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Bhaja Govindam
Bhaja Govindam
by Sripad Shankaracharya
Adi Shankara
jgaeivNd< jgaeivNd<
gaeivNd< jmUFmte,
s<ae siihte kale
nih nih rKzit fukkr[e. 1
Govinda
Text 1
bhajagovinda bhajagovinda
govinda bhajamhamate |
samprpte sannihite kle
nahi nahi rakati ukkarae || 1
Text 2
mha jahhi dhangamat
kuru sadbuddhi manasi vitm |
yallabhase nijakarmoptta
vitta tena vinodaya cittam || 2
Oh fool! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind to thoughts to the
Real. Be content with what comes through actions already performed in the past.
narIStnr naIdez<
:qva magamaehavezm!,
@tNma<savsaid ivkar<
mnis ivicNty var< varm!. 3
Text 3
nrstanabhara nbhdea
dv mgmohveam |
etanmsvasdi vikra
manasi vicintaya vra vram || 3
Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and lust by seeing a
woman's navel and chest. Bodies are flesh, fat and blood. Do not fail to remember
this again and again in your mind.
nilnIdlgt jlmittrl<
tIivtmitzycplm!,
ivi VyaXyimanSt<
laek< zaekht< c smStm!. 4
Text4
nalindalagata jalamatitarala
tadvajjvitamatiayacapalam |
viddhi vydhyabhimnagrasta
loka okahata ca samastam || 4
Uncertain is the life of man as rain drops on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole
world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief.
yaviaepajRn s>
Stavij pirvarae r>,
paIvit jjRr dehe
vata kae=ip n p&CDit gehe. 5
Text 5
yvadvittoprjana sakta
stvannija parivro rakta |
pacjjvati jarjara dehe
vrt ko'pi na pcchati gehe || 5
So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see the affection all those
around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word with him when
his body totters due to old age.
Text 6
yvatpavano nivasati dehe
tvatpcchati kuala gehe |
gatavati vyau dehpye
bhry bibhyati tasminkye || 6
When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But
when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the
corpse.
balStavTIfas>
t[Stav[Is>,
v&StaviNtas>
pre i[ kae=ip n s>. 7
Text 7
blastvatkrsakta
taruastvattarusakta |
vddhastvaccintsakta
pare brahmai ko'pi na sakta || 7
Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age passes
away by thinking over many past things. Alas! Hardly is there anyone who yearns to
be lost in Parabrahman.
Text 8
kte knt kaste putra
sasro'yamatva vicitra |
kasya tva ka kuta yta
tattva cintaya tadiha bhrta || 8
Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this Samsara. Of whom are you?
Where have you come from? Brother, ponder over these truths.
sTs{gTve inSS{gTv<
inSs{gTve inmaeRhTvm!,
inmaeRhTve inltv<
inltve jIvNmui>. 9
Text 9
satsagatve nissgatva
nissagatve nirmohatvam |
nirmohatve nicalatattva
nicalatattve jvanmukti || 9
Text 10
vayasigate ka kmavikra
uke nre ka ksra |
kevitte ka parivra
jte tattve ka sasra || 10
What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has no water?
Where are the relatives when wealth is gone? Where is Samsara (the continuation
of birth and death) when the Truth is known?
ma k xn jn yaEvn gv
hrit inme;aTkal> svRm!,
mayamyimdmiol< ihTva
pd< Tv< ivz ividTva. 11
Text 11
m kuru dhana jana yauvana garva
harati nimetkla sarvam |
mymayamidamakhila hitv
brahmapada tva pravia viditv || 11
Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of these are destroyed within
a minute. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of Maya and attain the
timeless Truth.
