Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 31

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 31:

“GurucharanaambhujanirBharaBhakthaha
sasaaradhachiraadhBhava mukthaha
sendriyamaanasaniyamaadevam
dryakshyasi nijahrudhayasTham devam”

Word Meaning:
Guru charana ambuja nirBhara Bhakthah: great devotee of the lotus-feet of the teacher
Samsaaraath: from the samsaara
Achiraath: soon
Bhava mukthah: become liberated
Sendhriya maanasa niyamaath: through the discipline of sense-organs and the mind
Evam: in this manner
Dhrkyashi: you will experience
Nija hrudayasTham: that dwells in one’s own heart
Devam: the lord

“oh devotees of the Lotus-feet of the Teacher! May you become liberated soon from Samsara through the discipline of the sense-organs and the mind. You will come to experience the Lord that dwells in your heart”

Here Shankara gives the concluding words to the seeker. Faith and Devotion to the Guru are very necessary for the seeker to progress towards the Reality. Though initially the seeker may not be apprehend what the Guru says, but still the seeker should not lose faith on the Guru. St Augustine defines faith as “Faith is to believe what you do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what you believe”. Thus when the seeker reflects the teaching in his mind with the faith, he will progress towards the Reality.

To realize ones own nature of Self, the seeker has to turn the mind inwards and has to withdraw the sense organs from the sense objects. When the seeker learns what is real what is unreal from the Guru and discriminates his mind, he will develop dispassion towards the worldly objects. When there is dispassion towards the worldly objects, the mind gets controlled and such a controlled mind will be able to concentrate on the Self all the time. When the seeker constantly contemplates on the Self, when the mind is free from all the doubts about the Reality, he realizes ones own nature of Self and thus crosses over the vicious circle of Samsaara. When the seeker realizes ones own nature of Self, the seeker will always revels in the Bliss of the Self and thus doesn’t desire for anything else.

Vidyaranya tells in Panchadasi that
“abhaane na param prema bhane na vishayae spruha”
If the Supreme bliss of the Self is not known, there cannot be the highest love for it. If it known, there cannot be attraction for worldly objects

With this verse we have reached the end of Bhaja Govindam of Shankarachayra.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh