Bhaja Govindam

Bhaja Govindam - Summary

2006-11-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

Prostrating to the feet of Guru, let us conclude Bhaja Govindam by summarizing it.

The Ultimate Reality of Brahman is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness and Bliss Absolute and according to scriptures Brahman alone exists. Jiva is nothing but Brahman alone but because of ignorance of the Self, he has forgotten his own very nature. The very nature of Jiva is Bliss only but because of forgetfulness of his own nature of Bliss the jiva thinks that the happiness is in the objects of the world and thus works to attain that happiness and experiences the happiness. Though the jiva might experience the happiness from the object that he possesses, he always wants to experience this happiness all the time and thus works more and more to retain that happiness, and in the process he experiences sorrow as well. Thus because of the desire for the happiness from the objects of the world, he gets deluded in the world of objects which doesn’t have permanent happiness. Shankara, when he was going on pilgrimage to Kasi along with his disciples, saw an old man by-hearting Sanskrit grammar. He felt so bad that the old man instead of spending time in contemplating on the Reality was wasting time in mere intellectual knowledge. Mere enjoyment of the worldly objects without the thought of the Reality, will only delude a person and thus will go from birth to birth in the vicious circle of Samsaara. Therefore he says “Worship Govinda Worship Govinda..” as any possession will not help one at the time of death. The word Govinda has many meanings. The literal meaning of Govinda is cow-herd. ‘Go’ means Veda and Govinda is one who can be known through Vedas. ‘Go’ means sense organs and ‘vind’ means master, therefore Govinda means master of Sense organs. Only those who have realized ones own of Self will be able to control their senses and we can take Govinda to mean Guru as well.

When the Blissful nature of Self is forgotten, there will always be a desire for possessing wealth. This desire over a period of time becomes passion and thus deludes the person. We have to give up the passion for possession of more and more wealth and should be contended with what we get for the actions that we have done. Instead of spending lot of energy in actions done for the possession of wealth, we can spend the energy in thinking of the Reality which alone will lead to liberation. Pleasure from the object of the world are not permanent, they are temporary only. The carnal pleasure that one gets is also temporary only. The pleasure which the body seems to give is not real happiness. The body which is made up of flesh and bones is insentient and doesn’t have any capability to give pleasure, but it is only the mind, which sees the body as the object of pleasure, experiences the pleasure. Thus we have to reflect continuously, we should not get deluded by the pleasure which seems to come from the body. When a person gives so much importance to such short-lived happiness, he will get carried away by that object and gets deluded. But this life is like a water droplet on the lotus leaf, the water droplet doesn’t stick to the lotus leaf and thus it can any time fall off from the lotus leaf. In the same way, the life also can go off at any time and hence one cannot afford to waste ones life in the short-lived pleasures which the worldly objects give. In fact the happiness that worldly objects seems to give are the indications of the arrival of sorrow. Once the person is carried away by the happiness that the worldly object gives, he always tries to experience that permanently and hence in the process he experiences sorrow. Thus the world is filled with sorrow and sufferings only which is because of the search of happiness in the objects of the world. We might be experiencing greater happiness from the people around us but the respect which the people give to us might last as long as there is capacity to earn money. It is only for wealth the respect is given and once the capacity goes, then people also move away. For even the close relatives will be with us only as long as there is breath in the body, when the breath goes off even ones own wife fears to see the body.

When a person is a child he spends his time in playing. When he is a youth, he spends his time in enjoying the sensual pleasure and when old age he spends his time in anxieties and hence there is no time to think of the Reality. Wife, son etc all came from the Lord only, but because of the powerful Maya they are seen as different and hence make us to think as my son, my wife etc. To avoid attachment, one has to have constant contact with the Guru or with the Self, when there is detachment there will not be any delusion and when there is no delusion the mind will be free from anxieties and will be calm and when the mind is free from all anxieties and calm that is the state of liberation. Knowledge of the Self is the Ultimate Knowledge and hence when one gets this Ultimate Knowledge there will be no other desire in the mind. Therefore we have to understand that Brahman alone is real and all others are not real because all the objects of the world will undergo changes. Thus for this moment the object might seem to give us happiness but later it might not give the happiness. Therefore we should not take pride for the possession that we have because it is just a matter of time when it might go off from our hands. We have to give up all the anxieties about our people around us, about our wealth and have to take refuge in the feet of Guru as in the three worlds it is only Guru who can save us from this vicious circle of Samsaara.

There are people around who calls themselves sages and have all getups externally to give the impression to others that they are sages. But they are doing that only to fill their stomach. These are not real renunciation as there is desire for the bodily happiness. For realizing ones own nature of Self, external renunciation is not required at all. What is required is mental renunciation, by withdrawing the mind from the sense objects and keep the mind always focused on the Reality. One may do all the rituals mentioned in the Veda, one may give lot of charities but these actions as such cannot give liberation because action doesn’t have the capability to remove ignorance as it is the product of ignorance. Only knowledge can remove the ignorance. But for a person who have this Ultimate Knowledge might seem to perform actions in the world and yet he will always be rejoicing the Ultimate Bliss of the Self as there is no doer for such a person, there is only Self. This Ultimate Knowledge can be got through the Vedantic Sadhana of Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana. When the seeker follows these Vedantic Sadhana he crosses over the ocean of Samsaara and hence for such a person there is no death. If this knowledge is not known then such a person will go from birth to birth and if there is desire to overcome this ocean, one have to take refuge in the feet of the Guru. The pleasure and pain which we seem to experience from the world are experienced by the ego only. Thus we have to enquire who is experiencing these happiness and pain, who am I? thus when we enquire we will understand that it is only the ego which is experiencing all the pleasures and pain. Even the ego is illumined by the Self alone. Thus without Self nothing can ever exist. Therefore we have to see the Self everywhere as everything have come from the Self only. When we thus see the Self everywhere, there will no likes or dislikes on anything that is seen, there will only be bliss all the time. When the modifications of likes and dislikes are removed, then there will no emotions like hatred, desire etc which are the products of ignorance. When the ignorance vanishes all the products of the ignorance also vanishes and thus the person experiences only non-dual bliss all the time.

When a seeker follows the Vedantic sadhana of Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana, sincerely he realize ones own nature of Self. To aid this sadhana, other sadhanas like meditation, chanting Lalitha Sahasranaamam etc helps. When we practice these also by offering to the Lord, the mind will get purified and hence will be able to apprehend the Reality told by the scriptures. Once the seeker learns about the Reality, he have to reflect on the teachings and have to practice them till he reaches the Ultimate Goal. An extroverted mind cannot apprehend the Reality and hence to turn the mind inward, one have to control his external activities and have to withdraw the mind from the objects. This is done through the discrimination that Self alone is Real and all others are not real. The Intellect should be strong for a person to withdraw the mind from the sense objects and to aid these other sadhanas like japa, meditation etc will help. But we should not take means to be end and get carried away by the intermediate bliss, therefore we have to perform the actions very carefully. Thus, with faith and devotion on the Guru, and by controlling the sense, one can realize ones own nature of Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 31

2006-11-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

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

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 30

2006-11-02T19:21:00.000-08:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 30:

“Praanaayaamam prathyaahaaram
Nithya anithya viveka vichaaram
Jaapyasamaetha samaaDhiviDhaanam
kurvavaDhaanam mahadhavaDhaanam”

Word Meaning:
Praanaayaamam: The control of Praana (the vital force)
Prathyahaaram: Sense withdrawal
Nithya anithya viveka vichaaram: the enquiry consisting of discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent
Jaapyasamaetha samaaDhiviDhaanam: along with Japa, and the practice of reaching the total inner silence
Kuruhu: perform
avaDhaanam: with care
mahath avaDhaanam: with great care

The control of all activities (of life’s manifestation in you), the sense-withdrawal (from their respective sense-objects), the reflection (consisting of discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent), along with japa and the practice of reaching the total-inner-silence (samadhi) – these, perform with care, with great care.

In this verse the acharya gives the final word of advice to the seeker. Here, the acharya says to practice pranayama, which means to control the external activities in the world. Most of the energy is wasted through the actions performed day in and day out. Therefore by reducing too much of energy spent in the externally, one will be able to concentrate on progressing towards the Reality. Every action that is performed when done continuously becomes a Vasana in the mind, and this Vasana then makes one to perform more actions. Thus, it is important to reduce the Vasanas in the mind by controlling the external activities. Once the seeker able to control the external energy spilled over through the actions performed in the world, then he must try to divert the mind away from the sense objects towards the Self. This is Prathyahaara. One will be able to withdraw the mind from the sense objects only when the intellect has the strength to withdraw the mind. To get that subtle mind, one has to constantly discriminate between the Real and the Unreal through the scriptural knowledge that is learnt from the Guru. Therefore by controlling the life, by withdrawing the mind from the sense objects through the discrimination between the real and unreal, is the sadhana that the Acharya says.

To aid these Japa, meditation etc, will also be very helpful. Practice of Japa will help in removing the obstacles and also helps in purification of mind when performed as an offering to the lord.
Ramana says in Upadesha Saram about 3 types of practicing Japa
Uttama stavaat uccha mandathah
Chittajam japa dhyaanam uttamam

Than the best of praises, singing or chanting in loud and low volume is greater or superior. Superior to both of these is Japa meditation or chanting in the mind.

Practice of meditation helps in gaining concentration. Practice of Nirvikalpa Samadhi helps in burning the impure Vasana (vasana that makes the mind to go out) and also develops Pure Vasana (vasana towards the Reality or the Self). The same is told by Vidhyaranya in Panchadasi first chapter

anaadaav iha sa.nsaare sa.nchitaaH karma koTayaH .
anena vilaya.n yaanti shuddho dharmo vivardhate

As a result of this (nirvikalpa) Samadhi millions of results of actions, accumulated in this beginningless world over past and present births, are destroyed, and pure dharma (helpful to the realization of Truth) grows.

These sadhanas are only means to the Ultimate Goal of realizing ones own nature of Self. There might be cases when the seeker might be carried away by various experiences through the practice of Samadhi. When the seeker gives more importance to those experiences there will not be any progress towards the goal and the person will still be in ignorance only. Controlling of actions and withdrawal of senses doesn’t mean suppression of any thought, here acharya says to withdraw the senses through discrimination between real and unreal. Thus to make sure that the seeker don’t deviate from the Ultimate Goal, the acharya thus mentions to practice these with great care.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 29

2006-11-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 29:

“arthamanartham Bhaavaya nithyam
Nasthithatha suKha lesha sathyam
Puthrathapi Dhana Bhaajaam Bheethihi
Sarvathraisha vihithaa reethihi”

Word Meaning:
Artham: wealth
Anartham: calamitous
Bhaavaya: reflect
Nityam: constantly
Na asthi: there is not
Thathaha: from it
suKha leshaha: a little happiness
sathyam: truth
puthrathapi: even from his own son
Dhana Bhaajaam: to the rich
Bheethihi: there is fear
Sarvthra: everywhere
Eshaha: this
Vihithaa: is
Reethihi: the way

“Wealth is calamitous; reflect this constantly. The truth is that there is no happiness at all to be got from it. To the rich, there is fear even from his own son. This is the way of wealth everywhere.”

