भज गोविन्दं

      भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं , भज गोविन्दं मुड्मते |

 संप्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले , नहि नहि रक्षति डूकण्ज करने ||

Bhaj Govindam Bhaj Govindam

Govindam Bhaj Muda-mate.

Samprapte Sannihite  Kale   

Nahi  Nahi Rakshti Dukrin-karne. (1)

Take refuge in Govinda; Take refuge in Govinda!

Take refuge in Govinda O you of dullened intellect!

When Death arrives and approaches you some day

The root formation of duk is never ever going to save you!

Shankara always begins his works with an indirect salutation to his Guru Sri Govinda Bhagawad Paada. As it is the name of his favorite deity also, the name Govinda shines at the beginning of all his literature.

It seems once Shankara the Advaita Master was walking along the banks of River Ganga with his disciples. Some Brahmin students of grammar were sitting under the shade of a tree and were engaged in grammar studies. At that time a small copper vessel happened to slip out of the hands of an aged Brahmin and rolled along the stone steps with the noise  duk duk duk.  The students sitting under the tree, instead of picking up the vessel and helping the old man, started discussing the phonetic principle of the sound duk and were trying to find the resultant grammatical formations of the root letter “duk”.  The discussion was never ending. Shankara is supposed to have addressed these students and uttered these Bhaja Govindam verses.

Muda  Jahihee  Dhanagam   Trishna

Kuru  Sadbhudhimn  Mansi  Vitrishnam

Yallabhase  Nij-Karmo-Pattamn

Vittam  Tena  Vinodaya Chittam (2)

O you of muddled brain! Throw afar this thirst for earning wealth.

Develop interest towards noble things; make your mind free of wants.

Whatever you gain by your own actions,

Remain contended and happy with that wealth alone.

Shankara still cannot but feel pity for the lot of the common man. What else can he comment on those brains which use all their efficiency only in accumulating more and more wealth?

Nari-Stana-Bhar-Nabhi-Desam

Drshtava  Maa Gaa Moha-Vesham

Etan-Mansa-Vasaadi-Vikaaram

Manasi  Vichintaya Vaaram Vaaram (3)

Looking at the navel-place filled with huge breasts of a woman!

Do not raise the level of your passion

This ugly mass of flesh filled with blood and nerves!

Analyze again and again in the mind

Next to wealth the man’s most cherished desire is to enjoy a woman; for a woman, it is the company of a man. But usually a female body alone is considered as an object of enjoyment in all the worlds, be it a heaven or Earth.

What is attractive in a female body?

It is just a meat piece with eruptions here and there; all holes stinking and dirty; mouth filled with smelly saliva and not honey; lips are not fruit pieces but just a decolorized

gateway for  the ugly array of bone pieces; breasts nothing but fleshy eruptions; navel just a left over reminder of the torture phase called birth; sweat not nectar but extra liquid thrown out by the body; nails just protective growths, acting as weapons in lower animals; the sexual pleasure is just a momentary thrill felt by the nerves through the stinking holes which are used for excretory purposes; hair, not the monsoon clouds but

some cellular growths protecting the skull!

Nalini-Dal-Gat-Jal-Mati-Taralam

Tadva-Jivit-Matishaya-Chapalam

Viddhi-Vyaddhay-Abhimana-Grastam

Lokam Shoka-Hatam Cha Samstam (4)

The water drop clinging on to the petal of the lotus flower is highly unstable;

Likewise the life is also extremely unstable!

Know that this entire world held in the grasp of disease and vanity

Is stuck by extreme sorrow!

A Tamil saint once was walking on the street. He heard a wailing sound from one house on the roadside. He peeped in and discovered that there had been a death in the family

and everyone was crying for the dead one. He immediately collapsed on the ground and started weeping aloud beating his chest repeatedly. The others who were just crying for the sake of habit stopped their crying and said to each other; look at this man; he is so good; he is also crying for the dead man like us. The saint got up and said, I am not crying for this dead man; I am crying in advance for you people who are going to die!