Text 12
dinayminyau sya prta
iiravasantau punaryta |
kla krati gacchatyyu
tadapi na mucatyvyu || 12
Daylight and darkness, dusk and dawn, winter and springtime come and go. Time
plays and life ebbs away. But the storm of desire never leaves.
adzmirkairze;>
kiwtae vEyakr[SyE;>,
%pdezae Ui*ainpu[E>
ImCDNkrgvCDr[ir>. 13
Text 13
dvdaamajarikbhiraea
kathito vaiykaraasyaia |
upadeo bhdvidynipuai
rmacchankarabhagavaccharaari || 13
Text 14
kte knt dhana gatacint
vtula ki tava nsti niyant |
trijagati sajjanasa gatiraik
bhavati bhavravatarae nauk || 14
Text 15
jailo mu luchitakea
kymbarabahuktavea |
payannapi cana payati mha
udaranimitta bahuktavea || 15
There are many who go with matted locks, many who have clean shaven heads,
many whose hairs have been plucked out; some are clothed in saffron, yet others
in various colours --- all just for a livelihood. Seeing truth revealed before them,
still the foolish ones see it not.
Text 16
aga galita palita mua
daanavihna jata tuam |
vddho yti ghtv daa
tadapi na mucatypiam || 16
Strength has left the old man's body; his head has become bald, his gums
toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then the attachment is strong and he
clings firmly to fruitless hope.
Ae vi> p&eanu>
raaE cubuksmipRtjanu>,
krtliKzSttlvas>
tdip n muTyazapaz>. 17
Text 17
agre vahni phebhnu
rtrau cubukasamarpitajnu |
karatalabhikastarutalavsa
tadapi na mucatypa || 17
Behold there lies the man who sits warming up his body with the fire in front and
the sun at the back; at night he curls up the body to keep out of the cold; he eats
his beggar's food from the bowl of his hand and sleeps beneath the tree. Still in
his heart, he is a wretched puppet at the hands of passions.
kte gasagrgmn<
tpirpalnmwva danm!,
}anivihn> svRmten
mui< n jit jNmzten. 18
Text 18
kurute gagsgaragamana
vratapariplanamathav dnam |
jnavihina sarvamatena
mukti na bhajati janmaatena || 18
One may go to the Ganga, observe fasts, and give away riches in charity! Yet,
devoid of Jnana, nothing can give Mukthi even at the end of a hundred births.
Text 19
sura mandira taru mla nivsa
ayy bhtala majina vsa |
sarva parigraha bhoga tyga
kasya sukha na karoti virga || 19
Take your residence in a temple or below a tree, wear the deerskin for the dress,
and sleep with mother earth as your bed. Give up all attachments and renounce all
comforts. Blessed with such Vairagya, could any fail to be content?
yaegrtae vaaegrtaeva
s{grtae va s{gvIihn>,
ySy i[ rmte ic<
nNdit nNdit nNdTyev. 20
Text 20
yogarato vbhogaratov
sagarato v sagavhina |
yasya brahmai ramate citta
nandati nandati nandatyeva || 20
One may take delight in Yoga or Bhoga, may have attachment or detachment. But
only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one else.
Text 21
bhagavad gt kicidadht
gag jalalava kaikpt |
sakdapi yena murri samarc
kriyate tasya yamena na carc || 21
Let a man read but a little from the Bhagavad-Gita, drink just a drop of water
from the Ganga, worship Murari (Krishna) just once. He then will have no
altercation with Yama (the lord of death).
Text 22
punarapi janana punarapi maraa
punarapi janan jahare ayanam |
iha sasre bahudustre
kpay'pre phi murre ||22
Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother's womb! It is indeed
hard to cross this boundless ocean of Samsara. Oh Murari! Redeem me through
Thy mercy.
Text 23
rathy carpaa viracita kantha
puypuya vivarjita pantha |
yog yoganiyojita citto
ramate blonmattavadeva || 23
There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are rags cast off the
road. Freed from vice and virtue, onward he wanders. One who lives in
communion with God enjoys bliss, pure and uncontaminated, like a child and as
someone intoxicated.
Text 24
kastva ko'ha kuta yta
k me janan ko me tta |
iti paribhvaya sarvamasram
viva tyaktv svapna vicram || 24
Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my
father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence-less and give up the world as
an idle dream.
