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rg
; Bj goEvd\ ;
rit
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Introduction
Bhaja Govindam was written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.
A biography of Shankara and his other compositions of vedic
literature can be found in the shankara.itx document.
Bhaja govindaM is one of the minor compositions of the spiritual
giant, Adi Shankaracharya . It is classified as a
prakaraNa grantha, a primer to the major works . 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 back to the God principle.
The background of Bhaja GovindaM is worth examining . During
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 plight of the old man spending his years at a mere
intellectual accomplishment while he would be better off praying and
spending time to control his mind . 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 govindaM.
In 31 verses, he, like no other, explains our fallacies, our
wrong outlook for life, and dispells our ignorance and delusions.
Thus bhaja govindaM was originally known as moha mudgAra, the remover
of delusions.
sa
ns
k
1
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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rg
rit
do
Bj goEvd\
BjgoEvd\ BjgoEvd\
goEvd\ BjmYmt
.
s\A=t
sEEht
kAl
nEh nEh r"Et XkkrZ
; 1;
ns
k
sa
nArF-tnBr nABFd
f\
2
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
rg
d^vA mAgAmohAv
fm^ .
etmA\svsAEd EvkAr\
mnEs EvE
ty vAr\ vArm^ ; 3;
.o
en
ts
nElnFdlgt jlmEttrl\
t>jFEvtmEtfy
plm^ .
EvE &yAyEBmAng}-t\
lok\ fokht\
sm-tm^ ; 4;
do
cu
yAvEopAj
n s?t,
-tAvEj pErvAro r?t, .
pA>jFvEt jj
r dh
vAtA
\ ko_Ep n pQCEt g
h ; 5;
rit
ns
k
sa
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.
bAl-tAv(FXAs?t,
tzZ-tAvzZFs?t, .
v-tAvEQ
tAs?t,
prm
b}EZ ko_Ep n s?t, ; 7;
var
pr
3
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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kAt
kAtA k-t
p/,
s\sAro_ymtFv EvE
/, .
k-y (v\ k, kt aAyAt,
tv\ E
ty tEdh B}At, ; 8;
cu
s(s(v
En-s(v\
En-s(v
Enmo
h(vm^ .
Enmo
h(v
Enltv\
Enltv
jFvmE?t, ; 9;
en
Who is your wife ? Who is your son ? Strange is this samsAra, the world.
Of whom are you ? From where have you come ? Brother, ponder
over these truths.
do
ns
k
rit
vyEsgt
k, kAmEvkAr,
f k
nFr
k, kAsAr, .
"FZ
Ev
k, pErvAr,
At
tv
k, s\sAr, ; 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 world, when the Truth is known ?
sa
mA kz Dn jn yOvn gv
\
hrEt Enm
qA(kAl, sv
m^ .
mAyAmyEmdmEKl\ Eh(vA var bvA
b}pd\ (v\ Evf EvEd(vA ; 11;
Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth . Each one of these
are destroyed within a minute by time . Free yourself from the
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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en
AdfmjErkAEBrf
q,
kETto {vyAkrZ-y
{ q, .
upd
fo BEAEnpZ
{,
FmQCkrBgvQCrZ
{ , ; 12a ;
ts
cu
do
kAt
kAtA Dn gtE
tA
vAtl Ek\ tv nAE-t EnytA .
E/jgEt s>jns\ gEtr
{ kA
BvEt BvAZ
vtrZ
nOkA ; 13;
ns
k
rit
sa
5
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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Strength has left the old mans 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.
en
ag
} vE, pBAn,
rA/O
bksmEp
tjAn, .
krtlEB"-tztlvAs,
tdEp n m
(yAfApAf, ; 16;
do
cu
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 beggars 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.
rit
kzt
gAsAgrgmn\
v}tpErpAlnmTvA dAnm^ .
