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Shivandha Lahari
Bhaja Govindam
Lingeshwar

Bhaja Govindam was written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.

Ardanareeswar
 Dakshinamurthy

Bhairava Bhaja govindaM is one of the minor compositions of the spiritual

giant, Adi Shankaracharya . It is classified as a prakaraNa
Mother Devi grantha, a primer to the major works . Though sung as a bhajan,
Gayatri 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,
Mula Mantra 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
108 Namavali road back to the God principle.

Rajarajeswari
The background of Bhaja GovindaM is worth examining . During
Ashtothram
his stay in Kashi, he noticed a very old man studying the rules of
sanskrit by Panini . Shankara was touched with pity at seeing the
Durga Suktham
plight of the old man spending his years at a mere intellectual
accomplishment while he would be better off praying and
Saundarya Lahari
spending time to control his mind . Shankara understood that the
majority of the world was also engaged in mere intellectual,
Lalita Sahasranamam
sense pleasures and not in the divine contemplation . Seeing
this, he burst forth with the verses of Bhaja govindaM.
Mahishasura Mardini

Abirami Andhaathi In 31 verses, he, like no other, explains our fallacies, our wrong
outlook for life, and dispells our ignorance and delusions. Thus
Skanda Mantras bhaja govindaM was originally known as moha mudgaara, the
Gayatri remover of delusions.

Mula Mantra
Shankara explains, nay chides, us for spending our time in
useless trivia like amassing wealth, lusting after (wo)men and
108 Namavali
requests us to discriminate and cultivate the knowledge to learn
the difference between the real and the unreal . To emphasise
Saravana Maamantra
that, he concludes that all knowledge other than the Self-
Lord Vishnu Knowledge is useless, Shankara makes the person realize how
Vishnu Gayatri foolish he/she is in the conduct and behavior by these verses,
and shows the purpose of our worldly existence, which is to seek
Rama Gayatri Govinda and attain Him.

Krishna Gayatri Bhaja govindaM is divided into dvaadasha manjarikaa stotram

and chaturdasha manjarika stotram . At the end of composing
Venkatesa Gayatri the first stanza, it is said that Shankara burst forth with the next
11 stanzas of bhaja govindam. Thus stanzas 1-12 are called
Sudarsana Gayatri dvaadash manjarika stotram . Inspired by the extempore recital
by Shankara, each of his 14 disciples composed a verse and the
Vishnu Mantras 14 verse compendium is called chaturdasha manjarika stotram .
Shankara added the finishing touches by adding five of his own
Rama Mantras stanzas at the last bringing the total to 31. The last two verses in
this version is not found in all editions.
Krishna Mantras
Bhaja govindaM has been set to musical tones and sung as
Venkatesa Mantras prayer songs by children . It is divided into
dvaadashapaJNjarikaa and charpaTapaJNjarikaa for this purpose.
Rama 108 Namavali The former is a set of verses (verses 1-12a) while the rest of the
verses form charpaTapaJNjarikaa.
Venkatesa
Suprabhaatam
Anyone who listens to the music of Bhaja govindaM is attracted
Vishhnu Sahasranamam to it . However, the significance of the text goes much deeper
and contains a well defined philosophy of attaining salvation .
 Purusha Sooktham

Bhaja Govindam Shankara's words seem to be quite piercing and seem to lack the
softness and tenderness often found in his other texts, thus
Venkatesa Stotram addressing directly. The reason is that this was an extempore
recital to an old man . His words can be compared to a knife of a
Sudarshana Ashhtakam doctor . The doctor's knife cruely removes the tumor with much
pain, but removing the tumor ultimately restores good health in
Narasimha 108 the patient. So is Shankara's words, which pierce and point out
Namavali our ignorance. It is a knife into the heart of worldiness, and by
removing this tumor of ignorance, we can attain everlasting bliss
Narasimhakavasam with the grace of Govinda.

Sathyanarayana bhaja govindaM

Ashtothram
bhajagovindaM bhajagovindaM
Dhanvanthri Mantra govindaM bhajamuuDhamate .
Mahalakshmi saMpraapte sannihite kaale
Gayatri nahi nahi rakshati DukR^iJNkaraNe .. 1..

Mula Mantra

108 Namavali
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !
Laksmi Ashtakam
Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death.
Kubera Mantra
mUDha jahiihi dhanaagamatR^ishhNaaM
Tulasi Ashtotram kuru sadbuddhiM manasi vitR^ishhNaam.h .
yallabhase nijakarmopaattaM
Kanakadhara Stotra vittaM tena vinodaya chittam.h .. 2..
Saraswathi
Gayatri

Mula Mantra
Oh fool ! Give up your thrist to amass wealth, devote your mind
108 Namavali to thoughts to the Real . Be content with what comes through
actions already performed in the past.
Surya Stuti
AAditya Hridaya naariistanabhara naabhiideshaM
Stotram
dR^ishhTvaa maagaamohaavesham.h .
etanmaaMsaavasaadi vikaaraM
sUryamaNDal
AshhTakam
manasi vichintaya vaaraM vaaram.h .. 3..

Sri Aadhithya Ashtakam

aShTottarashatanaamav
aliH
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
suvarNamAlAstutiH
a modification of flesh . Fail not to remember this again and
again in your mind.
saamaanyopanishhat

Navagraha Stotram naliniidalagata jalamatitaralaM

tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam.h .
Other Deities viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastaM
 Santoshi Matha
lokaM shokahataM cha samastam.h .. 4..
Anjaneya

Ayyappa

Vaastu Purush The life of a person is as uncertain as rain drops trembling on a

lotus leaf . Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease,
Hyagriva ego and grief.
Specific Mantras
Easy Delivery yaavadvittopaarjana saktaH
staavannija parivaaro raktaH .
Blessings for a child pashchaajjiivati jarjara dehe
vaartaaM ko.api na pR^ichchhati gehe .. 5..
Mantras for All Purpose

So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see what
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When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his
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welfare . But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife
runs away in fear of the corpse.

baalastaavatkriiDaasaktaH
Help us to help you! taruNastaavattaruNiisaktaH .
All the contents of our vR^iddhastaavachchintaasaktaH
portal are based upon pare brahmaNi ko.api na saktaH .. 7..
the Vedic guidance
rendered by the great
sages, scholars and
learned authors
through sastras, The childhood is lost by attachment to playfulness . Youth is lost
satsangs, literature, by attachment to woman . Old age passes away by thinking over
books and advices. many things . But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost in
However the practice parabrahman.
of the same is to done
by the individuals as
per their own best kaate kaantaa kaste putraH
judgment. We do not saMsaaro.ayamatiiva vichitraH .
guarantee or assure kasya tvaM kaH kuta aayaataH
the correctness of the tattvaM chintaya tadiha bhraataH .. 8..
contents by the scale
of the so called modern
science.

Mailerindia is now
expanding its research
wing by employing Who is your wife ? Who is your son ? Strange is this samsaara,
more vedic scholars to the world. Of whom are you ? From where have you come ?
do a detailed study of Brother, ponder over these truths.
our vedas and siddhas.
satsaN^gatve nissN^gatvaM
We welcome you to nissaN^gatve nirmohatvam.h .
assist us by nirmohatve nishchalatattvaM
contributing liberally nishchalatattve jiivanmuktiH .. 9..
for the noble cause.

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From satsanga, company of good people, comes non-attachment,

from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads
to self-settledness . From self-settledness comes Jiivan muktii.

vayasigate kaH kaamavikaaraH

shushhke niire kaH kaasaaraH .
kshiiNevitte kaH parivaaraH
GYaate tattve kaH saMsaaraH .. 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 samsaara, the world, when the Truth is known ?

maa kuru dhana jana yauvana garvaM

harati nimeshhaatkaalaH sarvam.h .
maayaamayamidamakhilaM hitvaa
brahmapadaM tvaM pravisha viditvaa .. 11..

Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth . Each one of these

are destroyed within a minute by time . Free yourself from the
illusion of the world of Maya and attain the timeless Truth.

dinayaaminyau saayaM praataH

shishiravasantau punaraayaataH .
kaalaH kriiDati gachchhatyaayuH
tadapi na muJNchatyaashaavaayuH .. 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.

dvaadashamaJNjarikaabhirasheshhaH
kathito vaiyaakaraNasyaishhaH .
upadesho bhuudvidyaanipuNaiH
shriimachchhankarabhagavachchharaNaiH .. 12a ..

This bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian by

the all-knowing Shankara, adored as the bhagavadpada.

kaate kaantaa dhana gatachintaa

vaatula kiM tava naasti niyantaa .
trijagati sajjanasaM gatiraikaa
bhavati bhavaarNavataraNe naukaa .. 13..

Oh mad man ! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth ? Is

there no one to guide you ? There is only one thing in three
worlds that can save you from the ocean of samsaara, get into
the boat of satsanga, company of good people, quickly. Stanza
attributed to Padmapada.

jaTilo muNDii luJNchhitakeshaH

kaashhaayaambarabahukR^itaveshhaH .
pashyannapi chana pashyati muuDhaH
udaranimittaM bahukR^itaveshhaH .. 14..

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 orange, yet others in various colors --- all just for
a livelihood . Seeing truth revealed before them, still the foolish
ones see it not. Stanza attributed to Totakacharya.

aN^gaM galitaM palitaM muNDaM

dashanavihiinaM jataM tuNDam.h .
vR^iddho yaati gR^ihiitvaa daNDaM
tadapi na muJNchatyaashaapiNDam.h .. 15..

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 desires.
Stanza attributed to Hastamalaka.

agre vahniH pR^ishhThebhaanuH

raatrau chubukasamarpitajaanuH .
karatalabhikshastarutalavaasaH
tadapi na muJNchatyaashaapaashaH .. 16..