Text 25
tvayi mayi cnyatraiko viu
vyartha kupyasi mayyasahiu |
bhava samacitta sarvatra tva
vchasyacirdyadi viutvam || 25
In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your anger
and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the quality of Vishnu soon,
have Sama Bhva always.
Text 26
atrau mitre putre bandhau
m kuru yatna vigrahasandhau |
sarvasminnapi paytmna
sarvatrotsja bhedjnam || 26
Do not waste your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend and foe,
children and relatives. See yourself in everyone and give up all feelings of duality
completely.
Text 27
kma krodha lobha moha
tyaktv'tmna bhvaya ko'ham |
tmajna vihn mh
te pacyante narakanigh || 27
Give up lust, anger, infatuation, and greed. Ponder over your real nature. Fools
are they who are blind to the Self. Cast into hell they suffer there endlessly.
Text 28
geya gt nma sahasra
dhyeya rpati rpamajasram |
neya sajjana sage citta
deya dnajanya ca vittam || 28
Regularly recite from the Bhagavad-Gita, meditate on Vishnu in your heart, and
chant His thousand glories. Take delight to be with the noble and the holy.
Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy.
Text 29
sukhata kriyate rmbhoga
pacddhanta arre roga |
yadyapi loke maraa araa
tadapi na mucati ppcaraam || 29
He who yields to lust for pleasure leaves his body a prey to disease. Though death
brings an end to everything, man does not give up the sinful path.
Text 30
arthamanartha bhvaya nitya
nstitata sukhalea satyam |
putrdapi dhana bhj bhti
sarvatrai vihi rti || 30
Wealth is not welfare, truly there is no joy in it. Reflect thus at all times. A rich
man fears even his own son. This is the way of wealth everywhere.
a[ayam< Tyahar<
inTyainTy ivvekivcarm!,
jaPysmet smaixivxan<
kvRvxan< mhdvxanm!. 31
Text 31
pryma pratyhra
nitynitya vivekavicram |
jpyasameta samdhividhna
kurvavadhna mahadavadhnam || 31
Regulate the Pranas (life airs within), remain unaffected by external influences
and discriminate between the real and the fleeting. Chant the holy name of God
and silence the turbulent mind. Perform these with care, with extreme care.
Text 32
gurucarambuja nirbhara bhakata
sasrdacirdbhava mukta |
sendriyamnasa niyamdeva
drakyasi nija hdayastha devam || 32
Oh devotee of the lotus feet of the Guru! May thou be soon free from Samsara.
Through disciplined senses and controlled mind, thou shalt come to experience
the indwelling Lord of your heart!
mUF> kn vEyakr[ae
fukkr[aXyyn xuir[>,
ImCDMkr gviCD:yE
baeixt AaisCDaeixtkr[>. 33
Text 33
mha kacana vaiykarao
ukkaradhyayana dhuria |
rmacchamkara bhagavacchiyai
bodhita sicchodhitakaraa || 33
Thus was a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow vision and
shown the Light by Shankara's apostles.
jgaeivNd< jgaeivNd<
gaeivNd< jmUFmte,
namSmr[adNymupay<
nih pZyamae vtr[e. 34
Text 34
bhajagovinda bhajagovinda
govinda bhajamhamate |
nmasmaradanyamupya
nahi paymo bhavatarae || 34
and spending the rest of his time to Govinda, the Supreme Lord. Taking pity on
him, he went up and advised him not to waste his time on grammar at his
advanced age but to turn his mind to God in worship and adoration. Shankara
understood that the majority of the world was also engaged in mere intellectual,
sense pleasures and not in the divine contemplation. Seeing this, he burst forth
with the verses of Bhaja govinda
In the verses of Bhaja Govinda, Shankara, like no other, explains our fallacies,
our wrong outlook for life, and dispells our ignorance and delusions. Thus bhaja
govinda was originally known as moha mudgra, the remover of delusions.
Shankara explains, nay chides, us for spending our time in useless trivia like
amassing wealth, lusting after (wo)men and requests us to discriminate and
cultivate the knowledge to learn the difference between the real and the unreal,
spirit and matter. To emphasise that, he concludes that all knowledge other than
the Self-Knowledge is useless. Shankara makes the person realize how foolish
he/she is in the conduct and behaviour by these verses, and shows the purpose of
our worldly existence, which is to seek Govinda and attain Him.