AnEvhFn, sv
mt
n
mE?t\ n BjEt jmft
n ; 17;
var
BjEt n mE?t\
ns
k
sa
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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yogrto vABogrtovA
srto vA sEvhFn, .
y-y b}EZ rmt
E
\
ndEt ndEt nd(y
v ; 19;
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en
cu
Let a man read but a little from gItA, drink just a drop of
water from the ganges, worship but once murAri . He then will
have no altercation with Yama . Stanza attributed to
dRiDhabhakta.
rit
do
ns
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sa
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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do
f/O Em/
p/ bDO
mA kz y(n\ Evg}hsDO .
sv
E-mEp p[yA(mAn\
sv
/o(sj B
dAAnm^ ; 25;
ns
k
var
p[yEt so_hm^
sa
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
rg
g
y\ gFtA nAm sh\
y
y\ FpEt !pmjm^ .
ny\ s>jn s
E
\
dy\ dFnjnAy
Evm^ ; 27;
en
sKt, Eyt
rAmABog,
pAt frFr
rog, .
yEp lok
mrZ\ frZ\
tdEp n m
Et pApA
rZm^ ; 28;
ts
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ns
k
AZAyAm\ (yAhAr\
En(yAEn(y Evv
kEv
Arm^ .
jA=ysm
t smAEDEvDAn\
kv
vDAn\ mhdvDAnm^ ; 30;
sa
s
EdymAns EnymAd
v\
d#yEs Enj dy-T\ dvm^ ; 31;
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mY, kn {vyAkrZo
XkkrZAyyn DErZ, .
FmQCMkr BgvEQC y
{
boEDt aAEsQCoEDtkrZ, ; 32;
cu
BjgoEvd\ BjgoEvd\
goEvd\ BjmYmt
.
nAm-mrZAdympAy\
nEh p[yAmo BvtrZ
; 33;
do
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ns
k
rit
; 1;
mY= Oh fool!;
jhFEh= jahi+iha, leave/give up+here(in this world);
Dn= wealth;
agm= coming/arrival;
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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t ZA\= thirst/desire;
kz= Do;act;
sE\= sat.h+buddhiM, good+awareness(loosely speaking:mind);
mnEs= in the mind;
Evt ZA\= desirelessness;
ySlBs
= yat.h+labhase, whatever+(you)obtain;
Enjkm
= nija+karma, ones+duty(normal work);
upA= obtained;
Ev\= wealth;
tn= by that; with that;
Evnody= divert/recreate(be happy);
E
\= mind;
; 2;
nArF= woman;
-tnBr= breasts that are(full-with milk);
nABFd
f\= nAbhI+deshaM, navel+region/country;
d^vA= having seen;
mAgA= mA+gA, Dont+go;
mohAv
f\= infatuated state(moha+AveshaM-seizure);
etn^= this;
mA\svsAEd= flesh+etc;
EvkAr\= appearance (generally, grotesque/ugly);
mnEs= in the mind;
EvE
ty= think well;
vAr\= again;
vAr\= and again;
; 3;
nElnFdlgt= nalinI+dala+gata, lotus+petal+reached/gone;
jl= water(drop);
aEttrl\= ati+tarala, very+unstable;
tt^= like that;
jFEvt= life;
aEtfy= wonderful;
pl\= fickle-minded;
EvE= know for sure;
&yAED= disease;
aEBmAn= self-importance;
g}-t\= having been caught/seized;
lok\= world;people;
fokht\= attacked(hata) by grief(shoka);
= and;
sm-t\= entire;
; 4;
yAvt^= so long as;
Ev= wealth;
upAj
n= earning/acquiring;
s?t,= capable of;
tAvEj= tAvat.h+nija, till then+ones;
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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pErvAr,= family;
r?t,= attached;
pAt^= later;
jFvEt= while living(without earning);
jj
r= old/digested (by disease etc);
dh= in the body;
vAtA
\= word (here enquiry/inquiry);
ko_Ep= kaH+api, whosoever; even one;
n= not;
pQCEt= inquires/asks/minds;
g
h= in the house;
; 5;
yAvt^= so long as;
pvn,= air/breath;
EnvsEt= lives/dwells;
dh= in thge body;
tAvt^= till then;
pQCEt= asks/inquires;