In this verse, the acharya again says that the possession of worldly objects cannot give happiness. The objects of the world don’t have happiness at all in them and it is because of ignorance of ones own nature, one desires for the possession of the object and struggles hard to get that. Though the objects of the world seem to give happiness in the beginning when it is possessed, later it will give only sorrow. None of the objects in the world is permanent it is always changing and hence cannot give permanent happiness. Also, the objects of the world have neither happiness nor sorrow, it is only the mind through the modifications of likes and dislikes seem to experience happiness from the object. Therefore, the external objects have no happiness, if at all it seems to give happiness it is only an indication about the arrival of sorrow.

We have to constantly reflect that the possessed objects as such don’t have any happiness, knowing the temporary nature of the objects. One can possess wealth, but one should not become slave to the wealth. Instead of wasting all the energy in possessing the wealth, we have to turn the mind towards the Self.
Shankara told in the very beginning of Bhaja Govindam,
“MooDa jaheehi Dhanaagama thishnaam
kurusadbuDhim manasi vithrishnaam
ellabasae nija karmo paatham
vittham tena vinodhaya chittam”

“O fool! Give up the thirst for acquiring wealth
Devote your mind to thoughts on the Reality
Be content with what comes
Through the actions that you did in the past”

Acharya here mentions that rich man fears from his own son. For a person who is more attached to the wealth, there will always be a sense of insecurity for the wealth and fears even from his own son. Therefore, we should give importance to the wealth only till what it deserves and not more than that.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 28

2006-10-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 28:

“suKhathaha kriyathae raamaaBhogaha
pashchaaDhantha shareerae rogaha
yadhyapi lokae maranam sharanam
thadhapi na munchathi paapaacharanam”

Word Meaning:
suKhathaha: for sake of happiness
kriyathae: (is done) or one indulges
raamaa Bhogaha: carnal pleasures
pashchaath: later on
hanthaha: alas
shareerae: in the body
rogaha: disease (comes)
yadhyapi: even though
lokae: in the world
maranam: death
sharanam: (is) the ultimate end
thadhapi: even then
na: (he) does not
munchathi: leaves
papa aacharanam: sinful behavior

“Very readily one indulges in carnal pleasures, later on, alas come diseases of the body. Even though in the world the ultimate end is death, even then man leaves not his sinful behavior. “

In this verse acharya gives the effect of indulging in the sense pleasures. The very nature of the mind is extroverted. When the mind through the sense organs experiences the objects of the world, then desires to possess it. Once the person enjoys the pleasure got from the object that he obtained, his mind then again desires for the pleasure and hence the hunt for the short lived pleasure through the objects of the world doesn’t end. The desire and the pleasure got out of the desire that got satisfied becomes the Vasana in the mind and thus makes the person to desire for more and more pleasure. The Maya is so powerful that it will pull the man more and more away from the Reality, the reason is that when there is more and more thoughts other than the Reality, the mind gets more and more away from the Reality.

Though lots of actions are performed to satisfy the desires of the mind, there will be always be a thought that whatever is achieved is not enough. Trying to satisfy the desires is like pouring ghee over the fire, it will only increase the anxiety and desire to do more action. Such a person even at the time of death thinks feels that some of his desires are not yet satisfied. The only way to overcome this is only by removing all the desire from the mind. It may not be possible for a person to suddenly overcome the desires and hence such people have to perform action by offering the action to the Lord. Offering actions to the Lord is associated with the constant thought of the Lord will purify the mind of the person. Only Pure mind will be able to apprehend the subtle truth of the Reality and hence such a person by the grace of the Guru, will be able to Realize ones own nature of Self. When the mind becomes pure, all desires vanishes and there will only be a constant thought of the Reality and ultimately it comes to the stage where the person will renounce all the desires. Only when the person renounces all his desire, will he be able to realize ones own nature of Self.

Ramana Says in Upadesha Saaram,
“Ishwara arpitam na icchayaa kritam
Chitta shodhakam mukti sadhakam”

Work which is performed as an offering to the Almighty and done without any expectation for the fruits – helps in purification of mind & thereby leads one to liberation or realization.

Krishna says in Gita
Yad Karoshi Yad Asnaasi Yad Juhoosi Dadaasi yad
Yad Tapasyasi Kaunteya Tad Kurushva Mad Arpanam

O Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever yajna or sacrifice you do, whatever daana you give, whatever austerities you do – do it by offering it to ME

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 27

2006-10-22T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 27:

Geyam Gitaanaamasahasram
Dhyeyam sreepatiroopamajasram
Neyam sajjanasangae chittam
Deyam deenajanaaya cha vittam

Word Meaning:
Geyam: is to be chanted
Gita: Bhagavad Gita
Naamasahasram: Sahasranaamam
Dhyaeyam: is to be meditated upon
Shreepathi roopam: the form of the lord of lakshmi
Ajasram: always
Neyam: (the mind) is to be led
Sajjana sangae: in the association of the good
Chittam: the mind
Dheyam: is to be distributed
Dheena janaaya cha: to the needy
Vittam: wealth

Bhagavad Gita and Sahasranaamam are to be chanted, always the form of the lord of Lakshmi is to be meditated upon, the mind is to be led towards the company of the good, wealth is to be distributed (shared with) the needy.

In this verse, the acharya gives few more Sadhanas which will help the seeker to have the mind focused on the Ultimate Reality of Lord. To realize ones own nature of Self, the seeker has to follow the Vedantic sadhana of Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana. Sravana is systematic and consistent study of scriptures from a competent Guru for a length of time. Manana is reflection of the teaching in the mind and intellectually understanding without any doubts about the Reality and Nidhidhyasana is constant contemplation on the Reality once the doubts about the Reality are clear. To aid this Vedantic Sadhana, to help the seeker to apprehend the subtle truth told in the scriptures, the sadhanas like chanting and meditation will be very helpful.

Chanting or meditation as such cannot give liberation, but will only be aiding the seeker to progress in the spiritual path. The name of the lord always has lot of power and when we chant sahasranaamam will keep the mind focussed on the lord. Chanting will be very helpful in overcoming many obstacles in the world and also for fulfilling other wishes in the world, but when it is chanted as an offering to the lord, it will purify the mind. Only a purified mind will be able to apprehend the subtle truth about the Ultimate Reality which the scriptures speak about.

Ramana says in Upadesha saaram,
“Ishwara arpitam na icchayaa kritam
Chitta shodhakam mukti sadhakam”

Work which is performed as an offering to the Almighty and done without any expectation for the fruits – helps in purification of mind & thereby leads one to liberation or realization.

Meditation on the form god will be helpful to quite the mind and will help in building concentration. Thus when the mind is quite and focused, it will be easier for the seeker to reflect on the teaching and also contemplation. Though a person might be chanting or doing japa, meditating on the lord, there are possibilities that the mind might get deviated away from the Reality. Therefore it is important for one to have Sat Sanga. Sat sangam is association with the good people. Sat also Existence and thus Sat means the Self. Guru is nothing but Self only and hence Sat Sanga can be taken as constant contact with the Guru.

In the last line of the verse, acharya tells that one should also be open to give wealth to the needy. By giving to the needy, we will come out from the narrow mindedness of taking care ourselves alone. The biggest wealth that can be given to the needy is the wealth of knowledge. Thus, once a seeker gets the complete knowledge about the Reality through scriptures, he should help others by giving the knowledge through the scriptures.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 26

2006-10-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 26:

“kaamam krodham loBham moham
Tyatvaathmaanam pashyathi soham
Aathmajnaana viheena mooDaaha
thae pachyanthae narakanigooDaha”

Word Meaning:
Kaamam: desire
Krodham: anger
loBham: greed
moham: delusion
tyatvaa: having left
aathmaanam: the Self
pashyathi: sees (the seeker)
saha aham: “That I am”
aathma jnaana viheenaha: those who have not Self-knowledge
mooDaa: the fools
thae: they
pachyahthae: are tortured
naraka nigooDaaha: in hell as captives

Leaving desire, anger, greed and delusion, the seeker sees in the Self, “He am I”. They are fools who have not Self-Knowledge and they (consequently), as captives in hell are tortured.

The very nature of the mind is extroverted and because of the extroverted nature of the mind, the sees the objects of the world different from oneself. When there is a perception of duality, the mind which is causing the perception of the object might be conditioned with the modifications of likes and dislikes. When a person likes a particular object he desires to possess them and strive to achieve it. If he succeeds in achieving it he is happy, if not he becomes sad. So because of desire other emotions like anger, greed and delusion also comes up. Thus desire is the cause for other emotions, and ignorance is the cause for the desire. There is only one way to overcome the delusion that is by Ultimate Knowledge.

As long as there is ignorance of ones own nature of Self, the person will see the lord to be different from oneself. But when he turns the mind inward and fixes the mind on the Self through the Vedantic sadhana of Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana, the seeker realizes the Self as non-dual and will realize that Self alone exists.

Mandukya Upanishad says,
“Sarvam hyathath brahmaa ayam aathma brahma”
“All this is verily Brahman. The Self is Brahman.”

When the seeker thus realizes the Self, he always rejoices in the non-dual bliss of the Self. In the last two lines, acharya says the consequences if there is no effort towards realizing ones own nature of Self. Realizing ones own nature of Self is the only goal for each and everyone and hence everyone have to seek the Self instead of seeking the objects of the world. If this is forgotten and when there is more desire to possess the objects of the world, the person goes into more and more darkness of ignorance and is also born again and again in this sorrowful world. Without renouncing the desire towards the worldly desire, there cannot be any permanent happiness.

Isavasyam says,
“Asuryaa naama te lokaah, andhena tamasaavritaah
Taanste pretya abhigacchanthi, ye cha aatma hano janaah”

“Those who kill the Self (by not knowing or realizing it), after giving up this body, again and again attain those worlds of Asuras or devils which are filled with darkness of ignorance (ignorance of the Self).”