Shankara's words may seem to be quite piercing and direct in this hymn, missing
the softness and tenderness often found in his other texts. The reason is that this
was an extempore recital to an old man, wasting his time. His words can be
compared to a knife of a doctor. The doctor's knife cruelly removes the tumour
with much pain, but removing the tumour ultimately restores good health in the
patient. So is Shankara's direct words, which pierce and point out our ignorance.
It is a knife into the heart of worldliness, and by removing this tumour of
ignorance; we can attain everlasting bliss by taking shelter of Govinda.
Bhaja govinda has been set to musical tones and sung as prayer songs by
children. It is divided into dvdashapaJNjarik and charpaTapaJNjarik for this
purpose. The former is a set of verses (verses 1-12) while the rest of the verses
form charpaTapaJNjarik.
Though sung as a bhajan, it contains the essence of vedanta and implores the
man to think, "Why am I here in this life ? Why am I amassing wealth, family,
but have no peace ? What is the Truth ? What is the purpose of life ? The person
thus awakened gets set on a path to the inner road of Selfrealisation.
Anyone who listens to the music of Bhaja govinda is attracted to it. However,
the significance of the text goes much deeper and contains a well defined
philosophy of attaining salvation (Moksha) by taking shelter of Govinda /
Krishna.
May the achray guide us from ignorance to truth . OM tat sat.
.. ..
= worship;
= Govinda;
= O, foolish mind!;
= ( when you have) reached/obtained;
= (in the) presence/nearness of;
= Time (here:Lord of Death, Yama);
= No; never;
= protects;
= the grammatical formula DukRi.nkaraNe;
= Text 1
"
/
.. ..
= Oh fool!;
= jahi+iha, leave/give up+here(in this world);
= wealth;
= coming/arrival;
= thirst/desire;
= Do;act;
= sat.h+buddhiM, good+awareness(loosely speaking:mind);
= in the mind;
= desirelessness;
= yat.h+labhase, whatever+(you)obtain;
= nija+karma, one's+duty(normal work);
= obtained;
= wealth;
= by that; with that;
= divert/recreate(be happy);
= mind;
=2
"
2
5
7
/
.. ..
= woman;
= breasts that are(full-with milk);
= nAbhI+deshaM, navel+region/country;
= having seen;
= mA+gaa, Don't+go;
= infatuated state(moha+AveshaM-seizure);
= this;
= mAmsau+Adi, flesh+etc;
= appearance (generally, grotesque/ugly);
= in the mind;
= think well;
= again;
= and again;
=3
7
2
/
(
.. ..
= nalinI+dala+gata, lotus+petal+reached/gone;
= water(drop);
= ati+tarala, very+unstable;
= like that;
= life;
= wonderful;
= fickle-minded;
= know for sure;
= disease;
= self-importance;
= having been caught/seized;
= world;people;
= attacked(hata) by grief(shoka);
= and;
= entire;
=4
7
+
>
>
>
7
2
+
= so long as;
= wealth;
= earning/acquiring;
= capable of;
= tAvat.h+nija, till then+one's;
= family;
= attached;
= later;
= while living(without earning);
= old/digested (by disease etc);
= in the body;
= word (here enquiry/inquiry);
= kaH+api, whosoever; even one;
= not;
= inquires/asks/minds;
= in the house;
=5
A
D
.. ..
7
>
7
D
+
G
.. ..
= so long as;
= air/breath;
= lives/dwells;
= in thge body;
= till then;
= asks/inquires;
= welfare;
= in the house;
= while gone;
= air(life-breath);
= when life departs the body;
= wife;
= is afraid;fears;
= tasmin.h+kaye, in that body;
=6
G >
7
K
>
>
7
2
>
(>
7
/
>
>
.. ..