 He laughed aloud and walked away as the people there watched him wonder-stuck.

Yaavad Vitto-Parjana-Sakata

Stavad-Nij-Parivaro-Raktah

Paschaat-Jeevati- Jarajar-Dehe

Vartam- Koapi- Na- Prcchati- Gehe (5)

As long as a man is capable of earning wealth,

So long does one’s family show some interest;

Later one lives in a dilapidated body;

No one even utters a word of enquiry in one’s home!

Sri Shankara says:

What family? Do the family members really have true affection for the Master of the house?There was a terrifying dacoit living in the jungles of Himalayas. There was no compassion in his heart for any other human being except his family members.

Once, Sage Naarada chanced to pass that way. The dacoit stopped him and threatened to kill him if he did not offer him his possessions. Naarada laughed aloud and said that he owned nothing and slowly engaged the dacoit in a friendly conversation. He asked casually the reason for the dacoit to rob and kill all travelers. The dacoit confessed that he had a large family and had to loot and rob to feed them all. The Sage then described to him all the hells and the punishments waiting for the dacoit after his death. The dacoit started sweating and started crying. Naarada consoled him and told him to tell the family members about all this and request them to share his punishments too as they shared his earnings.The dacoit was sure that his family members would help him in this matter and went home. When he related all that the Sage had said and asked them to share his punishments, they laughed and said, your earnings alone belong to us, not your sins. The dacoit was shocked by their reply and returned to the Sage and related what had happened. The Sage then advised him that he can get rid of the sins by repeating the Supreme name of the Lord Rama! The dacoit trusted the Sage’s words and decided to

repeat it for a long time till all his sins were destroyed. He left the family; entered deep jungles; sat under a tree and started repeating the two letters “RAMA”. He was so absorbed in the recitation that he lost sense of his body. Soon leaves covered his body. Ants built a mud colony over his immobile body.  Snakes made it their home. The dacoit was unaware of all this. Only two letters were repeatedly heard from deep inside the ant hill. Again Naarada appeared in the scene. He woke up the dacoit with his Yogic power. The dacoit immediately came crashing out of the anthill- the VALMIKA.  He is VAALMIKI, the author of Ramayana; the most compassionate Sage ever known.

Yavat-Pavano  Nivasati  Dehe

Tavat- Prchhati Kushalam Gehe

Gatvati Vayuo Deha-Paaye

Bharya Bibhyati Tasmin Kaye (6)

As long as the air resides in the body,

Till then will any one care for one’s welfare;

When the breathe leaves at the death of the body

Even a wife fears the non-moving corpse!

Sri Shankara says:

What life? What enjoyment? Some fine day without any prior information death will snatch your life away! The body which you pamper by feeding the most exotic food, the body which you use for enjoying any pleasure money can buy, the wife whom you drowned in gold and diamonds will refuse to stay with the dead body alone. She will shy away from that very body which embraced her with all love and affection. Gone are all the respect, glory and greatness along with the wind which ceased to enter your nasal holes blocked with cotton pieces!

Artha-Manartham Bhavya Nityam

Nasti Tatah Sukha-Leshah Satyam

Putradapi Dhanbhajam Bhitih

Sarva-Traisha Vihita Ritih (7)

Reflect always that wealth is just a calamity;

There is not an iota of joy present in it; this is indeed true;

There is fear of it getting snatched away even from one’s own sons;

This is an ordained way everywhere in the world.

Know the true character of wealth. The more you own the more you will suffer. Every coin you earn brings along with it a curse of untold suffering. Wealth is just a means to fulfill your basic needs and comforts. Accumulating wealth should not become the sole goal in life. One should not slave away his life just to increase his possessions. When you own a lot of wealth you are surrounded by people who have no iota of love or affection

for you. Their love is pretentious and only intent on gaining favors from you. They wait for opportunities to cheat you and use you for their selfish gains. There is a saying in Sanskrit:

Each age in a man’s life is beautiful and worth its value. The childhood should abound in innocence and pursuit of knowledge. Youth is the time to develop physical fitness and accumulate more specialized Knowledge. The next stage is given to the joy of experiencing love and affection from wife and children and caring for them. Old age, with the white hair proclaiming the experiences and Knowledge thereof is not a thing to be ashamed off.  Material wealth harms you; but the wealth of Knowledge leads you to eternal life and freedom.