kfl\= welfare;
g
h= in the house;
gtvEt= while gone;
vAyO= air(life-breath);
dhApAy
= when life departs the body;
BAyA
= wife;
Eb<yEt= is afraid;fears;
tE-mkAy
= tasmin.h+kaye, in that body;
; 6;
bAl,= young boy;
tAvt^= till then (till he is young);
FXA= play;
s?t,= attached/engrossed/absorbed;
tzZ,= young man;
tAvt^= till then;
tzZF= young woman;
s?t,= attached/engrossed;
v,= old man;
tAvt^= till then;
E
tA= worry;
s?t,= attached/engrossed/absorbed;
prm
= in the lofty;high;supreme; also pare
b}EZ= Brahman.h ;God;
ko_Ep= whosoever;
n= not;
s?t,= attached/absorbedengrossed;
; 7;
kAt
= kA+te, who+your;
kAtA= wife;
k-t
= kaH+te, who+your;
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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p/,= son;
s\sAr,= world/family;
ay\= this;
atFv= great/big/very much;
EvE
/,= wonderful/mysterious;
k-y= whose;
(v\= you;
k,= who;
kt,= from where;
aAyAt,= have come;
tv\= truth/nature;
E
ty= think well/consider;
tEdh= tat.h+iha, that+here;
B}At,= brother;
; 8;
s(s(v
= in good company;
En-s(v\= aloneness/non-attachment/detachment;
Enmo
h(v\= non-infatuated state/clearheadedness;
Enltv\= tranquillity/imperturbability;
jFvmE?t,= salvation+freedom from bondage of birth;
vyEsgt
= vayasi+gate, when age has advanced/gone;
; 9;
k,= who/what use( in the sense of kva?(where));
kAmEvkAr,= sensual/sexual attraction;
f k
= in the drying up of;
nFr
= water;
k= what( use) is the;
kAsAr,= lake;
"FZ
= spent-up/weakened state of;
Ev
= wealth;
k,= what( use) for;
pErvAr,= family(is there?);
At
= in the realised state;
tv
= truth;
k,= what (use) is;
s\sAr,= world/family bond;
; 10;
mA= do not;
kz= do/act;
Dn= wealth;
jn= people;
yOvn= youth;
gv
\= arrogance/haughtiness;
hrEt= takes away/steals away;
Enm
qAt^= in the twinkling of the eye;
kAl,= Master Time;
sv
\= all;
mAyA= delusion;
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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ns
k
rit
shlokas above)
af
q= without remainder/totally;
kETt= was told;
{vyAkrZ-y
{ q,= to the grammarian+this;
upd
f,= advice;
Bd^= was;
EvEnpZ
{ = by the ace scholar Shankara (Plural is used for reverance);
FmQCkrBgvt^+
rZ
{ ,= by the Shankaracharya who is known;
as shankarabhagavat +charaNAH or pAdAH (plural for reverence)
sa
; 12a ;
kAt
= kA+te, who+your;
kAtA= wife;
Dn= wealth;
gtE
tA= thinking of;
vAtl= ;
Ek= ;
tv= your;
nAE-t= na+asti, not there;
EnytA= controller;
E/jgEt= in the three worlds;
s>jn= good people;
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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s\gEtr
{ kA= sa.ngatiH+ekA, company+(only) one (way);
BvEt= becomes;
BvAZ
v= bhava+arNava, birth and death+ocean;
trZ
= in crossing;
nOkA= boat/ship;
; 13;
jEVl,= with knotted hair;
mXF= shaven head;
lECtk
f= hair cut here and there;
kAqAy= saffron cloth;
aMbr= cloth/sky;
bhkt= variously done/made-up;
vq,= make-ups/garbs/roles;
p[yEp= even after seeing;
n= cha(?)+na, and +not;
p[yEt= sees;
mY,= the fool;
udrEnEm\= for the sake of the belly/living;
bhktv
q,= various make-ups/roles;
; 14;
a\= limb(s);
gElt\= weakened;
pElt\= ripened(grey);
mX\= head;
dfnEvhFn\= dashana+vihInaM, teeth+bereft;
jAt\= having become;
tX\= jaws/mouth?;
v,= the old man;
yAEt= goes;
ghF(vA= holding the;
dX\= stick(walking);
tdEp= then even;
n= not;
m
