Shloka 6

One has to develop a sense of detachment from all objects of materialistic values. This is an absolute necessity in order to turn the mind towards seeking the Truly Highest, through constant contemplation.

An entire lifetime should not be spent in sheer bodyworship.

Quoting from our text --

It is necessary to sweat and toil, to fight and procure, to feed and breed, to clothe and shelter the body, but to spend a whole lifetime in these alone, is criminal waste of human abilities. Eventually, the body has to grow old, totter, become infirm and die away.

An animal body has value after it is dead. But,  that is not the case with a human body and even the near and dear ones dread it, once the life has ebbed away.

One should keep the body clean and beautiful, feed it, clothe it, wash it but with the understanding that it is only an instrument, through which one can seek the Highest. 

Shloka 5

Man is essentially selfish and does things with expectations of something in return! Even intimate relations and dear and near ones are dependent or deferential towards the earning-saving member of the family – (meaning) one who is capable for earning or who  is rich and wealthy, earns the reverence, respect, power and is adored by others.

Although, this may be true from a materialistic point of view, it can be considered as an obstruction to one’s Spiritual progress, if one does not realize that riches are temporary or transitory and may desert/leave one at any time!

Human life loses its faculties and capacities as age catches up and all physical and intellectual capabilities wane or decline.  There is a nice quote in the text, “If money can purchase happiness, the absence of money can procure only sorrow!”

When one loses his capabilities or they wane with age, even the family members desist from speaking with that person. One should therefore live under no illusion that popularity, affection, consideration and reverence from others, is something permanent! One has to earn inner peace, tranquility and turn towards devotion to the Higher, “now” and “here”, when one is young and one’s faculties and mental efficiencies are at the peak!

One can seek success, fame and fortune. However, the main occupation of life should be the art of self-purification, the craftsmanship of seeking Perfection.

The text says, “The real achievement is to be gained in one’s own inner contemplations, so that even before the world comes to reject you, you can reject the world of activities and retire into a richer world of serener contemplation and more intense self-engagements.”

Shloka 4

shloka:
nalinIdalagata jalamati-taralam
tatdavajjIvitamatishaya chapalam
viddhivyaadhyabhimaana-grastam
lokam shoka hatam cha samastam


Brief meaning:

This verse of Bhajagovindam simply says - Just like a water droplet on a lotus which is uncertain and unstable, our life is also very uncertain and unstable. Can anyone predict what's going to happen next in our life? No. It's not in our control. More over, our life is full of diseases, sorrow and pride. So, when we are in this situation of uncertainty, in the middle of many diseases and riddled with sorrow, time is of essence. So, acharya says, don't waste time, do it now and do it here - that is "Seek Govinda".

The analogy given here is that of a Lotus in the water and a drop of water on a Lotus that's uncertain. Can a Lotus exist outside of water? No. Lotus grows and perishes in the water that arose from a tiny seed that was at the bottom.  It's nothing but an expression of water. Thus if we think of water as the infinite consciousness, divine and that pervades everything (Brahman) and the drop of water (Atman) which is expressing through the lotus of the intellect, we find a deeper meaning here. When the Lotus perishes, the drop of water which is the Atman merges with the waters of infinite consciousness (Brahman)

It is exactly what's said in the Maha Vaakya - "THOU ART THAT" or "Tat Tvam Asi" (You are THAT)

and Brahman without Maaya and Atman without Avidya are one and the same.

Shloka 3

After giving a warning in the first 2 slokas against the arrogance of knowledge and insatiable greed for acquiring wealth, Jagat guru Adi Shankaracharya sternly strikes at the evil of lust, as being one of the most intractable (stubborn) and destructive.

The 2 utmost forbidden things our elders warned us from the days of the Upanishads is, Kaanatha or Kaminee, that is wealth and the other one being Kaanchan, that is woman. He exhorts (strongly urges) both men and women to resist the temptation of getting into external appearance of beauty of the body. Biologically, attraction for the opposite sex is natural, but this temporary attraction or enjoyment will always lead to misery, sorrow and destruction and hence has to be controlled, disciplined, purified and sublimated (changed).