Bala-stavad Krida-Saktaha

Truna-stavad- Tarunee-Saktaha

Vriddha-stavad Chinta-Sakataha

Pare Brahamani Koapi Na Sakataha (8)

The child is interested only in playing;

The youth is interested only in the young girl;

The old man is interested in only worrying;

No one is interested in Para Brahman!

If it is argued that there is no time to pursue the higher truths because one has to educate himself, earn for the family, guide the youngsters and so on-

Sri Shankara says: How can there be no time for nobler things in life? Yes true; survival is difficult in a world full of competitions and challenges; but if we analyze where all one wastes time it will be really surprising. A child spends more time in playing than learning; a youth spends more time in seeking the company of pretty girls than gathering knowledge; an old man suffers that his desires have not been fulfilled in a

short span of life and envies the youngsters! Who has time for Para Brahman!

Ka Te Kanta Kaste Putraha

Samsaro’Yamativ Vichitraha

Kasya Tvam Vaa Kuta Ayata

Stattavam Chintaya Tadiha Bhrathah (9)

Who is your beloved wife? Who is your son?

This worldly existence is very strange!

To whom do you belong? Who are you? Where have you come from?

O my Brother! Think about the true answers for these enquiries!

Sri Shankara advises the man to free himself for just a few minutes in his never ending race for money and enjoyments and think:Sri Ramana once did like this when lying on the bed analyzing his own identity. He just wondered what would happen if he died that very moment. He brought the whole death scenario into his vision and watched it like a drama watched by an outsider. He saw the dead body, the people lamenting on his death, the body carried on the pall, and he even saw his body consumed by fire. He wondered how if the body was no more, he was not yet dead. He did not imagine the scene; he actually was in the scene. Death of the body was not imagined by him; he had gone thorough the death phase as a reality. He was observing from within the body field itself, the body dying, the body burning etc. he was in the body when it was set fire to; but he did not feel the fire. It was a true experience for him, not an imagined contemplation. At the moment the body became ashes, he was in the Self state and was the Para Brahman watching the projections of a mind labeled as Venkatraman in this world. He had no sensation of the body from that moment. When he opened the so called eyes of his body, he felt he was in a dream experience. He could not identify with the body of the boy lying on the bed. But it moved if he willed; the body was just an It for him; so he just moved it towards the hill where he felt his father’s presence would be there. Father? Annamalai of the Red Mountain! Who else!

For Akka Mahadevi it was Sri Shaila, for Ramana it was Arunaachala. He just lived as Ramana till the perceptions ceased at the so called death of the body. Otherwise his state

was like space, having no identity with anything; everything was just a dream like experience for him; a play of Para Brahman! He was a supreme Yogi; yes, a Maha Rishi of the Yore appearing in a body structure in this modern age. He died once when aliveand remained as his true Self the rest of the life here in a Ramana perceived world; as Para Brahman playing the role of Ramana!

Satsang Gatve Nissang Gatvam

Nissnagatave Nirmohatvam

Nirmahatve Nishchal Tattvam

Nishchal Tattave Jeevan Muktih (10)

In the company of the noble lies detachment;

In detachment lies dispassion;

In dispassion lies the Non-moving Truth;

In the Nonmoving Truth lies liberation while living.

Well, you listened to Shankara’s advice and asked these questions to yourself; of course not all can find the correct answers; may be you did not find too. Most people think Self Realization is some state you have to reach by countless hours of contemplation and meditation. Some think that they will see color lights; some think that they will see Shiva or Brahma or Vishnu; some think that a golden colored Brahma as Hiranya Garbha will be there; some think that they will be transported to heavenly worlds and will have wonderful experiences; some think that they will be able to know all the three time phases past, present and future of everybody; some think that they will float in the air; some think that they will be like Gods having all the world at their feet; some think that they will become Gods! Or else, they all pretend to do all this and mislead their students towards these goals and make Self-realization sound like some far off state high above the sky; most of all, these religious freaks think that realized state is a weapon against scientific reasoning.Little do they know what the Scriptures advocate actually!Self-realization is not a magical turning point in your life. You will not become super human by realizing your own Self. You are thinking you are a limited Self; after Self realization you will understand that you are Para Brahman. That is all. It is just the true understanding of your own identity. Seek a Master who is not a magician; seek a Master who exactly tells you what the Scriptures say without his own version; seek a Master who has no interest in advertising

himself as a Super Guru. If you do not find such a one in the present world, seek the books and get the company of the past saints. Learn from them how to develop detachment; the worldly patterns will stop affecting you; slowly you will develop a disinterest in all the worldly pleasures; you will develop equanimity; you will understand the One Reality which is the support of this multifarious perceptions; with the Vision of the Self you will become liberated while living!

Vayasi Gate Kah Kama Vikarah

Sushke Nire Kah Kasarah

Kshene Vitte Kah Parivarah

Gyate Tattve Kah Samsarah (11)

When youth is gone, where remains the lascivious desire?

When the water has dried up, where remains the lake?

When the wealth is gone, where remains the surrounding crowd?

When the Truth is known, where remains the worldly existence?

If there is a doubt as to the efficacy of Self-realization, Shankara explains how the world looses its solid nature, once the Truth is known.When a person becomes old, his senses surely loose their power to satisfy his desires. Desires are not there, you cannot say; but capacity to fulfill the desires surely is not there. This is a well-known truth. How can the Samsara remain when the Truth is known?

Maa Kuru Dhan-Jan-Yauvan-Garvam

Harti Nimeshat Kalah Sarvam

MaayaMaymida-Makhilam Hitva

Brahampadam Tvam Pravish Viditva (12)

Do not be vain headed about wealth, people and youth;

Time snatches away everything within a minute!

Understanding the entire world to be of illusory nature,

Knowing the TRUTH you enter the state of Brahman!

Shankara addresses those who ignore his advice and walk away unbothered. The wealthy, the youth and people surrounded by the affectionate members of the family surely do not go after the realization of the Truth. They are so happy with their present status; they seem to think that the same state will continue forever! They never can imagine any thing can change and upset their happy lives. Shankara warns these ignorant fools:Wealth is not a permanent feature of life. Even Rama lived his youthful years in a forest; Paandavas never ever enjoyed any royal status; Nala did not even have a cloth to cover his body; even Gods lose their powers and suffer! Who can say what will happen the next moment?

Dinaya’Minyoh Sayam Pratah

Shishir Vasantih Punrayatah

Kalah Kridati Gaccha Tyasu

Stadapi Na Munchatyasavayuh (13)

Day and night, dusk and dawn,

Winter and spring again arrive!

Time plays its game; life ebbs away;

Even then, the winds of desires never leave one!

Observe the world, says Shankara:

What is permanent in this impermanent world?

Night follows day; day follows night; seasons keep onrepeating; year after year you struggle to achieve the fulfillment of your countless desires. At the fag end of you life, as you lie on the death bed breathing heavily, when the body has lost control of even the excretory systems, when your loved ones avoid coming close to you unable to bear the stink; when your eyes do not see, when your ears do not hear, when death is slowly eating you up; even then your mind is alive thinking about all unfulfilled wants of yours! What a pity!

Dvadashamanjarika Abhirashesah

Kathitoh Vyakarnasyaisah

Updesho Bhudvidyanipunaih

Shrimacchankara Bhagvaccharaneh(14)

Through this bouquet of a dozen verses

Was imparted succinctly to grammarian

Instructions supreme by the all knowing

Sankara, adored as the Bhagavadpada