Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 13

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 13:

“kaathae kaanathaa Dhanagatha chinthaa
Vaathula kim thava naasthi niyanthaa
Thrijagathi sajjana sangathi reka
Bhavathi Bhavaarnava tharanae nowka”

Word Meaning:
Kaha: why
Thae: you
Kaanthaa: wife
Dhanagatha: wealth
Chinthaa: think
Vaathula: oh distracted one!
Kim: is there?
Thava: you
Na asthi: not
Niyanthaa: the ordainer of rules.
Thrijagathi: in the three worlds
Sajjana: of the good
Sangathi: companion
Reka: only
Bhavathi: can serve as
Bhavaarnava tharanae: to cross the sea of changes (Samsaara)
Nowka: boat

Oh distracted one!! Why are you thinking about your wife and wealth? Is there no one to control you? In the three worlds the association with good alone will serve as the boat to cross the sea of Samsaara

The common goal for everyone is happiness, the happiness which stays forever. For a person who sees the world and the objects as real, thinks that he would get that happiness that he wants from the objects of the world, forgetting that his very nature is Happiness alone. To satisfy his desire, he continues to perform actions to acquire more wealth so that he can enjoy all the sensual pleasures. Such a distracted person who desires for the sensual pleasures, most of the time, have the thought of his possessions. If the person thinks that he possesses little wealth, there could a thought of insecurity whether he would be able to make the ends meet, or if he thinks he possesses more wealth there could be thought of insecurity to safe guard the possessions. Thus most of the time there will be the thought of possessions.

When the mind is extroverted and desires to indulge in the sensual pleasure, the mind goes more and more away from the thought of Reality. When the mind goes away from the thought of the Reality, such a person will be born again and again in this sorrowful world, doing actions to satisfy his desires and enjoying the fruits of the action. There is only one way through which the mind can be turned back to the Self, that is association with wise people. The wise people are those who have controlled the mind, who always have the thought of the Self and who always revels in the Bliss of the Self. We have to be associated with such a wise person. By associating with such a person, our mind will be controlled, will be free from other worldly thoughts and also will have thoughts of the Reality. Once the mind gets controlled and has the thought of the Reality, then the person realizes his own nature of Self.

Shankara here says, there is no other way in the three worlds to overcome the endless Samsaara except the association with the Guru. By surrendering completely to the Guru, by listening to the words of the Guru, by living in the teachings of the Guru, alone one can overcome this vicious circle of Samsaara.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh