BHAJA GOVINDAM = CYCLE OF "BIRTH - LIFE - DEATH - BIRTH AGAIN " = SEA OF SORROWS = RAY OF HOPE = POST 10. VS.21

THE ESSENTIAL

DOs AND DON’TS OF LIFE

BHAJA GOVINDAM

 by

Sri Adi Sankaracharya

 (POST.10)

VERSE 21

(By Nityanaatha)

PUNARAPI JANANAM PUNARAPI MARANAM

PUNARAPI JANANEE JATARE SAYANAM 

IHA SAMSAARE BAHUDUSTAARE 

KRIPAYAA(A)PAARE PAAHI MURARE

 

(... Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam..Govindam…)

Meaning:

Ø once again, birth;

Ø once again, death;

Ø once again, lying in the mother's womb,  

Ø in this Samsaara, which is very hard to cross over and which has no end,

Ø through thy Infinite Kindness, save us, O Destroyer of the demon Mura.

Commentary:

In verse.20, it was said, pray the Lord Murari and you shall have no need for quarrelsome arguments with the Lord of death, Yama.

In Verse,21, we are doing precisely that.

The cycle of “birth – life – death – birth (again)” is called Samsaara, and it is a veritable sea of sorrows.

It is  very difficult to get out of this sea of sorrows.

Why so?

Karma, both good and bad, is inherent in this cycle. Karma leads to Karma phalam and Karma phalam leads us to further karma.

Attachment to the body – mind complex is inevitable in this cycle.

Attachment to worldly things, worldly matters, and worldly people is unavoidable in this cycle.

All this throws us again and again into this “birth – life – death” cycle.

But, all these are Mithya and Maya – which we get entangled with and which veils our eyes from the truth.

There is only one hope.

Our permanent relation is only with Murari, the destroyer of demon Mura, or symbolically, the demon of our Ego, and surrender to him is the only way to come out of this cycle.

We are therefore praying – O lord, the destroyer of my ego, save me from this sea of sorrows called Samsaara.

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