Et= lets go/releases/gives up;
aAfAEpX\= AshA+pindaM, desire+lump(piNDaM also means rice-ball given;
sa
; 15;
ag
}= in front of/ahead/beforehand;
vE,= fire ( for worship);
pBAn,= pRiShThe+bhAnuH, behind+sun;
rA/O= in the night;
bksmEp
tjAn= face dedicated to(huddled up between) the knees;
krtlEB"A= alms in the palms;
tztlvAs\= living under the trees;
tdEp= then even;
n= not;
m
Et= releases/lets go;
aAfA= desire;
15
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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pAf\= rope/ties;
; 16;
kzt
= one takes resort to;
gAsAgr= the sea of Ganga (banks of the Ganges);
gmn\= going;
v}t= austerities;
pErpAln\= observance/governance;
aTvA= or/else;
dAn\= charity;
AnEvhFn,= (but)bereft of knowledge of the Self;
sv
mt
n= according to all schools of thought/unanimously;
mE?t\= salvation/freedom;
n= not;
BjEt= attains;
jm= birth(s);
ft
n= hundred;
; 17;
sr= gods;
m\Edr= temple;
tz= tree;
ml= root;
EnvAs,= living;
fyA= bed;
Btl= on the surface of the earth;
mEjn= deer skin?;
vAs,= living;
sv
= all;
pErg}h= ttachment;
Bog= enjoyable things/worldly pleasures;
(yAg= sacrificing/abandonment;
k-y= whose;
sK\= happiness;
n= not;
kroEt= does;
EvrAg,= Non-attachment/desirelessness;
; 18;
yogrt,= indulging in yoga;
vA= or;
Bogrt,= indulging in worldly pleasures;
vA= or;
srt,= indulging in good company;
vA= or;
sEvhFn,= bereft of company;
y-y= whose;
b}EZ= in Brahman(God);
rmt
= delights;
E
\= mind (here soul);
ndEt= revels;
16
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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nd(y
v= nandati+eva, revels alone/revels indeed;
; 19;
Bgvd^= gods;
gFtA= song (here the scripture bhagavatgItA);
EkE
t^= a little;
aDFtA= studied;
gA= river Ganga;
jllv= water drop;
kEZkApFtA= a little droplet, drunk;
skdEp= once even;
y
n= by whom;
mrAEr= the enemy of MurA (Lord Krishna);
sm
A
= well worshipped;
Eyt
= is done;
t-y= his;
ym
n= by Yama, the lord of Death;
n= not;
A
= discussion;
; 20;
pnrEp= punaH+api, again again;
jnn\= birth;
pnrEp= again again;
mrZ\= death;
pnrEp= again again;
jnnF= mother;
jWr
= in the stomach;
fyn\= sleep;
ih= in this world/here;
s\sAr
= family/world;
bhd-tAr
= fordable with great difficulty;
kpyA_pAr
= out of boundless compassion;
pAEh= protect;
mrAr
= Oh MurAs enemy!(KriShNa);
; 21;
rLyA= ?;
p
V= torn/tattered cloth;
EvrE
t= created;
kT,= throated man;
pyApy= virtues sins;
EvvEj
t= without/ having abandoned;
pT,= wayfarer?;
yogF= the man seeking union with god;
yogEnyoEjt= ccontrolled by yoga;
E
,= mind;
rmt
= delights;
bAlomvd
v= like a child who has gone mad;
; 22;
k,= who (are);
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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(v\= you;
k,= who(am);
ah\= I;
kt,= whence;
aAyAt,= has come;
kA= who;
m
= my;
jnnF= mother;
k,= who;
m
= my;
tAt,= father;
iEt= thus;
pErBAvy= deem well/visualise;
sv
\= the entire;
asAr\= worthless/without essence;
Ev\= world;
(y?(vA= having abandoned/sacrificed;
-v=n= dream;
Ev
Ar\= consideration/thinking;
; 23;
(vEy= in yourself;
mEy= in myself;
Ay/
{ k= cha+anyatra+ekaH, and+in any other place+only one;
Ev Z,= the Lord MahAviShNu;
&yT
= in vain ; for nothing;purposeless;
k=yEs= you get angry;
mysEh Z= mayi+asahiShNuH, in me+intolerant;
Bv= become;
smE
,= equal-minded/equanimity;