Sri Shakaracharya comes with a most efficient and natural antidote. He wants us humans, to analyze and perceive mentally the reality of the body (Pratipaksha Bhavana). Body is nothing but abhorrent flesh and fat, packed in a bag of skin and nine holes, and one day this filth-filled body will perish.

He reminds us of our multiple lives and being lived through these two passions. This very manav janma attained due to some punya karma, is not to be wasted,  but to be utilized to reach the lotus feet of the Lord. He urges us to maintain the practice of ‘varam-varam’, the art of balancing and focusing the mind on the Lord, because mother maya is always ready to strike us with her fatal attraction of the world of objects around us.

We gaze at the world splashed all over with our own limited, veiled and conditioned mind. He instructs us to see the world with close observations, diligent inquiry and discriminatory powers in its most natural form and beauty, opting for Shreyas ( path of right and good) rather than Preyas ( path of immediate pleasure).

Shloka 2

Transliteration of Shloka 2

 

mUDha jahiihi dhanaagama tRishhNaaM


kuru sadbuddhiM manasi vitRishhNaam.


yallabhase nijakarmopaattaM


vittaM tena vinodaya chittam. .. (2)

 

Condensed Meaning

Oh fool !  Give up your thirst to possess wealth. Create your mind, devoid of passions, thoughts of reality.  With whatever you get (as rewards of the past) entertain your mind (be content). 

 

This shloka essentially gives you a quick three step process towards channeling your mind towards contentment and ultimately self realization.

 

The first step is for us to give up our “thirst” for wealth.  Here wealth is used to define all worldly and sensory objects.  All worldly things by definition attract us more towards “samsara” and away from the lord.

 

After we have given up this thirst, and cleansed our mind of passions, our mind will be clearer to meditate upon reality.   This is the second step, where in we open our mind to thoughts of brahman and reality.   The more you do this the less your thirst for wealth becomes.

 

The final and third step in this process is to then become content by enjoying the “rewards” of our past actions.    The implication is that we view all of the results of our past actions as “rewards”.  This means we should not have “regrets” which typically leads us to desire to possess more material objects and the “jiva” gets caught in the cycle of moha and ignorance and then comes misery.

 

It has been very simply explained here but as we all know it takes a lifetime (if not more) of discipline and conditioning of the mind to achieve what has been said in four lines!  Therefore the persuasion by all our scriptures that it is never too soon to start on this path!

 

There are references to this attitude within our other scriptures.  Such as in the Kathopanisad the young boy, Naciketa, in his answer to his teacher, Lord of Death, has poignantly expressed this idea – “Man is never satisfied with his possessions alone”.

 

Also, Sankaracharya in his Vivekachudamani quotes the famous statement in Brihadaranyaka Upanisad, which says that, “the dealthless and the imperishable can never be hoped to be gained by the possession of wealth”

 

There is also a wonderful verse in Isavasyopanisad: “Renounce and Enjoy, covet not others wealth.”

 

That right there I think sums up the second verse!

Introduction and Shloka 1

Hari Om!!. Salutations.

As we move into a new school year 2011-2012., we at CMTC adult study group class lead by Sri Keshavji started to attend a new class, Bhaja Govindam, after successfully completing Tattva Bodha under his guidance the previous year.It was a natural progression for most of our study group members to attend this class and this year the study group is also led by Sri Rabindra Gaanji.

This year we study Shri Adi Sankaracharya's Bahaja Govidam , a master piece in teaching the fundamentals of vedanta to the common man. In our class, to aid our study, we follow the book titled 'Aadi Sankaracharya's BHAJA GOVINDAM - Commentary by : Swami Chinmayananda', published by Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.

Also, it was decided that we start writing a blog each week about what we learn in class., I guess to keep it more engaging. Each week one member of the group will get to blog ( or brag or muse or rant).

BHAJA GOVINDAM

Sloka 1:
भज  गोविन्दं  भज  गोविन्दं
    गोविन्दं  भज  मूढमते
संप्राप्ते  सन्निहिते  काले
    न  हि  न  हि  रक्षति    डुकृञ्करणे 

Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam
    Govindam Bhaja Mudhamate
Samprapte Sannihite Kale
    Na hi Na hi Raksati Dukr~j Karane.
  