= young boy;
= till then (till he is young);
= play;
= attached/engrossed/absorbed;
= young man;
= till then;
= young woman;
= attached/engrossed;
= old man;
= till then;
= worry;
= attached/engrossed/absorbed;
= in the lofty;high;supreme;
= Brahman.h ;God;
= whosoever;
= not;
= attached/absorbedengrossed;
=7
>
>
2
/>
>
>
>
>
.. ..
= kA+te, who+your;
= wife;
= kaH+te, who+your;
= son;
= world/family;
= this;
= great/big/very much;
= wonderful/mysterious;
= whose;
= you;
= who;
= from where;
= have come;
= truth/nature;
= think well/consider;
= tat.h+iha, that+here;
= brother;
=8
V
2 >
.. ..
= in good company;
= aloneness/non-attachment/detachment;
= non-infatuated state/clearheadedness;
= tranquillity/imperturbability;
= salvation+freedom from bondage of birth;
= vayasi+gate, when age has advanced/gone;
=9
>
>
>
2
>
>
>
>
.. ..
= lake;
= spent-up/weakened state of;
= wealth;
= what( use) for;
= family(is there?);
= in the realised state;
= truth;
= what (use) is;
= world/family bond;
= 10
F
A
7
>
A
.. ..
= do not;
= do/act;
= wealth;
= people;
= youth;
= arrogance/haughtiness;
= takes away/steals away;
= in the twinkling of the eye;
= Master Time;
= all;
= delusion;
= full of/completely filled;
= this;
= whole/entire;
= having given up/abandoned;
= the state/position of Brahma/god-realised state;
= you;
= enter;
= having known/realised;
= 11
>
F
>
>
>
K
D
>
>
.. ..
= without remainder/totally;
]
= was told;
^ ^>
= to the grammarian+this;
>
= advice;
= was;
^
= by the ace scholar Shankara (Plural is used for reverance);
2D 7+/^> = by the Shankaracharya who is known; as shankarabhagavat
+charaNAH or pAdAH (plural for reverence)
.. ..
= 13
^
+
F
.. ..
= kA+te, who+your;
= wife;
= wealth;
= thinking of;
=;
=;
= your;
= na+asti, not there;
= controller;
= in the three worlds;
= good people;
= sa.ngatiH+ekA, company+(only) one (way);
= becomes;
= bhava+arNava, birthdeath+ocean;
= in crossing;
= boat/ship;
= 14
c>
"
D
G
G
>
/
>
G >
.. ..
(>
= limb(s);
= weakened;
= ripened(grey);
= head;
= dashana+vihInaM, teeth+bereft;
= having become;
= jaws/mouth?;
= the old man;
"
"
= goes;
= holding the;
= stick(walking);
= then even;
= not;
= lets go/releases/gives up;
= AshA+pindaM, desire+lump(piNDaM also means rice-ball given;
as oblation for the dead)
= 16
/
.. ..
= in front of/ahead/beforehand;
g>
= fire ( for worship);
>
= pRishhThe+bhaanuH, behind+sun;
F
= in the night;
/G+
= face dedicated to(huddled up between) the knees;
= alms in the palms;
= living under the trees;
= then even;
= not;
/
= releases/lets go;
= desire;
= rope/ties;
.. ..
= 17
.. ..
>
>
+
= gods;
= temple;
= tree;
= root;
= living;
= bed;
= on the surface of the earth;
= deer skin?;
= living;
= all;
= ttachment;
= enjoyable things/worldly pleasures;
>
= sacrificing/abandonment;
= whose;
= happiness;
= not;
= does;
= Non-attachment/desirelessness;
= 19
>
.. ..
>
>
>
2
/
.. ..
>
2
/ 7
2
/ +
= indulging in yoga;
= or;
= indulging in worldly pleasures;
= or;
= indulging in good company;
= or;
= bereft of company;
= whose;
= in Brahman(God);
= delights;
= mind (here soul);
= revels;
= nandati+eva, revels alone/revels indeed;
= 20
// +
.. ..