sv
/= everywhere;
(v\= you;
vACEs= you desire;
aE
rAd^= without delay/in no time;
yEd= if;
Ev Z(v\= the quality/state of Brahman/god-realisation;
; 24;
f/O= in (towards)the enemy;
Em/
= in (towards) the friend;
p/= in(towards) the son;
bDO= in (towards) relatives;
mA= dont;
kz= do;
y(n\= effort;
Evg}hsDO= for war(dissension) or peace-making;
sv
E-mEp= in all beings;
p[yA(mAn\= see your own self;
sv
/= everywhere;
u(sj= give up;
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From http://sanskritdocuments.org
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B
dAAn\= difference/otherness/duality;
; 25;
kAm\= desire;
oD\= anger;
loB\= greed;
moh\= infatuation;
(y?(vA_(mAn\= having abandoned see as ones own self;
BAvy= deem/consider/visualise/imagine;
ko_h\= who am I;
aA(mAn= knowledge of self;
EvhFnA= bereft;
mYA= fools;
t= they;
pQyt
= are cooked?;
nrk= in the hell;
EngYA= cast in;
; 26;
g
y\= is to be sung;
gFtA= bhagavatgItA;
nAm= name of the lord;
sh\= 1000 times;
y
y\= is to be meditated;
FpEt= LakShmis consort MahAviShNus;
!p\= form/image;
aj\= the unborn one;
ny\= is to be lead/taken;
s>jn= good people;
s
= in the company;
E
\= mind;
dy\= is to be given;
dFnjnAy= to the poor (humble state) people;
= and;
Ev\= wealth;
; 27;
sKt,= for happiness;
Eyt
= is done;
rAmABog= sexual pleasures?;
pAt= later on in the end;
frFr
= in the body;
rog= disease;
yEp= even though;
lok
= in the world;
mrZ= death;
frZ\= resort/surrender;
tdEp= even then;
n= not;
m
Et= releases/gives up;
pApA
rZ\= pApa+AcharaNa, sin-practising;
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; 28;
aT
\= wealth;
anT
\= purposeless/in vain/danger-productive;
BAvy= deem/consider/visualise;
En(y\= daily/always;
n= not;
aE-t= is;
tt,= from that;
sKl
f,= (even a little) happiness;
s(y\= Truth;
p/AdEp= even from the the son;
Dn= wealth;
BAjA\= acquiring peeople;
BFEt,= fear;
sv
/= everywhere;
eqA= this;
EvEhtA= understood;
rFEt,= procedure/practice/custom;
; 29;
AZAyAm= breath-control;
(yAhAr= diet-control;
En(y\= always/daily/certain;
aEn(y= uncertain/temporary/ephemeral/transient;
Evv
k= awareness after reasoning;
Ev
Ar= thought/considered concluion/opinion;
jA=ysm
t= with chanting of the names of the lord;
smAEDEvDAn= in the state of trance;
kv
vDAn\= pay attention;
mhdvDAn\= great care attention;
; 30;
gz
rZAMbj= the lotus feet of the teacher/guru;
EnB
r= dependent;
B?t,= devotee;
s\sArAt^= fromthe world;
aE
rAv= in no time from the cycle of birth and death;
m?t,= released;
s
EdymAns= sa+indriya+mAnasa, wwith senses and mind;
EnymAd
v= control alone(niyamAt.h eva);
d#yEs= you will see;
Enj= ones own;
dy-T\= heart-stationed;
dv\= God;
; 31;
mY= fool;
kn= cerain;
{vyAkrZ= Grammar;
XkkrZ= grammatic formula DukRi.nkaraNa;
ayyn= study;
20
From http://sanskritdocuments.org
en
ts
.o
rg
DErZ= awakened/aroused?;
Fmt^= honourable prefix;
f\kr= Shankara;
Bgvt^= God;
Ef y
{ ,= disciples;
boEDt= having been taught/enlightened;
aAEst^= was/existed;
oEDtkrZ= tested or awakened senses;
; 32;
Bj= worship;
goEvd\= lord Govinda;
mYmt
= Oh foolish mind!;
nAm-mrZAt^= (exceept) through/from rememberance of the lords name;
ay= other;
upAy= plan/method/means;
nEh= not;
p[yAm= we see;
BvtrZ
= for crossing the ocean of births deaths;
; 33;
cu
sa
ns
k
rit
do
21
From http://sanskritdocuments.org