THE ESSENTIAL
DOs AND DON’TS OF LIFE
BHAJA GOVINDAM
by
Sri Adi Sankaracharya
(POST.14.)
VERSE 27
(Attributed to Sri Sumati or Sumitra)
GEYAM GEETHAA NAAMA SAHASRAM
DHYEYAM SHREEPATHI ROOPAM AJASRAM
NEYAM SAJJANA SANGE CHITTHAM
DEYAM DEENA JANAAYA CHA VITTAM
(... Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Govidnam..)
Meaning:
Ø Bhagavad Geeta and Vishnu’s thousand names (Sahasranaamam) - are the ones to be chanted (sung),
Ø the form of Vishnu, the Lord of Lakshmi, is the one to be meditated upon, always,
Ø the mind is to be led, in the association (company) of the good,
Ø wealth is to be distributed, to the needy.
Commentary:
The problem creators are the five senses and their controller, the mind. These are our sense instruments and they are always attracted to sense objects in the outside world. The meeting of the senses with their respective sense objects creates all transactions of the individual with the world. We have understood this in many ways.
Now, the disciple of Sankaracharya (Sri Sumathi) says – give them appropriate inputs and make them your allies in acquiring self knowledge.
(i) Chant, sing or read the Gita. There is no better input for the tongue, ears, eyes and the mind. While chanting or singing Gita with the tongue, you can close your eyes or look at the Gita Taxt. Simultaneously, please your ears with your own Chanting / singing of the Gita.
(ii) Sri Sumati is now adding Vishnu Sahasra nama stotram to the list of Sacred texts to chant. It is a beautiful, lyrical and devotional hymn, containing the thousand names of lord Vishnu and takes us through the great deeds of Lord Vishnu and many facets of his incarnations.
(iii) Sri Sumati now asks us to - Meditate. Meditate upon Lord Vishnu’s form, with Goddess Lakshmi at his feet. Involve your whole being in the meditation process. Fill your mind with Vishnu’s divine Image.
(iv) These three steps ensure that your mind is fixed on Vishnu’s visible form (as lord of Lakshmi), his great deeds (described in sahasra nama Stotram) and his message to us (in the Gita).Your whole being is filled with Vishnu now.
(v) Even so, for worldly living, one step is extremely important. Adi Sankara prescribed Sathsang, the company and friendship of good people, as the most important first step which leads to final liberation. Sri Sumathi is also prescribing this step, in order to keep us on the right path. Sathsang effectively neutralizes one’s ego, which is the biggest hurdle to cross.
(vi) For human beings, the first consciousness is of the triangular format called Jeeva – Jagath – Eswara. I am the Jeeva. What I see, feel and sense is the Jagath. The one who is the creator, sustainer and dissolver of me and the Jagath, is the Eswara. Most cultures stay with this format.
(vii) People who are bound to Jagath, are always in delusion and can never be happy. But, people who are devoted to Eswara, rather than the Jagath, transcend the Jagath and ultimately discern the truth that the triangular format is itself an illusion and that there is only Brahman, nothing other than Brahman and that “ I am the Brahman…aham brahmasmi”.
(viii) There is one last thing to be practiced. All that you have of the Jagath, is called, your wealth. What do you do with this wealth? Your wealth must be shared with the needy person. Adi Sankara has said earlier – earn wealth by your honest, hard labour; and spend it for your happiness. One of the best things that give real happiness is, spending your hard earned money on the needy persons.
(ix) Vishnu does not come to you in his physical (Vishnu) form on a daily basis. He comes to you in the form of the needy person. See Vishnu in the needy person and satisfy his needs. Do not turn out the needy person and turn out Vishnu thereby, from your doorstep. Deena janah means one who is in dire need.
(x) This verse represents the last of the bouquet of fourteen verses (chathurdasa Manjarika stotram) attributed to the disciples of Adi sankara.
VERSE 28
SUKHATAH KRIYATHE RAAMAABHOGAH
PASCHADDHANTHA SHAREERE ROGAH
YADYAPI LOKE MARANAM SARANAM
THADAPI NA MUNJCHATHI PAAPAACHARANAM
(... Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Govindam..)
Meaning:
Ø For the sake of happiness, one indulges in, carnal pleasures;
Ø later on, alas, disease arises in the body;
Ø even though, death is the ultimate end, in the world;
Ø even then, one does not, leave, sinful behaviour.
Commentary:
From this verse on, the last 4 verse are the concluding verses for Bhaja Govindam, from Adi Sankaracharya. Sankara high lights the most important steps before concluding the Bhaja Govindam.
The first verse deals with the major weakness of man towards the opposite sex. Man indulges in carnal pleasures because of his in-born lust towards opposite sex. Most heinous sins arise out of this lustful attraction. Both Ramayana and Maha Bharata wars principally arise out of this lustful behavior.
If only Ravana did not abduct Sita – there would have been no Ramayana war at all.
If only Duryodhana and his brothers did not humiliate Draupadi in full view of their court, there would not have been the Maha Bharata War.
Yayaathi, Viswamitra and many other great kings and sages fell because of their in-born lust. The western epics also are full of the adverse impact of lustfulness.
From day one of the creation to this day, man’s lustful behavior towards the opposite sex has propelled him to commit all sins.
People know that disease is certain and death too is certain.
Yet people stray from the righteous path of Dharma-Artha-Kaama-Moksha and indulge in sins, out of their lustfulness.
Righteous behavior does permit sexual relations and deriving happiness there from. It also leads one towards liberation. But, it is the unrighteous lust that poses the biggest danger, leading man to commit all sins.
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