= god's;
= song (here the scripture `bhagavatgItA');
= a little;
= studied;
= river Ganga;
= water drop;
= a little droplet, drunk;
= once even;
= by whom;
= the enemy of `Muraa' (Lord Krishna);
= well worshipped;
= is done;
= his;
= by Yama, the lord of Death;
= not;
= discussion;
= 21
.. ..
/+c
/
]>
+
]>
2
/>
G
.. ..
= ?;
= torn/tattered cloth;
= created;
= throated man;
= virtues sins;
= without/ having abandoned;
= wayfarer?;
= the man seeking union with god;
= ccontrolled by yoga;
= mind;
= delights;
= like a child who has gone mad;
= 23
>
>
>
>
2
>
>
/
.. ..
= who (are);
= you;
= who(am);
= I;
= whence;
= has come;
= who;
= my;
= mother;
= who;
= my;
= father;
= thus;
= deem well/visualise;
= the entire;
= worthless/without essence;
= world;
= having abandoned/sacrificed;
= dream;
= consideration/thinking;
= 24
/ ^
>
]+
/>
= in yourself;
= in myself;
= cha+anyatra+ekaH, and+in any other place+only one;
= the Lord MahaavishhNu;
= in vain ; for nothing;purposeless;
= you get angry;
= mayi+asahishhNuH, in me+intolerant;
= become;
= equal-minded/equanimity;
D
/
.. ..
= everywhere;
= you;
= you desire;
= without delay/in no time;
= if;
= the quality/state of Brahman/god-realisation;
= 25
GF
F
+
+
.. ..
= in (towards)the enemy;
= in (towards) the friend;
= in(towards) the son;
= in (towards) relatives;
= don't;
= do;
= effort;
= for war(dissension) or peace-making;
= in all beings;
= see your own self;
= everywhere;
= give up;
= difference/otherness/duality;
= 26
= desire;
= anger;
= greed;
= infatuation;
= having abandoned see as one's own self;
= deem/consider/visualise/imagine;
= who am I;
= knowledge of self;
"
= bereft;
= fools;
= they;
= are cooked?;
= in the hell;
= cast in;
= wealth;
.. ..
= 27
= is to be sung;
= bhagavatgItA;
= name of the lord;
= 1000 times;
= is to be meditated;
= Lakshmi's consort MahAvishhNu's;
= form/image;
= the unborn one;
= is to be lead/taken;
= good people;
= in the company;
"
/
.. ..
= mind;
= is to be given;
= to the poor (humble state) people;
= and;
= 28
\>
(
"
= for happiness;
= is done;
= sexual pleasures?;
= later on in the end;
= in the body;
= disease;
= even though;
= in the world;
= death;
= resort/surrender;
= even then;
= not;
= releases/gives up;
= pApa+AcharaNa, sin-practising;
= 29
/
/
.. ..
]A
]A
>
\>
2>
+
">
.. ..
= wealth;
= purposeless/in vain/danger-productive;
= deem/consider/visualise;
= daily/always;
= not;
= is;
= from that;
= (even a little) happiness;
= Truth;
= even from the the son;
= wealth;
= acquiring peeople;
= fear;
= everywhere;
= this;
= vihitA?, understood;
= procedure/practice/custom;
= 30
/
+
.. ..
= breath-control;
= diet-control;
= always/daily/certain;
= uncertain/temporary/ephemeral/transient;
= awareness after reasoning;
= thought/considered concluion/opinion;
= with chanting of the names of the lord;
= in the state of trance;
= pay attention;
= great care attention;
= 31
/ G
+
>
7
/
>
u
u
]
.. ..
2 7
7
^>
G
7
/
.. ..
= fool;
= cerain;
= Grammar;
= grammatic formula DukRi.nkaraNa;
= study;
= awakened/aroused?;
= honourable prefix;
= Shankara;
= God;
= disciples;
= having been taught/enlightened;
= was/existed;
= tested or awakened senses;
= 33
.. ..
= worship;
= lord Govinda;
= Oh foolish mind!;
= (exceept) through/from rememberance of the lord's name;
= other;
= plan/method/means;
= not;
= we see;
= for crossing the ocean of births deaths;
= 34