The only way to realize the Self is by renouncing all the desires of the world and seek only the Ultimate Reality of Brahman.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 25

2006-10-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 25:

“shathrou mithrae puthrae bhanDhao
Maa kuru yathnam vigrahasanDhao
Sarvasminnapi pashyaathmaanam
Sarvathrothsruja Bhedhaajnaanam”

Word Meaning:
Shathrou: against an enemy
Mithrae: against a friend
Putrae: against a son
bhanDhao: against a relative
maa: never
kuru: do
yathnam: strive
vigraha sanDhao: for strife and for making friends
sarvaasminnapi: in everything (everywhere)
pasya: see
aathmaanam: the Self
sarvathra: everywhere
uthsruja: lift away
Bhedha ajnaanam: the sense of difference (born out of ignorance)

Strive not to fight against or to make friends with your enemy, friend, son or to relatives. See the Self everywhere and leave of the sense of duality which comes out of ignorance

In this gives advice to the seeker to see the Self only everywhere. As per scriptures, there is only one Reality, the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. This Reality is nothing but ones own Self. So we are nothing but the Brahman only, but we have forgotten this blissful nature of Self. Because of the ignorance, the world and experiences seems to be real. Because of this ignorance, one will seek happiness through the objects of the world, but in reality when analyzed none of the objects of the world has happiness or sorrow. Happiness or sorrow, which is experienced from the objects of the world or from the people of the world, are conditioned by the likes and dislikes of the mind. These modifications of likes and dislikes occur when the duality is perceived and the duality is perceived because of ignorance of ones own nature of Self. The bondages that are created with the objects or the people of the world are in the mind only based on the modifications of the mind through likes and dislikes.

Here the acharya says that, instead of seeing the people and objects of the world as something different from one see them as ones own Self. The world that is seen came out from the Self, is staying in the Self and will merge back into the Self only. The Self is the substratum of the world that is seen now. When we Self in every being and everything then all differences will also vanish. If we take our body, we don’t particularly like one part of our body or dislike one part of the body, all parts of our body will be seen equally only, the reason is that whichever part of our body we take, we say it is only me. In the same way, when we understand that the world and the objects of the world had come from the Self only, then there will be neither hatred nor attachment, it will only be pure non-dual bliss. Thus in this stanza, the acharya advises the seeker to see the Self in everywhere.

Isavasya Upanishad says,
“Yasthu sarvaani bhootani atmani eva anupashyathi
Sarva bhooteshu cha aatmaanam tato na vijugupsathe”

“He who sees the all beings in the Self itself and the Self in all beings, feels no hatred by virtue of this realization.”

“Yasmin sarvaani bhootani atmaiva bhoot vijanathah.
Tatra ko mohah kah sokah ekatvam anupashyathah”

“When a person realizes that the Self itself has become all the beings, then what delusion or sorrow can be there as he sees oneness only?”

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 24

2006-10-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 24:

“twayi mayi chaanyaktraiko vishnuhu
VyarTham kupyasi mayyasahishnuhu
Bhava samachitta sarvatra twam
Vaanchasyachiraadyadi vishnutwam”

Word Meaning:
Twayi: in you
Mayi: in me
Cha: and
Anyathra: in all other places
Ekaha: (there is) but one
Vishnuhu: all pervading Reality
vyarTham: unnecessarily
kupyasi: you are getting angry
mayi: with me
asahishnuhu: being impatient
Bhava: become
Samachiththaha: equal-minded
Sarvathra: everywhere (in all circumstances)
Tvam: you
vaanChasi yadi: if you want
achiraath: soon
vishnutwam: The Vishnu status

In you, in me and in all other places too, there is but one All-Pervading Reality (Vishnu). Being impatient, you are unnecessarily getting angry with me. If you want to attain soon the Vishnu-status, be equal minded in all circumstances

The Ultimate Reality of Brahman is the substratum of the world that is seen. The world is not outside the Self, but it is within the Self only. But because of ignorance, the world is seen as if outside and hence the jiva sees duality. Since he sees an object different from himself, he desires to possess that object thinking that it would give him happiness. But when analyzed, the object as such cannot give happiness because there is no happiness or sorrow in objects of the world. It is the mind through the modifications of likes and dislikes, either likes an object or dislikes an object. If a person gets the object which he desires he becomes happy or if he doesn’t get he becomes sad. Also, an object which gives happiness at one point of time, might give sorrow at later point of time. Thus we can say that there is no happiness or sorrow in the object, these are conditioned by the modifications of likes and dislikes of the mind. Thus the emotions like anger, jealous etc are also caused by the likes and dislikes. Because of like or dislike in the mind, the mind become restless and hence he is subjected to various emotions like anger etc.

The main cause for the modifications of the mind is the ignorance of ones own nature of Self. When the Self is known, all dualities vanishes and hence there will be nothing else other than the Self. If there are no dualities, then there will no other object either to like it or dislike it. Thus here the acharya says that there is only Reality and once this Reality is known then the mind will be ever established in the Reality and thus goes beyond the modifications of likes and dislikes.

Isavasya Upanishad says,
“Yasmin sarvaani bhootani atmaiva bhoot vijanathah.
Tatra ko mohah kah sokah ekatvam anupashyathah”

“When a person realizes that the Self itself has become all the beings, then what delusion or sorrow can be there as he sees oneness only?”

If one has to overcome the ignorance, there is only one way that is through the Ultimate Knowledge that “I am Brahman”. One can get this Ultimate Knowledge through Vedantic Sadhana of Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana. Sravana is systematic and consistent study of scriptures from a competent Guru for a length of time. Manana is reflecting those teachings in the mind, and intellectually understanding the teaching so that there are no doubts about the Reality. Once the mind is clear from all doubts about the Ultimate Reality of Brahman, the seeker will realize his Self through constant contemplation, this is Nidhidhyasanam.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 23

2006-10-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 23:

“Kastvam koham kutha aayaathaha
Kaamae janani ko mae thaathaha
Ithi pariBhaavaya sarvamasaaram
Vishvam tyaktvaa swapna vichaaram”

Word Meaning:
Kaha: who
Tvam: (are) you
Kaha: who
Aham: am I
Kutha: from where
Aayaathaha: did I come
Kaha: who (is)
Mae: my
Janani: mother
Kaha: who (is)
Mae: my
Thaathaha: father
Ithi: thus
Paribhaavaya: enquire
Sarva: all
Asaaaram: essenceless
Vishwam: the entire world of experience
Tyakthvaa: leaving aside
Swapnavichaaram: a mere dream land (born of imagination)

Who are you? Who am I? From where did I come? Who is my mother? Who is my father? Thus enquire, leaving aside the entire world-of-experience, essenceless and a mere dreamland, born of imagination.

In this sloka, the acharya speaks about the Self enquiry. According to scriptures, there is only Eternally existing entity which is the Self. But the ignorance seems to veil the Self and projects things other than the self. In deep-sleep, a person experiences non-dual bliss as the ego gets merged into the cause. In waking state, the ego gets the birth from the Self and gets identified with various attributes of the world as “I am so and so”, “I am happy”, “I am sad” etc. but in deep-sleep all these attributes were not present at all. It is only during the period of waking state one gets identified with these attributes and experiences happiness or sorrow as the case may be. But when we analyze, “I am” is common with all the attributes in the waking state. Also “I am” is common on all the three states as well. Thus it is only “I am” which is present all the time. But because of ignorance we wrongly identify the Self with the attributes. Self is free from attributes but none of the attributes can exist without the Self. It is only the Self which is illumining the ego for all of its experience. It is only the ego which is experiencing the world and since the ego merges into the Self during the deep-sleep the world also merges into the Self. Thus the Self is substratum for the world as it from the Self the world takes the birth when the ego is born just after the sleep, it is in the Self the world exist and it into the Self the world again merges back.

Though the world exists in the Self only, but seems to exist outside. The waking world is very similar to the dream. When a person is dreaming during the sleep, the dream world seems to be outside though the dream world is within the person only. Once the person wakes up there is no dream world at all. The sleep makes the person to see the dream world outside himself, in the same way the waking world also though it is within the Self only seems to be outside because of ignorance. Just as the person who have woken up from the sleep knows that there is no dream world, similarly a person who have woken up from the state of ignorance by realizing ones own nature of Self knows clearly that there was no world at all and realizes that it is only the Self what existed before, that is existing now and that alone will ever exist.

Here the acharya advices the seeker to enquire into the Self. Thus when we enquire by asking ourselves “Who Am I?” the ego vanishes which was never really present and hence the person realizes that there is only Self. When the ego vanishes, then the world also vanishes and hence all sorrows also vanishes.

Shankara tells in Dhakshinamurthy stotram,
“vishvam dharpana drishyamaana nagari thulyam nijaanthargatham
Pashyannaathmani maayayaa bahirivah udhbootham yathaa nidhrayaa
Yassakshaath kuruthae prabhodha samayae svaadhmaanamevaadvayam
Thasmai shree gurumurthayae namaidham shree dhakshinamurthayae”

The world is within the Self like the reflected city in the mirror, but seen as if outside as in dream because of Maya and who at the time of realization realized ones own nature of Self as one without the second, to that Dhakshinamurthy, who is the Guru, my Prostrations.

Ramana in Upadesha saaram says,
“ahamayam kutho Bhavathi chinvathah
ayi pathathyaham nijavichaaranam”

“From where does this “I thought arise” – for one who enquires thus, the ahamkaara falls. This is Self-Enquiry”

And in the next sloka Ramana says,
“ahami naahsa bhaajyahamahamthayaa
Sphurathi hrithsvayam paramapoorna sath”

“When the ego is destroyed the Self which is the Supreme-Infinite-Existence shines forth of its own as “I” – “I” “.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 22

2006-10-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 22:
“rathyacharpatavirachithakanthaha
Punyaapunyavivarjithapanthaha
Yogi yoganiyojithachiththaha
Ramanathae baalonmaththvadeva”

Word Meaning:
Rathyacharpatavirachithakanthaha: he who wears the godadi (shawl made up of pieces of cloth rejected by others on the road)
Punyaapunyavivarjithapanthaha: who walks the path that is beyond merit and demerit
Yogi: the yogin
Yogi niyojitha chiththaha: whose mind is joined in perfect yoga
Ramathae: sports
baalavath eva: as a child
Unmaththava vath eva: (or) as a mad man

The yogin who wears but a shawl made up of pieces of cloth rejected by others on the road, who walks the path that is beyond merit and demerit, whose mind is joined in perfect yoga with its goal, he revels and lives thereafter as a child or as a mad man

In this sloka, the acharya explains the state of Jivan Mukthah. There is only Brahman existing and all other seems to be existing are only an illusion. But jiva because of ignorance of ones own nature of Self, he thinks that the world is real and gets involved in it an thus experiences happiness or sorrow as the case may be. He acquires Punyams and pappams from the action he performs which are the effect of the desire that comes in the mind. The root cause for the desire is the ignorance. Thus the ego, which performs the action out of the desire to perform it, then later enjoys the punyam or papam. When the ignorance is destroyed then there is no ego, and hence there is no punyam and papam. Ignorance will get destroyed only when one gets the knowledge about the Self as ones own nature. When the person realizes his own nature of Self, then he realizes that the world is only an illusion in the Reality. Since the world itself is falsified, there is nothing that will give momentary sorrow or happiness to such a person, rather such a person will always revel in the non-dual bliss of the Self.

