BHAJAGOVINDAM
“Bhaja Govindam” is one of the finest stotras composed by Adi Sankara! It epitomizes the entire spiritual and Vedantic thought prevalent in Hinduism! It is surprising that Sankara, though a stalwart advocate of Jnana marga-the path of devotion has chosen to promote bhakthi marga-the path of devotion! Even as we see in the Bhagavad-Gita, there should be a gradual development before one attains Jnana or knowledge. Karma or action should lead to bhakthi and bhakti or devotion should lead to Jnana or knowledge. Krishna describes first Karma Yoga and later Bhakthi Yoga and finally Jnana Yoga to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. C. Rajagopalachari, in his introduction aptly remarks, “ When intelligence matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom. When that wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes devotion. Knowledge which has become mature is spoken as devotion. If it does not get transformed into devotion, such knowledge is useless tinsel.”
Bhajagovinda stotra is also called “Moha Mudgara”. The name is very significant. In Vedantic parlance it means a hammer to shatter illusion! Moha is Maya or illusion. Mudgara means a hammer capable of shattering to pieces the illusion created in the mundane world. Adi Sankara who belonged to the 8th century is also called “Shanmatha sthapanacharya”-one who established the six paths of worship viz Ganapatyam, Saktham, Vaishnavam, Souram, Saivam, and Kaumaram-- worship of Ganapati, Shakthi, Vishnu, Surya or Sun, Siva and Lord Kumaraswamy respectively. He has composed beautiful and highly devotional stotras on all the deities mentioned above! This itself bears ample testimony to the significance he attaches to devotion in particular though he championed the cause of Advaita- non dual school of philosophy! The stotra’s speciality is its brevity and simplicity of Vedantic thought! The Divine and extraordinary poet that he was, Sankara fits into the slokas the most difficult Vedantic
thoughts in a simple language that even a child can understand!
Our ancient sages, saints and philosophers desired the welfare and happiness of all creatures in the universe. “Lokah samastha sukhino bhavanthu” The Vedas declare that even the quadrupeds should be contented and happy! In the course of his wanderings Sankara notices an old man memorizing a particular rule of grammar called “ Dukrunkarane”! He was shocked to see the old man reciting the rule, in the evening of his life, without any thought of his afterlife. Compassionate Sankara was sorry that the old man was wasting the last period of his life in memorizing the grammar rule. Of what use can it be to the man in his terminal stage? He wanted to save him and advised him to worship Govinda for his salvation. Material attachments are not going to be of any comfort during the last days of one’s life! This incident brings forth a torrent of spiritual and Vedantic truths from the great Sankara, couched beautifully in the four lined slokas of Bhaja Govinda stotra! Calling him a fool-’mudamathe’ Sankara counsels him to worship Govinda- Lord Vishnu, for the emancipation of his soul! In the last period of one’s existence, the rules of grammar shall not protect him! The only remedy is to chant the name of Govinda again and again!
In this Kali Yuga, the only panacea for the ills of society is chanting the name of Govinda or Lord Vishnu! People in this age are impure in their heart. They earn money in all devious ways and they are not bound by the mandates of our Vedas and other scriptures! For such worthless beings the only way out is chanting the name of the Lord! Life is very short like the flash of lightning! The God of Death has no mercy and hence one should not waste his time lest it swallows him up! It is said that the Lord told Narada that He does not reside in Vaikunta or in the hearts of Yogis and saints! He stays in places where his devotees sing his glory! He is dear to Him who renounces all inhibitions and modesty and sings His glory loudly! Sravanam- hearing
the Leelas of the Lord, Archanam- worshipping him, Keertanam- chanting and singing his name are some of the best paths to reach the Lord! It is impossible for man to think or chant the name of God all of a sudden.The practice should start even from early childhood! Kulasekhar Azwar in his “Mukundamala” declares that he had dedicated his ‘manas’ to the Lord in the beginning itself for fear of diseases through phlegm,choler,and bile during the terminal stage of life! His throat would-be afflicted and he would be unable to utter the name of God
It is an unpardonable crime to use our body, given by God, for any other purpose! Every organ of the body has to serve God in one way or the other! Kulasekhar Azwar says, “Jihve kirtaya Kesavam Muraripum cheto bhaja Sridharam….. The tongue should sing the Lord’s glory; mind should think of Him; hands should worship Him; ears must listen to His Divine sports; eyes should never fail seeing Him; feet should approach His temples; nose should smell the fragrance of His holy 'tulasi water'; Finally the head should prostrate before the Lord! In short, man should imbibe deep devotion for God! Devotion should be inborn ,not merely external! Man,
unfortunately, tossed by the vicissitudes in the cycle of samsara, has lost touch with God! He is drowned in materialism! The Bhagavata Purana describes the efficacy of 'Nama smarana. Ajamila, a sinful brahmin had salvation by merely uttering the name of his son ‘Narayana’ before he breathed his last! Chanting the name of the Lord is so powerful and the bestower of bliss! Sankara pitying the worldly minded old man tried to turn his mind towards devotion to God!
I will be explaining a few of the important slokas of Bhajagovindam in my subsequent blogs.
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