyAnipuNaiH
shrImachCha~NkarabhagavachCharaNaiH || 13a ||
This bouquet of twelve verses (2-13) was imparted to a grammarian by the all-knowing Shankara, adored as the bhagavadpada.
The following 14 form chaturdashama~njarikA.
Stanza below is attributed to padmapAda.
jaTilo muNDI lu~nChitakeshaH
kAShAyAmbarabahukRRitaveShaH |
pashyannapi cha na pashyati mUDho
hyudaranimittaM bahukRRitaveShaH || 14||
There are many who go with matted locks, many who have clean shaven heads, many whose hairs have been plucked out; some are clothed in orange, yet others in various colours --- all just for a livelihood. Seeing truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones see it not.
Stanza attributed to toTakAchArya.
a~NgaM galitaM palitaM muNDaM
dashanavihInaM jAtaM tuNDam |
vRRiddho yAti gRRihItvA daNDaM
tadapi na mu~nchatyAshApiNDam || 15||
Strength has left the old man's body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then the attachment is strong and he clings firmly to fruitless desires.
Stanza attributed to hastAmalaka.
agre vahniH pRRiShThe bhAnuH
rAtrau chubukasamarpitajAnuH |
karatalabhikShastarutalavAsa-
stadapi na mu~nchatyAshApAshaH || 16||
Behold there lies the man who sits warming up his body with the fire in front and the sun at the back; at night he curls up the body to keep out of the cold; he eats his beggar's food from the bowl of his hand and sleeps beneath the tree. Still in his heart, he is a wretched puppet at the hands of passions.
Stanza attributed to Subodha.
kurute ga~NgAsAgaragamanaM
vrataparipAlanamathavA dAnam |
j~nAnavihInaH sarvamatena
muktiM na bhajati janmashatena || 17|| var bhajati na muktiM
One may go to Gangasagar, observe fasts, and give away riches in charity! Yet, devoid of jnana, nothing can give mukti even at the end of a hundred births.
Stanza attributed to vArttikakAra (sureshvara).
suramaMdiratarumUlanivAsaH
shayyA bhUtalamajinaM vAsaH |
sarvaparigrahabhogatyAgaH
kasya sukhaM na karoti virAgaH || 18||
Take your residence in a temple or below a tree, wear the deerskin for the dress, and sleep with mother earth as your bed. Give up all attachments and renounce all comforts. Blessed with such vairgya, could any fail to be content?
Stanza attributed to nityAnanda.
yogarato vA bhogarato vA
sa~Ngarato vA sa~NgavihInaH |
yasya brahmaNi ramate chittaM
nandati nandati nandatyeva || 19||
One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or detachment. But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one else.
Stanza attributed to Anandagiri.
bhagavadgItA ki~nchidadhItA
ga~NgAjalalavakaNikA pItA |
sakRRidapi yena murArisamarchA
kriyate tasya yamena na charchA || 20||
Let a man read but a little from bhagavadgItA, drink just a drop of water from the Ganges, worship but once murAri. He then will have no altercation with Yama.
Stanza attributed to dRiDhabhakti.
punarapi jananaM punarapi maraNaM
punarapi jananIjaThare shayanam |
iha saMsAre bahudustAre
kRRipayA.apAre pAhi murAre || 21||
Born again, death again, again to stay in the mother's womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsAra. Oh Murari ! Redeem me through Thy mercy.
Stanza attributed to nityanAtha.
rathyAcharpaTavirachitakanthaH
puNyApuNyavivarjitapanthaH |
yogI yoganiyojitachitto
ramate bAlonmattavadeva || 22||
There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are rags cast off the road. Freed from vices and virtues, onward he wanders. One who lives in communion with god enjoys bliss, pure and uncontaminated, like a child and as an intoxicated.
Stanza attributed to yogAnanda.
kastvaM ko.ahaM kuta AyAtaH
kA me jananI ko me tAtaH |
iti paribhAvaya sarvamasAram
vishvaM tyaktvA svapnavichAram || 23||
Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence-less and give up the world as an idle dream.
Stanza attributed to surendra.
tvayi mayi chAnyatraiko viShNu-
rvyarthaM kupyasi mayyasahiShNuH |
bhava samachittaH sarvatra tvaM
vA~nChasyachirAdyadi viShNutvam || 24||
In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your anger and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the status of Vishnu, have samabhAva, equanimity, always.
Stanza attributed to medhAtithira.
shatrau mitre putre bandhau
mA kuru yatnaM vigrahasandhau |
sarvasminnapi pashyAtmAnaM
sarvatrotsRRija bhedAj~nAnam || 25||
Waste not your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend and foe, children and relatives. See yourself in everyone and give up all feelings of duality completely.
Stanza attributed to bhArativamsha.
kAmaM krodhaM lobhaM mohaM
tyaktvA.a.atmAnaM bhAvaya ko.aham | var pashyati so.aham
Atmaj~nAnavihInA mUDhA-
ste pachyante narakanigUDhAH || 26||
Give up lust, anger, infatuation, and greed. Ponder over your real nature. Fools are they who are blind to the Self. Cast into hell, they suffer there endlessly.
Stanza attributed to sumati.
geyaM gItAnAmasahasraM
dhyeyaM shrIpatirUpamajasram |
neyaM sajjanasa~Nge chittaM
deyaM dInajanAya cha vittam || 27||
Regularly recite from the Gita, meditate on Vishnu in your heart, and chant His thousand glories. Take delight to be with the noble and the holy. Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy.
Stanza attributed to sumati.
sukhataH kriyate rAmAbhogaH
pashchAddhanta sharIre rogaH |
yadyapi loke maraNaM sharaNaM
tadapi na mu~nchati pApAcharaNam || 28||
He who yields to lust for pleasure leaves his body a prey to disease. Though death brings an end to everything, man does not give-up the sinful path.
arthamanarthaM bhAvaya nityaM
nAstitataH sukhaleshaH satyam |
putrAdapi dhanabhAjAM bhItiH
sarvatraiShA vihitA rItiH || 29||
Wealth is not welfare, truly there is no joy in it. Reflect thus at all times. A rich man fears even his own son. This is the way of wealth everywhere.
prANAyAmaM pratyAhAraM
nityAnitya vivekavichAram |
jApyasametasamAdhividhAnaM
kurvavadhAnaM mahadavadhAnam || 30||
Regulate the prANa-s, life forces, remain unaffected by external influences and discriminate between the real and the fleeting.
Chant the holy name of God and silence the turbulent mind.
Perform these with care, with extreme care.
gurucharaNAmbujanirbharabhaktaH
saMsArAdachirAdbhava muktaH |
sendriyamAnasaniyamAdevaM
drakShyasi nijahRRidayasthaM devam || 31||
Oh devotee of the lotus feet of the Guru! May thou be soon? Free from Samsara. Through disciplined senses and controlled mind, thou shalt come to experience the indwelling Lord of your heart !
The following two are not found in standard text of Bhajagovindam.
mUDhaH kashchana vaiyAkaraNo
DuHkRRi~NkaraNAdhyayanadhurINaH |
shrImachCha~NkarabhagavachChiShyai-
rbodhita AsIchChodhitakaraNaH || 32||
Thus a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow vision and shown the Light by Shankara's apostles.
bhaja govindaM bhaja govindaM
govindaM bhaja mUDhamate |
nAmasmaraNAdanyamupAyaM
nahi pashyAmo bhavAbdhitaraNe || 33|| bhavAbdhitaraNe
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool!