Such a person who is a perfect Jivan Mukthah, will never care too much about the body and the mind. He will be ever happy whether he has what he need to have to survive in the world or he don’t have. Here the acharya says, he might just wear some left out clothes in the road just to cover the body. To such a person there is no Punyam or Papam as there is no ego in that person to enjoy them. Since the mind is always in the thought of the Self as ones own nature, they is beyond the Papam and Punyam and nothing in the world can affect him.

In the last line, he tells that he enjoys the world like a child or like a mad man. The innocent mind of the child never will be worrying about the past or of the future, it always lives in the present. Also, anything that is done to the child whether it good or bad, it doesn’t dwell in that, but continues playing all the time. The mad man, always has his own thoughts in his mind and it is tough to interfere in the mind of such a mad man, in the similar way the Jiva muktha also is always steadfast in the thought of the Ultimate Reality of Brahman and hence it is not possible interfere in the mind of such a person also.

In Ramakrishna Mutt book on Bhaja Govindam, the last two lines are different for this sloka. The sloka is as follows
“rathyacharpatavirachithakanthaha
Punyaapunyavivarjithapanthaha
Naaham natvam naayam lokaha
Thadhapi kimarThim kriyathae shokaha”

“Rags cast off along the road serves as a garment for yogin, who are free from all the merits and demerits, and in his sight Nor I nor you nor the world exists. Why, then, give way to sorrow?”

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 21

2006-09-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 20:

“Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam
Punarapi jananijaTarae shayanam
Iha samsaarae bahudhusthaarae
Krupayaaparae paahi murarae”

Word meaning:
Punaha api: once again
Jananam: birth
Punaha api: once again
Maranam: death
Punrapi: and again
Janani jaTarae: in the mother’s womb
Shayanam: lying
Iha: here
Samsaarae: in this samsaara
Bahu dhusthaarae: has no end
Krupaya: through thy Infinite Kindness
Paahi: save
Muraarae: oh the destroyer of Mura

“Again Birth, Again death and again lying in the mother’s womb, this samsaara process has no end. Save me, Murarae (Oh! Destroyer of Mura) through Thy Infinite Kindness”

According to scriptures, the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone exists. Jiva’s essential nature is same as the nature of Ultimate Reality of Brahman. Self, whose very nature itself is Bliss, doesn’t require anything at all to get Bliss. Because of ignorance of this blissful Self, one thinks that he would get happiness in possessing the objects of the world. Because of this desire to possess the objects of the world, he performs action and after performing the action he enjoys the result of the action he had performed. The results of action might be immediate, or might get delayed by days or months or years or even births. Thus the person goes from birth to birth in enjoying the results of the action. In the process of enjoying these results, actions are again performed, this goes on without any end and thus the person goes from birth to birth in enjoying the results of the action.

To perform any action there should be doer and it is the doer who again enjoys the results of the action. The doer is nothing but the ego. Therefore the Samsaara is only for the ego. Self is only a witness to whatever is happening in the world and is never affected by any action. There is neither birth nor death for the Self, all births and deaths are only for the body. To come out of this vicious circle of Samsaara, one has to get rid of the ego. To get rid of the ego completely, one have to surrender unconditionally to the Lord or the Guru. Guru through his teaching, as told in the scriptures, removes the ignorance in the mind of the seeker. Once the ignorance is removed then the ego vanishes and though the person might be seemed to be doing actions yet he is not doing any action and hence no results of action affect such a person. But on the other hand if the person doesn’t surrender the ego to the Lord and doesn’t strive towards the Ultimate Reality of Brahman, he will go from birth to birth and will be pulled in deeper into the ocean of Samsaara.

Isavasyam Upanishad says for those who don’t strive to realize the Ultimate Reality of Brahman,

Asuryaa naama te lokaah, andhena tamasaavritaah
Taanste pretya abhigacchanthi, ye cha aatma hano janaah

Those who kill the Self (by not knowing or realizing it), after giving up this body, again and again attain those worlds of Asuras or devils which are filled with darkness of ignorance (ignorance of the Self).

The only way to realize ones own nature of Self is through renunciation by surrendering the ego unto the Lord. Realizing once own nature of Self is the only to overcome this Samsaara.

Kaivalya Upanishad says,

Na Karmanaa Na Prajaya Dhanena, Tyagenaike amritatvam aanashuhu

Not by action nor by projeny nor by wealth, but some attain the state of immortality with help of Renunciation alone.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 20

2006-09-21T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 20:

“Bhagavadgita kinchidhaDheetha
Gangajalalava kanikaa peetha
Sakruthapi ena murari samarcha
Kriyathae thasya yamena na charchaa”

Word Meaning:
Bhagavad Gita: the Bhagavad Gita
Kinchith: (even) a little
aDheetha: has studied
ganga jala lava kanikaa: a drop of Ganges water
peetha: has sipped
sakrutha api: at least once
yena: by whom
muraari samarchaa: worship of the Lord Murari
kriyathae: is done
thasya: to him
yamena: with Yama
na: never
charcha: quarrel

“To one who has studied the Bhagavad Gita even a little, who has sipped atleast a drop of Ganges-water, who has worshipped atleast once Lord Murari, to him there is no discussion (quarrel) with Yama, the Lord of Death.”

In this sloka, the acharya gives the sadhana for the seeker to overcome this ocean of Samsaara and thus realizing ones own nature of Self. Bhagavat Gita is one of the prasthanathraya of Vedanta and this contains the essence of all the Upanishads wherein Lord Krishna teaches this to Arjuna. By learning Bhagavad Gita one gets the intellectual knowledge about the Ultimate Reality of Brahman which all the Upanishads speak about. It is not only Bhagavad Gita that is to be learned, but Vedanta in general which speak about the Ultimate Reality of non-dual Brahman. This Ultimate Knowledge about the non-dual Brahman should be learned from a competent Guru. This knowledge is a perennial flow which is flowing from Guru to his students from time immemorial. Thus, from that Guru the student gets the knowledge about Ultimate Reality of Brahman. Thus here Ganga that is mentioned is this perennial flow of knowledge from Guru to shishya from time immemorial. When a seeker learns about Brahman as ones own nature of Self, he gets the knowledge about Ultimate reality and thus knows that realizing Brahman as the Ultimate goal of oneself.

Once the teaching is understood by the seeker, the seeker has to dwell upon the teaching and reflect the teaching until his mind becomes free from all the doubts about the Reality. This is Mananam. By reflecting the teaching of the Guru about the Brahman, the goal of realizing ones own nature of Self becomes very clear. Once the goal becomes very clear, then the seeker has to contemplate constantly on the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. By contemplating constantly on the Ultimate Reality of Brahman, he realizes ones own nature of Self and thus crosses over the Samsaara. Self is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness. Self never ceases to exist. As long as there is identification of oneself with the ego, he cycle of birth and death continues. Once the ego vanishes, there is only Self and hence there is neither birth nor death.

As Krishna tells in Gita,
“Najaayathae Mriyathae vaa kadhaa chit
Naayam bhoothva bhavithaa vaaba booyaha
Ajonithyaha shaashavathoyam puraano
Nahanyathae hanya maanae shareerae”

The Self has no birth, no death, nor is that it came into existence and it never ceases to exist. That Self is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. So neither the Self can kill some one nor the Self can be killed by someone.

So in the sloka, by sipping a drop of Ganges-water is dwelling upon the teaching from Guru about Brahman and worshipping the Lord is constant contemplation on the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. When a seeker follows these sadhanas told, the seeker will realize ones own nature of non-dual Blissful Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 19

2006-09-19T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 19:

“Yogarathova Bhogarathova
Sangarathova sangaviheenaha
Yasya brahmani ramathae chittam
Nandhati nandhati nandhat eva”

Word meaning:
Yogarathaha: one who revels in yoga
Va: or
Bhogarathova: one who revels in enjoyment or
Sangarathova: one who seek enjoyment in company
Sangaviheenaha: one who revels in solitude away from the crowd
Yasya: for whom
Brahmani: in Brahman
Ramathae: revels
Chittam: the mind
Nandhathi nandhati nandhatheva: enjoys enjoys only he enjoys

Let one revel in Yoga or let him revel in enjoyment or let him seek enjoyment in the crowd or let him revel in solitude away from the crowd. He whose mind revels in Brahman, he enjoys, verily he alone enjoys

In this sloka, the state of a liberated is told. Liberation is when a person realizes ones own nature of non-dual Blissful Self. When a person realizes ones own nature of Self, there will be no desires in the mind at all. Such a person is ever happy, ever satisfied and ever Complete. The state of such a person is been explained in this particular sloka.
Mind is the cause for both liberation and bondage. When the mind is extroverted, it seems to be bonded with the objects of the world. If the mind is introverted towards the Self and always revels in the Self, then it is liberation. When a person realizes ones own nature of Self, then such a person knows nothing but the Self. Since the mind is established in the Self, there is no duality at all as the ego completely vanishes. When the ego vanishes, there is no doer and there is no enjoyer. So therefore no actions cling such a person as he has gone beyond the actions and the results. Therefore, a person might practice Yoga, might be enjoying the worldly pleasures, might stay in the company of others or might be staying alone, since the mind of the person is always reveling in the Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is ones own nature of Self, he always enjoys the Bliss of the Self.

Mundaka Upanishad says that,
Atmakreeda aathmarathihi kriyavaan esha brahmavidhaam varishTam

He disports in the Self, delights in the Self, and performs actions. This one is the chief among the knowers of Brahman.

The person might be seemed to be doing all actions in the world, but still the mind of such a person will always revel only in the Self. Such a mind in spite of doing all actions, still always enjoys the Bliss of the Self only.

Krishna mentions about the liberated person in Gita, Chapter 2
dhuKheshu anudvigna manaah sukheshu vigata-sprhah
veetharaagaBhayakroDhah sThithaDheermuniruchyathae

A man of steady wisdom is said to be one who is not agitated by unpleasant experiences, who doesn’t desire pleasant experiences, who is not affected by attachment, fear and anger and who remains mentally silent.

Since he is ever established in Self, he sees everything as the Self only. There exists no duality at all for the liberated person.

