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; Bj goEvd\ ;
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.
Shankara explains, nay chides, us for spending our time in
useless trivia like amassing wealth, lusting after (wo)men and requests
us to discriminate and cultivate the knowledge to learn
the difference between the real and the unreal . To emphasise that, he
concludes that
all knowledge other than the Self-Knowledge is useless,
Shankara makes the person
realize how foolish he/she is in the conduct and behavior by these verses, and
shows the purpose of our worldly existence, which is to seek
Govinda and attain Him.
Bhaja govindaM is divided into dvAdasha manjarikA stotram
and chaturdasha manjarika stotram . At the end of composing the
first stanza, it is said that Shankara burst forth
with the next 11 stanzas of bhaja govindam.
Thus stanzas 1-12 are called dvAdash manjarika stotram . Inspired by the
extempore recital by Shankara, each of his 14 disciples composed a verse
Bj goEvd\
BjgoEvd\ BjgoEvd\
goEvd\ BjmYmt
.
s\A=t
sEEht
kAl
nEh nEh r"Et XkkrZ
; 1;
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !
Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death.
nArF-tnBr nABFd
f\
2
d^vA mAgAmohAv
fm^ .
etmA\svsAEd EvkAr\
mnEs EvE
ty vAr\ vArm^ ; 3;
Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and
lust by seeing a womans navel and chest . These are nothing but
a modification of flesh . Fail not to remember this again and
again in your mind.
nElnFdlgt jlmEttrl\
t>jFEvtmEtfy
plm^ .
EvE &yAyEBmAng}-t\
lok\ fokht\
sm-tm^ ; 4;
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, ego and grief.
yAvEopAj
n s?t,
-tAvEj pErvAro r?t, .
pA>jFvEt jj
r dh
vAtA
\ ko_Ep n pQCEt g
h ; 5;
So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see
what affection all those around him show . But no one at home
cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due to
old age.
bAl-tAv(FXAs?t,
tzZ-tAvzZFs?t, .
v-tAvEQ
tAs?t,
prm
b}EZ ko_Ep n s?t, ; 7;
3
var
pr
kAt
kAtA k-t
p/,
s\sAro_ymtFv EvE
/, .
k-y (v\ k, kt aAyAt,
tv\ E
ty tEdh B}At, ; 8;
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.
s(s(v
En-s(v\
En-s(v
Enmo
h(vm^ .
Enmo
h(v
Enltv\
Enltv
jFvmE?t, ; 9;
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 JIvan muktI.
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 ?
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
AdfmjErkAEBrf
q,
kETto {vyAkrZ-y
{ q, .
upd
fo BEAEnpZ
{,
FmQCkrBgvQCrZ
{ , ; 12a ;
This bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian
by the all-knowing Shankara, adored as the bhagavadpada.
kAt
kAtA Dn gtE
tA
vAtl Ek\ tv nAE-t EnytA .
E/jgEt s>jns\ gEtr
{ kA
BvEt BvAZ
vtrZ
nOkA ; 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 samsAra, get into
the boat of satsanga, company of good people, quickly.
Stanza attributed to Padmapada.
ag
} vE, pBAn,
rA/O
bksmEp
tjAn, .
krtlEB"-tztlvAs,
tdEp n m
(yAfApAf, ; 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 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.
kzt
gAsAgrgmn\
v}tpErpAlnmTvA dAnm^ .
AnEvhFn, sv
mt
n
mE?t\ n BjEt jmft
n ; 17;
var
BjEt n mE?t\
yogrto vABogrtovA
srto vA sEvhFn, .
y-y b}EZ rmt
E
\
ndEt ndEt nd(y
v ; 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.
f/O Em/
p/ bDO
mA kz y(n\ Evg}hsDO .
sv
E-mEp p[yA(mAn\
sv
/o(sj B
dAAnm^ ; 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 medhAtithira.
var
p[yEt so_hm^
g
y\ gFtA nAm sh\
y
y\ FpEt !pmjm^ .
ny\ s>jn s
E
\
dy\ dFnjnAy
Evm^ ; 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.
sKt, Eyt
rAmABog,
pAt frFr
rog, .
yEp lok
mrZ\ frZ\
tdEp n m
Et pApA
rZm^ ; 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.
AZAyAm\ (yAhAr\
En(yAEn(y Evv
kEv
Arm^ .
jA=ysm
t smAEDEvDAn\
kv
vDAn\ mhdvDAnm^ ; 30;
Regulate the prANa-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.
s
EdymAns EnymAd
v\
d#yEs Enj dy-T\ dvm^ ; 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 !
mY, kn {vyAkrZo
XkkrZAyyn DErZ, .
FmQCMkr BgvEQC y
{
boEDt aAEsQCoEDtkrZ, ; 32;
Thus a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow
vision and shown the Light by Shankaras apostles.
BjgoEvd\ BjgoEvd\
goEvd\ BjmYmt
.
nAm-mrZAdympAy\
nEh p[yAmo BvtrZ
; 33;
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !
Other than chanting the Lords names, there is no other way
to cross the lifes ocean.
; 1;
mY= Oh fool!;
jhFEh= jahi+iha, leave/give up+here(in this world);
Dn= wealth;
agm= coming/arrival;
10
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;
11
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;
12
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;
13
; 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;
14
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;
; 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
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
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);
17
(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;
18
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;
19
; 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
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;
Encoded, proofread, and translated by M. Giridhar.
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