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. Stanza
attributed to Subodha.

kurute gaN^gaasaagaragamanaM
vrataparipaalanamathavaa daanam.h .
GYaanavihinaH sarvamatena
muktiM na bhajati janmashatena .. 17..

One may go to Gangasagar, observe fasts, and give away riches

in charity ! Yet, devoid of jnana, nothing can give mukthi even at
the end of a hundred births. Stanza attributed to vaartikakaara.

sura ma.ndira taru muula nivaasaH

shayyaa bhuutala majinaM vaasaH .
sarva parigraha bhoga tyaagaH
kasya sukhaM na karoti viraagaH .. 18..

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 vairgya, could any fail to be content ?
Stanza attributed to nityaananda.

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 yogarato vaabhogaratovaa
saN^garato vaa saN^gaviihinaH .
yasya brahmaNi ramate chittaM
nandati nandati nandatyeva .. 19..

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 . Stanza attributed to
anandagiriH.

bhagavad.h giitaa kiJNchidadhiitaa

gaN^gaa jalalava kaNikaapiitaa .
sakR^idapi yena muraari samarchaa
kriyate tasya yamena na charchaa .. 20..

Let a man read but a little from giitaa, drink just a drop of water
from the ganges, worship but once muraari . He then will have
no altercation with Yama . Stanza attributed to dRiDhabhakta.

punarapi jananaM punarapi maraNaM

punarapi jananii jaThare shayanam.h .
iha saMsaare bahudustaare
kR^ipayaa.apaare paahi muraare .. 21..

Born again, death again, again to stay in the mother's womb ! It

is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsaara . Oh
Murari ! Redeem me through Thy mercy. Stanza attributed to
nityanaatha.

rathyaa charpaTa virachita kanthaH

puNyaapuNya vivarjita panthaH .
yogii yoganiyojita chitto
ramate baalonmattavadeva .. 22..

There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are

rags cast off the road . Freed from vices and virtues, onward he
wanders . One who lives in communion with god enjoys bliss,
pure and uncontaminated, like a child and as an intoxicated.
Stanza attributed to nityanaatha.
 kastvaM ko.ahaM kuta aayaataH
kaa me jananii ko me taataH .
iti paribhaavaya sarvamasaaram.h
vishvaM tyaktvaa svapna vichaaram.h .. 23..

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
essenceless and give up the world as an idle dream. Stanza
attributed to surendra.

tvayi mayi chaanyatraiko vishhNuH

vyarthaM kupyasi mayyasahishhNuH .
bhava samachittaH sarvatra tvaM
vaaJNchhasyachiraadyadi vishhNutvam.h .. 24..

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 status of Vishnu, have samabhaava, equanimity,
always. Stanza attributed to medhaatithira.

shatrau mitre putre bandhau

maa kuru yatnaM vigrahasandhau .
sarvasminnapi pashyaatmaanaM
sarvatrotsR^ija bhedaaGYaanam.h .. 25..

Waste not 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. Stanza attributed to
medhaatithira.

kaamaM krodhaM lobhaM mohaM

tyaktvaa.atmaanaM bhaavaya ko.aham.h .
aatmaGYaana vihiinaa muuDhaaH
te pachyante narakaniguuDhaaH .. 26..

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. Stanza attributed to
bhaarativamsha.
 geyaM giitaa naama sahasraM
dhyeyaM shriipati ruupamajasram.h .
neyaM sajjana saN^ge chittaM
deyaM diinajanaaya cha vittam.h .. 27..

Regularly recite from the 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. Stanza attributed to sumatir.

sukhataH kriyate raamaabhogaH

pashchaaddhanta shariire rogaH .
yadyapi loke maraNaM sharaNaM
tadapi na muJNchati paapaacharaNam.h .. 28..

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.

arthamanarthaM bhaavaya nityaM

naastitataH sukhaleshaH satyam.h .
putraadapi dhana bhaajaaM bhiitiH
sarvatraishhaa vihiaa riitiH .. 29..

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.

praaNaayaamaM pratyaahaaraM
nityaanitya vivekavichaaram.h .
jaapyasameta samaadhividhaanaM
kurvavadhaanaM mahadavadhaanam.h .. 30..

Regulate the praaNa-s, life forces, 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.

gurucharaNaambuja nirbhara bhakataH

saMsaaraadachiraadbhava muktaH .
 sendriyamaanasa niyamaadevaM
drakshyasi nija hR^idayasthaM devam.h .. 31..

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 !

muuDhaH kashchana vaiyaakaraNo

DukR^iJNkaraNaadhyayana dhuriNaH .
shriimachchhamkara bhagavachchhishhyai
bodhita aasichchhodhitakaraNaH .. 32..

Thus a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow vision

and shown the Light by Shankara's apostles.

bhajagovindaM bhajagovindaM
govindaM bhajamuuDhamate .
naamasmaraNaadanyamupaayaM
nahi pashyaamo bhavataraNe .. 33..

Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !

Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to
cross the life's ocean.

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