Isa Upanishad says,
Yasthu sarvaani bhootani atmani eva anupashyathi
Sarva bhooteshu cha aatmaanam tato na vijugupsathe

He who sees the all beings in the Self itself and the Self in all beings, feels no hatred by virtue of this realization.

Krishna explains the same in Gita, chapter 6
Sarva bhootastham atmaanam sarva bhooteshu cha atmani
eekshathe yoga yuktaatma sarvatra samadarshinah

The yogi sees oneness everywhere and hence sees the Self in all and all in the Self.

In the last line, the acharya mentions that “he alone enjoys”. The world and the objects of the world are temporary and hence cannot give permanent happiness. According to scriptures, only the Self is Real and Permanent and hence it alone can give permanent happiness. Thus one who has realized ones own nature of Self is ever happy and he is only one happy.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 18

2006-09-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

Word Meaning:
suramandhira tharu moola nivaasaha: dwelling (sheltering) in temples, under some trees
shayyaa: bed
Bhoothalam: on the bare sand
Ajinam: (wearing) skin (deer’s)
Vaasaha: cloth
Sarva parigraha: of the possessions
Bhogaha: of thirst to enjoy
Thyaagaha: renouncing
Kasya: whose
suKham: happiness
na: not
karothi: brings
viraagaha: dispassion

“Sheltering in temples, under some tree, sleeping on the bare sand, wearing a deer-skin, and thus renouncing all idea-of-possession and thirst-to-enjoy, to whom will not dispassion bring happiness?”

Non-dual Bliss is the very nature of the Self, but because of the ignorance of ones own nature of Self one desires for the happiness from the objects of the world. The very nature of mind is to go outside towards the sense objects. The happiness that is obtained from the objects of the world is not permanent because the objects of the world are temporary in itself. Thus the temporary object cannot give a permanent happiness. Knowing this temporary nature of the world one has to turn the mind inwards towards the Self which alone is permanent. Thus we need to discriminate between which is real and unreal and then withdraw from the unreal things and concentrate only on the Real. Thus dispassion or vairagyam is very important to realize ones own nature of Self.

Shankara in Tattvabodha says about vairgyam as
“Ihaswarga bogashu Icharaahityam”
Giving up the enjoyment of the fruits of ones action in this world and in any other world.

The first sloka of Isha Upanishad says
“Ishavasyam idham sarvam ethkinchit jagatyam jagat
Tena tyaktena bunjithaaha maagridha kasya vid dhanam”

Whatever moves here in this world, everything is pervaded or covered by God. Enjoy by renunciation. Do not covet anybody’s wealth for whose is wealth?

It only by renouncing all the desires to enjoy the objects of the world, one can get liberated from this vicious circle of Samsaara. There should be dispassion towards the objects of the world knowing clearly that the objects of the world can give only temporary happiness and the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone is permanent. Such a person will always have the thought of the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone at all points of time and thus enjoys in the non-dual Bliss of ones own nature of Self.

So here in this sloka, the acharya tells about the person who has the real dispassion towards the objects of the world and contemplates only on the Self. Such a person always abides in the Self only and rejoices the Blissful nature of Self. It doesn’t matter whether the person stays in the temples, or stays under a tree or sleeps in the sand with some clothes around or without clothes, there is no worries at all as there is no desire to enjoy the pleasure from the objects of the world, rather he always revels in ones own nature and thus rejoices the Blissful nature of Self.

Krishna in 2nd chapter speaks about the sthithaprajna
“prajahaati yadaa kaamaan sarvaan paartha manogataan
Aatmanyevaatmanaa thustaha sThithaprajnasthadhochyathe”

O partha! When a man completely casts away, all the desires of the mind, and satisfied in the Self and by the Self, then he is considered to be a man of steady wisdom.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 17

2006-09-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 17

kuruthae ganga saagaragamanam
vrathaparipaalanamaThavaa dhaanam
jnaanaviheenaha sarvamathaena
mukthim na Bhajathi janmashathena

Word Meaning:
Kuruthae: Goes to pilgrimage
Ganga saagara gamanam: to where the Ganges meet the ocean
Vrthaparipaalana: observe the vows
aThavaa: or
dhaanam: distributes gifts away
jnaana viheenaha: devoid of experience of truth
sarvamathaena: according to all schools of thought
mukti: liberation
na: not
Bhajithi: gains
Janma shathaena: even in hundred lives

One may in pilgrimage go to where Ganges meets the ocean called Gangasagar, or observe vows or distribute gifts away in charity. If he is devoid of first-hand-experience-of-truth, according to all schools of thought, he gains no liberation, even in hundred lives.

Here in this sloka, the invalidity of actions without the Ultimate Knowledge of Brahman is been pointed out. All actions are born out of desire and desires come to the mind due to ignorance of ones own nature of Self. To perform any action there should be a doer. The doer performs action to satisfy his desire which is because of ignorance of ones own Blissful nature of Self, knows that he is performing that action and then later enjoys the results of the action. As long as there is the sense of doership while doing the action, there doer will enjoy the results of the action. When the person realizes ones own nature of Self, then the doer vanishes, since there is no doer there are no results as well. Thus the person, who has the Ultimate Knowledge of Self, is free from both good results and the bad results and such person is liberated even while living. But if a person doesn’t have this Ultimate Knowledge of ones own nature of Self, but still continue performing action, he goes on enjoying the results of the action he had done previously and this process of enjoying the results may even go for many births.

Thus Shankara here says, a person might go on pilgrimage to Kasi and other places, might do lot of charities, might observe lot of vows, but if he doesn’t have the Ultimate Knowledge of Self, he goes from birth to birth in enjoying the either good results or the bad results based on the action he has performed. Thus here he says even in hundred lives, there will be no liberation. Liberation is only when the person gets the Ultimate Knowledge that “I am Brahman”.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 16

2006-09-05T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 16:

agre vahnihi prushTae Bhaanuhu
Raathrou chubhukasamarpithajaanuhu
karathalaBhikshastharuthalavaasaha
thadhapi na muchathi aashaapaashaha

Word Meaning:
Agre: In front
Vahnihi: the fire
prushTae: at the back
Bhaanuhu: the sun
Raathrou: at night
Chubhukasamarpithajaanuhu: with knees held to chin
Karthala Bhikshaha: alms scooped palm
Tharuthala vaasaha: under the shelter of the tree
Thadhapi: and yet
Na: never
Munchathi: leaves
Aashaa paashaha: the rope of desires

“In front the fire, at the back the sun, late at night he sits with his keens held to his chin; he receives alms in his own scooped palm and lives under the shelter of some tree andyet, the ropes of desires spare him not”

In the previous Sloka, Shankara told about the mentality of a householder, in this sloka he speaks about a person who have taken external sanyas and living a life of a Sanyasi. The Sanyasi basks in Sun during the day time and sits in front of the fire during the night time. He may not even have the basic amenities of food, clothing and shelter. He even may not have a proper vessel to have food instead might use his own scooped palm to have food. Such a Sanyasi may also have desires in his mind. Though the person might have renounced all the worldly pleasures externally, still his mind will be moving around the sense objects seeking pleasure.

According to scriptures, our own nature is nothing but Ultimate Reality of Brahman. So realizing our own nature of Self is the Ultimate Goal of everyone and that alone can give permanent happiness. The objects of the world are temporary and though the objects of the world seem to give happiness, on long run will give only sorrow. Therefore, we have to withdraw our mind from the sense objects and have to turn it in towards the Self. So for realizing ones own nature of Self, one has to turn the mind towards the Self knowing that the objects of the world are temporary and cannot give permanent happiness.

Taking external Sanyas will be helpful in concentrating the mind on the Self as there will be no other work except that of having constant thought of the Self. If this is forgotten, then the external sanyas will not be of any use. Withdrawal of mind from the worldly objects and turning it towards the Self is the necessary thing that is to be done and if that is done then it doesn’t matter whether one is a sanyasi or a staying in the world he will always be rejoicing the bliss of the Self. If the mind is not withdrawn from the objects of the world, desiring for it even after renouncing the world, then the external renunciation has no purpose, and they are no different from a person who has not renounced the world.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 15

2006-08-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 15:

“angam galitham palitham mundam
Dhashanaviheenam jaatham thundam
Vridho yaathi graheethva dhandam
Thadhapi na munchathi aashaa pindam”

Word Meaning:
Angam: the body
Galitham: worn out
Palitham: has turned grey
Mundam: the head (the hair)
Dhashana viheenam: toothless
Jaatham: has become
Thundam; the mouth
vriDhaha: the old man
yaathi: moves about
graheethva: having teken
dhandam: his staff
thadhapi: even then
na: never
munchathi: leaves
aashaa pindam: the bundle of desires

The body has become worn out. The head has turned grey. The mouth has become toothless. The old man moves about leaning on his staff. Even then he leaves not the bundle of his desires.

When a person is young, he has lot of energy in him and desires to enjoy the pleasure given by the sense objects of the world. It is but natural that the young people will have lot of energy to enjoy the sense pleasure, but as the age goes, the body loses the strength and energy that it had during the young age in enjoying the sense pleasures. Though the person had already experienced the sense pleasures many times, there might still be desires in the mind of that person to enjoy it again. Satisfying all the desires is not possible because once the desire is fulfilled and the happiness is enjoyed, there might be thought of enjoying the pleasure again. Thus it is not really possible to satisfy all the desires of one.

When a person becomes old, it will be physically difficult for him to perform many actions that he was doing when he was young. Even at those times of inability to perform many actions, the desires in his mind don’t go. There will be desires in his mind to enjoy the sense pleasures of the world. The main goal of everyone is only happiness that never vanishes. This goal of happiness is seeked through the objects of the world forgetting that the objects of the world are temporary and cannot give eternal happiness. The objects of the world can never give eternal happiness because the objects of the world are only temporary and hence a temporary object cannot give permanent happiness. Thus we need to seek happiness from that which is permanent. Self alone is permanent and hence seeking that Reality and realizing it alone can give permanent happiness.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 14

2006-08-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 14:

“Jatilo mundi lunChitakeshaha
Kaashaayaambara bahukruthaveshaha
Pashannapi cha na pashyathi mooDo
Hyudharanimiththam bahukruthaveshaha”

Word Meaning:
Jatilaha: one acetic with matted locks in the head
Mundi: one with shaved head
Lunchitha keshaha: one with hairs pulled out one by one
Kaashaayaambara bahukritha veshaha: with ochre-robes
Pashyan napicha: though seeing
Na: never
Pashyathi: sees
mooDaha: a fool
hi: indeed
udhara nimitham: for belly’s sake
bahukritha veshaha: these different disguises or apparels.