In Sanskrit Bhaja has meanings. Bhaja means worship, chant, recite, praise, sing in glory etc.
Govindam - Name of God Vishnu., also means Highest Reality, the Supreme Brahman.
Samprapte Sannihite Kale - When the time comes for the imminent death
Na hi Na hi Raksati Dukrn Karane - The grammar rules will not save you.

There goes a story that in those days when Sri Aadi Sankaracharya was walking along with his disciples., he overhears an old pundit reciting the rules of grammar to help him participate in an intellectual debate. This incident happens to be the backdrop of the reason behind the origin of Moha - Mudgara now known as Bhaja Govindam.

In the first two lines Sri Aadi Sankaracharya says  that one has to worship God because when the death comes these grammar rules will not save you.
  Worshipis only way to liberate yourself.

This brings the question of how worship will liberate you.

There are many examples in Hindu scriptures where it was mentioned that just by naama smarana., reciting the name of God, one can reach the Highest Reality.


Vishnu Purana:
ध्यायन  करते  यजन  यज्ञैस
त्रेतायां  द्वापरे  र्चायन
यदाप्नोति  तदाप्नोति
कलौ  संकीर्त्य  केसवं

Dhyayan krte yajan yajnais-
tretayam dvapare rcayan
yadapnoti tadapnoti
kalau samkirtaya kesavam

Which means:
"The supreme goal which was attained in Satya-yuga by years of prolonged meditation; in Treta-yuga by performing extensive yajnas; in Dvapara-yuga by opulent and scrupulous Deity worship; in Kali-yuga the same results are easily had simply by the chanting of the holy name."
(Internet Source: http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/spiritual-discussions/36369-verses-chanting-holy-names.html)

Bhagavad Gita:
ॐ  इत्य   एकाक्षरं  ब्रह्म
व्यःअरान  मम  अनुस्मरन
यः  प्रयत i तयजन  देहं
स  यति  परमं  गतिं

om ity ekaksharam brahma
vyaharan mam anusmaran
yah prayati tyajan deham
sa yati paramam gatim

"After being situated in this yoga practice and vibrating the sacred syllable om, the supreme combination of letters, if one thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and quits his body, he will certainly reach the spiritual planets."
 Bhagavad Gita 8.13

अनन्य -चेतः  सततं
यो  मम  स्मरति  नित्यशः
तस्याहं  सुलभः  पार्थ
नित्य -युक्तस्य  योगिनः

ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah

"For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Pritha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service."
 Bhagavad Gita 8.13
 

 As Swami Chinmayananda says "Seeking out identity with the Lord" is true bhajan, true seva - "Service". True bhajan is a total subjective surrender, in love and devotion at the altar of the Lord as conceived by the devotee.

 The process of self-liquidation at the feet of the Lord has been classified under nine types:
 १) श्रवणं , २ ) कीर्तनं , ३ ) स्मरणं ,  ४ ) पादसेवनम् , ५ )अर्चनं , ६ ) वन्दनं , ७ ) दास्यं , ८ ) सख्यं  ९ ) आत्म -निवेदनम्
 1) Sravanam, 2) Kirtanam, 3) Smaranam,  4) padasevanam, 5)archanam, 6) vandanam, 7) dasyam, 8) sakhyam and 9) atma-nivedanam.


 The first sloka can be summarized as.. seek your identity with Govinda, the Supreme  and do not waste your time in mere grammar hunting and other unprofitable pursuits of secular knowledge of worldly possessions.

 This sloka is to be sung in chorus and is generally repeated after every sloka in Bhaja Govindam.

ॐ तत् सत

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Hari Om!

Welcome to the Chinmaya Vrindavan Bhaja Govindam Adult Study Group blog.

Please continue to regularly visit this online journal to learn about our weekly Sunday morning discussions, as well as other important announcements pertaining to our Study Group.  This will be authored by all those who attend the study group.  Members, feel free to contribute your valuable thoughts and ideas on this blog.

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Gajendra Moksha