One ascetic with matted-locks, one with shaven head, one with hairs pulled out one by one, another parading in his ochre-robes. These are fools who, though seeing, do not see. Indeed these different disguises or apparels are only for their belly’s sake

The Ultimate Goal of everyone is to realize ones own nature of Self. By proper discrimination between the Sat and Asat, one should have dispassion towards the enjoyment of the external sense objects of the world. When one gets that Vairagyam, then it will be easier for the seeker to apprehend the Reality and have a thought about the Reality. Therefore, the important thing that is required is the dispassion towards the enjoyment of the worldly pleasure and turning the mind towards the Self. If a person takes an external Sanyas, it will be easier for him to concentrate only on the Reality as that Reality will be his only thought all the time.

Some people take external sanyasam, wear ochre robe, with either matted hair or a fully shaved head and live a life of Sanyasi. Among such Sanyasis there are people who have taken Sanyasam just for the sake of filling up their belly. They are the weak minded people who want to get food to eat without doing any work. They live the life of Sanyasi but still have the mind engaged in satisfying the bodily desires. Whether they had the Reality as the goal in their mind while taking the Sanyas or not, if they have the mind engaged in satisfying the bodily desires, their mind will be going away from the thought of Reality. When the real purpose of taking Sanyas is known, he will be always engaged in the thought of Reality all the time, and hence will see only the Self in everything, but those who have forgotten the real purpose of taking Sanyas, though they know intellectually that they have to realize their own nature of Self, but still fail to live up towards the goal and thus have the mind engaged in filling the stomach.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 13

2006-08-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

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

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 12

2006-08-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

“dhinyaminyao saayampraathaha
Shishiravasanthao punaraayaathaha
kaalaha kreedathi gaChathyayuhu
thadhapina munjathi aashaa vaayuhu”

Word Meaning:
dhinayaminyou: day and night
saayampraathaha: dawn and dusk
shishiravasanthao: winter and spring
punaha: again
aayaathaha: come
kaalaha: time
kreedathi: sports
gaChathi: ebbs away life
vaayuhu: life
thadhapi: and yet
na: not
munjathi: leaves
aashaa vaayuhu: gust of desire

“Day and night, dusk and dawn, winter and spring again and again come (and go). Time sports and life ebbs away. And yet, one leaves not the gusts of desire”

The time of day ends at night, the time of night ends when the sun rises in the morning. The dawn reaches its peak during noon and ends its period at the time of dusk. Time slowly moves away in our life. Whatever we have been thinking as future becomes the present and soon becomes the past. But for a person, who constantly searches for happiness in the world, never gives a thought about it but continues to search happiness from the objects of the world.

Most of man’s life time goes away in search of the pleasure from the objects of the world. He might even get the objects that he desire, but still his desire doesn’t end, he desires for something higher than he acquired thinking that would give him more happiness than he gets from the object he acquired. The extroverted mind, which constantly dwells upon the objects of the world, forgets to discriminate that the objects of the world are temporary and is not permanent. In the previous sloka, Shankara clearly told that all objects are not permanent and hence would end in a matter of time. But still, the mind which yearns for the pleasure from the world, always desire to possess the objects of the world. Since the desires don’t end for an extroverted, the person goes from birth to birth in doing actions to satisfy the desires and also enjoying the results of the actions he does.

The world and the objects are not permanent they are ever changing and hence are only temporary. We have to understand that none of the objects of the world can give permanent happiness because of its temporary nature. Only that which is permanent alone can give permanent happiness. Self alone is permanent and hence it alone can give permanent happiness. If this is understood and there by if we have constant thought of the Self, that is only way to over come the delusion with the objects of the world. So instead of having the strong attachment with the objects of the world, we need to have strong attachment with the Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 11

2006-08-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 11:

“Maa kuru Dhanajanayouvana garvam
Harathi nimaeshaath kaalathsarvam
Maayamayamidham aKhilam bhDhvaa
Brahma padatvam pravisha vidhitva”

Word Meaning:
Maa: Do not
Kuru: take
Dhana: in Possession
Jana: in people
Youvana: in youth
Garvam: pride
Harathi: will be washed away
Nimaeshaath: in a moment
Kaalaha: the Time
Sarvam: all these
Maayamayam: full of illusory nature
Idham: this
aKhilam: all
bhuDhva: after knowing
brahmapadham: the state of Brahman
tvam: you
pravisha: enter into
vidhitva: after realizing

Take no pride in your possessions, people, and youthfulness. Time will wash away all these in a moment. Leaving aside all these, after knowing their illusory nature, realize the state of Brahman and enter into it.

When the world and its experiences are seen real, there may be desires on various things of the world. When one has got the possession of those that are desired, then one feels happiness. The happiness may go to such an extent that he feels so proud. Thoughts like “My people”, “My wealth”, “I have done this”, etc comes to the mind. These thoughts come to mind when the real nature of ones own nature of Self is forgotten because of ignorance. But the world and its experiences are not real, they are temporary and are ever changing. Today one may think that he is the richest person in the world, but tomorrow there might be a time when he will lose all his wealth. Similar way, a person might have lot or people around him, helping him for everything or acting according to his commands, but there can be a time when all people around him can leave him alone. Similar case is also to youth also. A youth who enjoys the sense pleasure may be in a position to enjoy it today, but anytime in future there might be a situation when he will not be able to enjoy any of the pleasures that he is enjoying.

Such uncertain is the world and its experiences that we get from the world. Since the world is continuously changing, the experience that comes from the world also changes continuously. Therefore one should not take pride on his pleasant time that he is having because, it is just a matter of time that the happy time may lead to a sorrowful experience.

Since the world is changing continuously, the experiences from the world are only temporary and hence the world and its experience are only an illusion in the Reality. Because of ignorance, the experience of the world seems to be real but in reality these are only illusions. We have to turn the mind inwards towards the Reality. When the Reality is known, then there will be no sorrows and no sufferings and hence one experiences only the bliss of the non-dual Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 10

2006-08-04T04:49:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 10:

“Vayasigathae kaha kaama vikaaraha
Shushkae neerae kaha samsaaraha
Ksheenae Vithae kaha parivaaro
Jnaathae Thathvae kaha samsaaraha”

Word Meaning:
Vayasi gathae: when the age (youth) have passed
Kaha: where is
Kaama vikaaraha: lust and its play
Shushkae neerae: when water is evaporated
Kaha: where is
Kaasaaraha: the lake?
Ksheenae viththae: when the wealth is reduced
Kaha: where are
Parivaaraha: the followers?
Jnaathae Tatvae: when the truth is realized
Kaha: where is
Samsaaraha: samsaara?

“When the youth is passed where is the lust and its play?
When the water is dried where is the lake?
When the wealth is reduced where are the followers?
When the Truth is realized where is the samsaara?”

The world and its experience seem to be real because of ignorance of our own nature of Self. Because of ignorance all the objects of the world are seem different from oneself. As objects of the world are seen different from ones own Self, desire comes in the mind to possess the object thinking that the object will give happiness. Thus to satisfy such desires of the worldly objects, he performs action. Whenever an action is performed, the doer then enjoys the results of the action which may be happiness or sorrow. When an action is done to satisfy ones own desire, it may lead to more actions and thus the doer goes from birth to birth in enjoying the results of the actions. Thus the three, Ignorance – desire – Action form the three knots in the heart and thus binds one into Samsaara.

Here Shankara gives three examples to explain that when the cause is removed there cannot be any effect. When a person is in the stage of youth, he desires for the lustful play. But when the stage of youth is crossed, that vigor in the desire of the lustful play dries up and hence there cannot be any lustful play when a person crosses the stage of youth. When there is water in a lake, it makes sense to call it a lake. But when the water in the lake is dried out, we cannot call that a lake, it is only the dried up bed. Therefore when there is no water in the lake, we cannot call it a lake. When a person is wealthier, the person will have many friends and relatives. He will be enjoying relations of the people who will listen to whatever the wealthier person tells. But when the wealth gets reduced, the people around him also move away from him.

With the three examples it is clear that when cause is not there, the effect also cannot exist. In the similar way, when the cause of the Samsaara which is ignorance is removed by the realization of ones own nature of Self, the Samsaara cannot exist. When the ignorance is removed by the Ultimate Knowledge that “I am Brahman”, his ego dies away. The Samsaara is only for the ego which is only an illusion in the Reality, which seems to exist temporarily due to illusory ignorance of ones own nature. When one realizes ones own nature of Self, then there is no desire, no actions, no bondage, such a person will have only Ultimate Happiness of the Self.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 9

2006-08-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 9

“Sat Sangatvae nissangatvam
Nissangatva Nirmohatvam
Nirmohatvae Nishchala tatvam
Nishchala tatvae Jivan Mukthihi”

Word Meaning:
Sat Sangatvae: Through the association with good people
Nissangatvam: comes the detachment to the objective world
Nissagatvae: Detachment to the objective world makes one
Nirmohtvam: devoid of delusion
Nirmohatvae: through the absence of delusion
Nishchala tatvanm: Immutable Reality
Nishchala tatvae: Through the knowledge about the Immutable Reality
Jivan Mukthihi: the state of “Liberation in life”

“Through the association with the good people, there arises detachment from the objective worldThrough the detachment from the external world comes the freedom from delusion
Through the freedom from delusion, one can know the Immutable Reality
Through the knowledge about the Immutable Reality, the state of “Liberation while living” is attained”

In this sloka, Shankara gives a different level of progress towards the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. Because of ignorance of ones own nature of Self, one gets deluded by the objects of the world and get attached to it. The Self which is the Reality is not outside, but it is inside the spiritual heart. Therefore the mind which is wandering among the objects of the world has to be turned inwards towards the Self or the Reality.

Sat means that which is Real, that which exists eternally. According to Scriptures, the Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone is Real. Hence, Sat Sangam is the association with the Ultimate Reality of Brahman through constant contemplation. For the person who is deluded with the objects of the world, it may be tough to contemplate directly on the Reality and hence the person needs to have association with the Guru who are nothing but Brahman as according to scriptures “Brahmanvid Brahmaiva Bhavati” – “one who knows Brahman verily becomes Brahman”. So association with such Gurus is Sat Sangam.

Sat Sangam will help one to have constant thought of the Reality. When the mind is focused on the Reality, the thoughts of other objects of the world will go away. Thus the mind gets detached from the objects of the world. When the mind is detached from the worldly objects, then there will not be any delusion for such a mind. Therefore the more one concentrates on the Reality, the more he progresses towards the Reality by overcoming the delusion of the world.

The world that is seen now and which seems to delude our mind is not real. These delusions are because of the ignorance that “I am Self” and seeing the world and the objects of the world as different from oneself. When a person focuses on the Reality all the time, he sees only that Self in everything and hence there is nothing that could delude him. When there is no delusion, then there are no obstacles in having constant contemplation on the Reality and thus it will be very natural to have the thought of the Reality. When a person has the thought of Reality all the time he realizes that Self alone exists and all others are only an illusion in the Reality and such a person is called Jivan Muktha.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 8

2006-07-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 8:

“Kaathae kaantha kasthae putraha
Samsaaroyamatheeva vichithraha
Kasyathvam kaha kutha aayathaha
Tatvam chinthaya thadheeha Bhraathaha”

Word Meaning:
Kaha: who
Thae: is
Kaantha: wife
Kaha: who
Thae: is
Putraha: son
Samsaaraha ayam: this samsaara
Atheeva: supremely
Vichithraha: wonderful
Kasyathvam: of whom are you?
Kaha (tvam): who are you?
Kutha aayathaha: from where did you come?
Tat: that
Tvam: you
Chinthaya: think
Thadha iha: that here and now
Bhraathaha: O brother

“Who is wife? Who is son? This samsaara is supremely wonderful. Of whom are you? Who are you? From where are you? O brother, that you think here now”

We know it is pretty normal that a person works for the welfare of his family, for his parents, his wife and children. But people consider these attachments with the close relatives to be end or the goal of life. They forget the real goal of life which is realization of ones own nature of Self. They get so much attached to their family members that they think that it will be tough to live without any of the family members. With such attachment on the family members, he goes on performing action. So here Shankara says, enquire who your wife is and who is your son?

Husband and wife are the life partners of each other. They may not have born together and also they may not die together. Death hardly announces who it is going to take first. It is only for temporary period that they are enjoying the company of one another and hence one cannot do anything on the death of the other. Also the wife was, previously before marriage, a daughter to her father and if her husband dies before her then she becomes a widow. Thus we can see that the relation of wife is only temporary. Similar is the case with son also, the child becomes the son only after his birth, but before that he is in the womb of mother as foetus. Whether it is father or the son, the first cause of their birth as child is only earth. Thus we find, we all are born from the earth but the delusion is so powerful that one product of earth gets attached to the other. The relations of husband, wife, son etc are not permanent and exist only temporarily.

Thus Shankara here says to enquire “who we are? From where did we come? Of whom we are?”, so that we understand clearly that relations and bondages are only seemingly existent now and are not permanent. Shankara here tells to enquire it ‘here and now’ which clearly shows how important it is to know it clearly. The delusion is so powerful that once a person is into delusion it will be tough to come out of it. To overcome the delusion, we need the grace of the Guru and hence Shankara says worship Govinda, worship Govinda.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 7

2006-07-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 7

“baalasthaavath kreeda sakthaha
Tharunasthaavath tharunee sakthaha
Vriddhasthaavath chinthaa sakthaha
Paramae brahmani kopi na sakthaha”

Word Meaning:
baalasthaavath: so long as one is in his childhood
kreeda: to play
sakthaha: attached
tharunas thaavath: so long as one is in his youth
tharunee sakthaha : attached towards young women (towards passion)
Vriddhasthaavath: so long as one is old
Chinthaa sakthaha: attached to anxiety
Paramae: to the supreme
Brahmani: brahman
Kopi na: no one
Sakthaha: attached

“So long as one is in childhood, he is attached to play
So long as one is in youth, he is attached to sense pleasures
So long as one is in old age, he is attached to anxiety
No one is attached to the supreme Brahman”

The world that we perceive is not real but only an illusion in the Reality. But because of ignorance of ones own nature of Self, the world seems to be real and the pleasure and pain that come from the objects of the world also seems to be real. The illusion of the world is so alluring that mind just get carried away by the objects of the world. So during the childhood days we were attached to playing, during days the youth there is passion towards enjoyment of sensual pleasures by getting attached to the young women, and once the person becomes old there is fear and anxiety about his death. Since the person is so much passion towards the objects of the world, he forgets to remember the god which is the Ultimate Reality, which is ones own nature, and experiences the pleasure and pain.

The desires that are in the mind are never ending and hence it is not possible to satisfy all the desires that he has. When we try to satisfy the desire, it only multiplies into more desires and hence it goes on into infinite regression. Hence it is not possible to satisfy all the desires that one have in the mind. These desires arise out of ignorance of ones own Self. It is because of ignorance one thinks that he is incomplete and desires for the objects of the world so that on attaining it he can become complete. When one realizes ones own Self, all desires vanish as there will be completeness and Eternal Bliss of the Self. When one realizes the Self, he will not see anything other than ones own Self.

The life that we have is very short in the sense that the life may end at any moment. As long as there is much importance given the objects of the world, the more we are going away from the Reality. When there is thought of other objects of the world, he gets deluded by the objects and such a person goes from birth to birth to enjoy the objects of the world. Therefore we have to understand that there is really no time to waste. We have to give more importance to the Reality than the objects of the world as Self alone is Real, the world and the objects are not real. Therefore, Shankara says worship Govinda, Worship Govinda.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 6

2006-07-25T05:21:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 6:

“Yaavad pavano nivasathi dehae
Thaavath pruchchathi kushalam gehe
Gathavathi vaayou dehaapaayae
Bhaarya bhiBhyathi thasmin kaayae”

Word Meaning:
Yaavad: as long as
Pavanaha: the breath
Nivasathi: dwells
Dehe: in body
Taavath: so long
Pruchchathi: enquires
Kushalam: of your welfare
Gathavathi vayou: when the breath leaves
Deha: body
Apaayae: the body decays
Bhaarya: (even) your wife
biBhyathi: fears
tasmin kaayae: that very body

“As long as there dwells breath in the body so long they enquire of your welfare at home. Once the breath leaves, the body decays and event he wife fears that very same body”

In this sloka, Shankara talks about the temporary nature of body. It is because of the extroverted nature of the mind makes one to think that the body is Self. When one has the thought of body as the Self, there will be desire for the pleasure to the body and thus one goes behind the sense objects of the world in search of the sensual pleasures. But the body which is thought as the Self is not the Self. According to scriptures, Self is Eternal, but body is not eternal. Even during the time of deep sleep there is no body and hence body is never eternal. The gross body seems to exist only during the waking state. Anything that exists for a short period of time can only be an illusion in the reality. Therefore Self is not the body.

The gross body as such cannot perform action unless it is activated by the thoughts of the mind. The thoughts that are there in the mind are converted into action through the gross body. Without the mind, the gross body cannot function. Going further, without Consciousness even the mind cannot have thoughts. Therefore mind is also as inert as the body, it is only the Consciousness that illumines the mind and makes the body sentient. Self is the supreme cause behind the functioning of body and the mind. Also we can see that Self exists even in the absence of body and the mind. During deep sleep both gross body and subtle body doesn’t exist but the ignorance still exists, the Self shines illumining even the ignorance during that state. Thus it clearly shows that Self is different from all the body. Self alone is real and rest all is unreal and therefore the body and mind are also unreal. The body and mind are only an illusion in the Self, seemingly existing but never really exists.

Here Shankara says that as long as ones life in the body exists relatives and friends enquire about the whereabouts. But once the life breath leaves the body, even once own wife fears in seeing the body. Thus we have to contemplate constantly that we are not the body but we are the Self. When one constantly contemplates that “I am not the body” knowing that Self is different from the body and the mind, one cross over all limitations and thus realizes ones own nature of Bliss. Therefore Shankara says worship Govinda, worship Govinda.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 5

2006-07-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 5:

“Yavadvithopaarjanasakthaha
Thaavannijaparivaaro rakthaha
Pashchaajjeevathi jarjaradehae
Vaarthaam kopi na prichchathi gehe”

Word Meaning:
Yaavath: as long as
Vith: wealth
Upaarjana: to earn
Sakthaha: has the ability
Thaavath: so long
Nija parivaaraha: your dependents
Rakthaha: attached
Pashchaath: afterwards
Jeevathi: lives
Jarjara: infirm
Dehe: body
Vaarthaam: word
Ko api na: there is no one
Prichchathi: cares to speak
Gehe: at home

“As long as one has the ability to earn wealth so long your dependents are attached to you, afterwards when you live with an infirm body, no one at home care to speak a word with you”

When a person is earning lot of money, he will have many friends and relatives around him. It is the most popular thought that people who is earning will be respected more. When a person is acquiring more and more wealth, when the person enjoys the pleasure from the wealth he possesses, he will have many people around him to care, to share his happiness so that they can also enjoy the pleasure of the wealth. On the other hand, a person who is not earning any money may not the respect which the wealthy person is getting. This clearly shows that the care and concern are shown only based on the wealth possessed by one and only based on the earning capacity of the person.

The care and concern of people around a person will stay as long as he is earning. The person will then work more and more and desire to acquire more money, so that he can enjoy the relations of more people praising him and caring him. He gets deluded by the relatives around him and thinks that the more wealth he possesses, the more respect he will get and happier he will be. Thus he desires for more and more wealth. But when the person loses his capacity to earn money, people who were caring him when he was earning will move away from him and even might go on to search for the next wealthy person. This is the state of this world.

We have to discriminate and understand that the care and concert of the relatives and friends will be there as long as we have the capacity to earn money. Therefore, we should not get carried away by the respect and care that we from the relatives and friends. It doesn’t mean that we should not do work at all, but the important to be understood is that we should not get deluded by these experiences. The only purpose or duty of this life is to realize ones own nature of Self. Therefore, importance should be given to the lord than the possession of wealth and enjoyment of the wealth possessed. The more importance we give by constant contemplation on the Reality, all the bondages vanishes and will enable one to realize ones own nature of Self. Therefore, Shankara says, worship govinda and realize that Eternal non-dual Bliss.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 4

2006-07-18T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 4:

“Nalini dalagata jalamatitharalam
Tattvam jeevitam adhisaya chapalam
Vidhi vyadhyabhimaanagratham
Lokam shoka hatham cha samastham”

Word Meaning:
Nalini dalagata jalam: water drop on the lotus leaf
Atitharalam: extremely uncertain
Tat: so
Jeevitam: life
Adhisaya: extremely
Chapalam: unstable
Vidhi: understand
Vyadhi abhimaanagratham: consumed by disease and conceit
Cha: and
Samastham: the whole
Lokam: world
Shoka hatham: is riddled with pain

“Water drop in the lotus leaf has got an extremely unstable existence similarly is life in the world which is greatly uncertain. Understand the world is consumed by disease and conceit and is riddled with pain”

In the previous two slokas, Shankara told not to have passion towards possession of wealth and enjoyment of sensual pleasure. He told to give up the passion towards these and told to have the thoughts of the Reality all the time. In this sloka, he gives reason for the advice he gave in the previous 2 slokas. The world that we see is temporary and not permanent and hence all the objects of the world are also temporary and not permanent. The example he gives is the water droplet on the lotus leaf. The water doesn’t stick on the lotus leaf, instead it just skids on the leaf and it is most uncertain that when that droplet will fall off from the leaf. Our life in the world is also very uncertain like the water droplet on the lotus leaf. We do not know when death will come to us. Death can be overcome only by realizing ones own nature of Self. But to realize ones own nature of Self, one should constantly contemplate on the Reality. The extroverted mind has to be turned inwards towards the spiritual heart which is the seat of the Self. When one constantly contemplates on the Self, he realizes the world and the objects of the world are only an illusion and such person goes beyond the birth and the death.

When one forgets ones own nature of Self and goes on to possess more and more wealth, enjoys all the sensual pleasures, goes from birth to birth. All pleasures of the world will be seem to give happiness in the beginning but later gives only sorrow. Therefore we have to understand the limitations of happiness that the objects of the world can give. Any object of the world cannot give permanent happiness because the objects itself is temporary. If we forget this, we will get deluded by the pleasure object seems to give and get carried away by that object. Death may come to us any time and hence if we have to get that permanent happiness and if have to cross over the cycle of Samsaara, we have to put effort right here and right now. There is no time to waste. More time we spend in the thought of the Reality, the more we go closer to the Reality.

Because of the ignorance of ones own nature, a person might see the world and its experience to be real. But Shankara here tells that the world and its object doesn’t deserve the importance that is given now because everywhere in the world there will be disease or self-pride. There is no real happiness at all in the world. Shankara says in the last line that the world is full of pain and sorrow. All the happiness that we see or experience from the objects of the world is only temporary which has to be understood clearly. Therefore the only solution is to surrender completely to Govinda, the Ultimate Reality of Brahman, and should have constant thought of it all the time.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 3

2006-07-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

NAAREE STHANABHARA NABHEEDESAM DHRISHTWA MAA GAA MOHAVESAM
YETAN MAAMSAVASAADI VIKAARAM MANASI VICHINTHAYA VAARAM VAARAM
(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)

naari= woman;
sthanabara= breasts that are;
naaBhidesham=navel region;
drishtvaa= having seen;
maagaa= Don't+go;
mohaavesham= infatuated state
ethan= this;
maamsavasaadhi=, flesh etc;
vikaaram= appearance
manasi= in the mind;
vichinthaya= think well;
vaaram= again;
vaaram= and again;

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.

In the previous sloka, Shankara told to give up the thirst for the possessing more and more wealth. In this verse, he tells to give up the desire to enjoy the sensual pleasures. All pleasures of the world are only for the time being, it will vanish after sometime. Therefore it is not worth to desire for those short lived pleasures. Only that which is permanent alone can give permanent happiness. The Ultimate Reality of Brahman alone is the Real, and rest all are unreal. When we realize our own nature of Self, then there will always be Bliss. When we realize our own nature of Self, then there will not be any desire to seek happiness outside as the happiness is our very own nature. Therefore it is important that we turn our mind inward and constantly contemplate on the Self.

The objects of the world don’t have any happiness. It is only the mind which thinks that object of the world will give happiness. With the modification of like and dislike, he seeks the objects of the world in order to get the happiness. But when the mind is turned inwards, and when one has the constant contemplation on the Self, such a person will see only the Self in every being and every being as ones own Self. when a person sees everything as ones own Self, then there will be no desire to possess it and there will only be eternal bliss of the Self. Therefore worship Govinda.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 2

2006-07-12T01:26:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

Before we start learning the next sloka, let us analyze the meaning of Govinda which Shankara used in the first sloka. The word Govinda has many meanings, the first or the literal meaning is cow-herd. Govinda is one who bestows joy to the earth. Sathya Sai Baba says in his discourse on Bhaja Govindam that Govinda means one who has control over the animal nature of man, and who can change this animal nature to divine nature.
When we split the word ‘Go’ means Shabdha which means Veda and Govinda means one who can be known through Vedas thus pointing only to the Ultimate Reality of Brahman. ‘Go’ can mean Sense Organs and ‘Vind’ means master and hence Govinda means Master of Sense organs. Master of sense organs means the controller of the sense organs. The Ultimate Reality of Brahman is beyond the reach of the sense organs and the mind. Guru or Isvara who is established in the Ultimate Reality of Brahman can control the mind and the sense organs. According to scriptures, “a knower of Brahman verily becomes Brahman”, which means the Guru or Isvara is nothing but Brahman alone. Thus we can see that the word Govinda refers only to the Ultimate Reality of Brahman and not the Vishnu alone.

Let us now proceed to the next sloka
MOODHA JAHEEHI DHANAAGAMATRISHNAAMKURU SADBUDHIM MANASI VITRISHNAAMYALLABHASE NIJAKARMOPAATHAMVITHAM TENA VINODAYA CHITHAM(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)

mooDa= Oh fool!
jaheehi= jahi+iha, leave/give up+here(in this world)
Dhana= wealth
Agam:= coming/arrival
thrishnaam= thirst/desire
kuru= act;
satbhuDhim= sat.h+buddhiM, good+awareness
manasi= in the mind;
vithrishnaam= desirelessness;
yellaBhasae= yat.h+labhase, whatever+(you)obtain;
nijakarma= nija+karma, one's+duty(normal work);
upatham= obtained;
vitham= wealth;
thae na= by that; with that;
vinodhaya:= divert/recreate(be happy);
chiththam= mind;

Oh fool ! Give up your thrist to amass wealth, devote your
mind to thoughts to the Real . Be content with what comes
through actions already performed in the past.

In this sloka, Shankara talks about giving the passion towards the acquisition of wealth. Everyone wants only happiness which is nothing but our own very nature. Because of ignorance this nature is forgotten and hence the person desires for the happiness from the objects of the world. The person thinks that on possessing the wealth he will be happy. The happiness of that person never becomes complete and though he possesses lot of wealth, he thinks to possess little more to get that happiness. But the wealth one possesses or desiring to possess doest have happiness at all. If it has happiness then it should provide happiness on all periods of time. But it is not so. When a person loses wealth he becomes sad. Thus we can see that wealth doesn’t have happiness. It is only the mind which desires for the wealth feels happy on possessing it and feels sad on losing it. Also it is not sure that the wealth that one possesses will last forever, there is a chance of losing possessions at any point in time. Such a wealth which neither has happiness in it nor guaranteed to stay forever is not really worth to desire for. Therefore Shankara here says to give up the thirst for possessing more and more wealth.

Because of ignorance of ones own nature, the mind goes outside and desires for the objects of the world. Everyone is seeking only happiness, but that happiness is not there in any objects of the world. That happiness that we seek is nothing but our very nature of Self. Therefore we have to turn the mind inward towards the Self and have to contemplate on the Self which is the Ultimate Reality to get that permanent happiness. Here Shankara tells to stop the extroverted mind and turn the mind inward and concentrate on the Ultimate Reality and always have the thought of the Reality.

In the end of this verse, Shankara says to be contended to what we have. As happiness is the only goal for everyone, one has to constantly contemplate on the Reality to get that permanent happiness. When this is forgotten and desires for the objects of the world, there will be no end to the desires and in the end there will no happiness also. So whether one is rich or poor, when he has the thought of the Reality all the time, he is the happiest person on the earth. To get that permanent happiness, Shankara says worship Govinda who is the Ultimate Reality.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh

Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 1

2006-07-10T07:56:00.000-07:00

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

According to scriptures, the Ultimate Reality of Brahman is one without the Second. Brahman is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute. The nature of Brahman is same as the nature of the Self. The Self is of the nature of Bliss but because of ignorance the nature of the Self is not known. Ignorance only seems to veil this blissful nature of Self doesn’t really veil the Self, and hence the ignorance is only an illusion. Because of ignorance of ones own nature of Self, he sees the world and the object of the world as different from oneself. On seeing the objects of the world different from oneself, he desires for that object and performs action to possess that object. But soon after he attains it, he desires for another object and thus the desire goes on. Thus because of the ignorance he desires for the object of the world, performs action to possess that object, experiences either pleasure or pain and gets deluded in the world. He thinks that he will get happiness if he possesses that object of the world forgetting his very own nature which is Bliss alone. Ignorance, Desire and Action form three knots in the heart of the person which is responsible for the cycle of birth and death. When the ignorance vanishes, then there will be no desires and hence no actions, such a person will always revel in the Bliss. This illusory ignorance vanishes when the seeker realizes that “I am the non-dual Brahman”. When the seeker thus realizes, all the dualities vanishes and such a person will always revel in the Bliss of the Self.

Shankara was going on pilgrimage to Kasi along with his disciples. While he was going, he saw an old man by-hearting the Sanskrit grammar. Shankara felt very bad on seeing this old man, who is spending his time on mere intellectual knowledge not spending time in contemplating on the Reality. Majority of the people spend their life in enjoying the worldly things and forget to contemplate on the Reality which alone can give the permanent bliss. So on seeing this, Shankara sang Bhaja Govindam.

Bhaja Govidam is also called Moha Mudgara, Hammer of Delusion. Bhaja Govindam has 31 slokas. The first sloka is sang in chorus, the next 12 slokas is sung by Shankara, the each of the remaining slokas is sung by the each of his 14 disciples of Shankara, and Shankara then added another 5 slokas thus 31 verses. The first 12 slokas are called Dvadasa Manjarika and the next 14 slokas are called chathurdasha manjarika.

Sloka 1:

BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM GOVINDAM BHAJA MUDHAMATE
SAMPRAAPTE SANNIHITE KALENA HI NA HI RAKSHATI DUKRINKARANE

Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death.

Shankara on seeing the old man by-hearting the Sanskrit grammar sang Bhaja Govindam. He says to the old man in stop wasting time on by-hearting the grammar as this grammar will not help him at the time of death. Instead of wasting time in by-hearting, he is telling the man to worship Govinda. He calls the person a fool as he is missing to do what is to be done and doing something else which doesn’t have any worth.

The happiness which we seek is our very nature. But because of ignorance we forget our nature and we seek the happiness in the objects of the world. The objects of the world are not permanent and hence cannot give permanent happiness. Only that which is permanent alone can give permanent happiness.
Shankara says in Tattvabodha,
“Nithya vasthu ekam Brahma thadhanyath sarvam mithyaethi”
Brahman alone is real, rest all are not real.

Brahman alone is Real, all others are not real. Only that which is Real can give the permanent happiness and hence Brahman alone can give permanent happiness. Therefore instead of wasting time in desiring happiness from the objects of the world which will vanish at one point of time which is only an illusion, we should concentrate on Brahman to get that permanent happiness. Any amount of possession of the worldly objects will not help at the time of death and hence the only way is to surrender to Govinda who is nothing but the Ultimate Reality of Brahman.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh