j gaeivNd< (Bhaja Govinda)

by Sri Sankaracharya

j gaeivNd< j gaeivNd< gaeivNd< j mUFmte,

s<ae siihte kale nih nih r]it fukkr[e . 1.

bhaja govinda bhaja govinda govinda
bhaja mhamate |
samprpte sannihite kle nahi nahi rakati uk-karae || 1 ||
Seek Govind, Seek Govind, Seek Govind, O Fool! When the appointed time comes (death),
grammar rules surely will not save you.

mUF jhIih xnagmt&:[a< k si< mnis ivt&:[am!,

yse injkmaeRpat< iv< ten ivnaedy icm!. 2.

mha jahhi dhangama-t kuru sadbuddhi manasi vitm |
yallabhase nijakarmopta vitta tena vinodaya cittam || 2 ||
O Fool! Give up the thirst to possess wealth. Devoid of passions in your mind, create
thoughts of the Reality. With whatever you get (as a reward of the past), entertain your
mind (be content).

narIStnr-naidez< :qva ma ga maehavezm!,

@tNma<svsaid-ivkar< mnis ivicNty var< varm!. 3.

Nr-stana-bhara-nbhidea dv m g mohvea |
Etan-msa-vasdi-vikra manasi vicintaya vra vram || 3 ||
Seeing the full bosom of young maidens and their navel, do not fall a prey to maddening
delusion. This is but a modification of flesh and fat. Think well thus in your mind again and
again.

nilnIdlgt-jlmittrl< tIivtm! Aitzycplm!,

ivi VyaXyimanSt< laek< zaekht< c smStm!. 4.

Nalin-dalagata-jalam-atitarala tadvaj-jvitam atiaya-capalam |

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viddhi vydhy-abhimnagrasta loka oka-hata ca samastam || 4 ||
The water-drop playing on a lotus petal has an extremely uncertain existence; so also life
ever unstable. Understand, the very world is consumed by disease and conceit, and is riddled
with pangs.

yaviaepajRns> tavijpirvarae r>,

paIvit jjRrdehe vata kae=ip n p&CDit gehe. 5.

Yvad-vittoprjana-sakta tvan-nijaparivro rakta|
Pacj-jvati jarjara-dehe vrt ko'pi na pcchati gehe || 5 ||
As long as there is the ability to earn and save so long are all your dependents attached to
you. Later on, when you come to live with an old, infirm body, no one at home cares to speak
even a word with you!!

yavTpvnae invsit dehe tavTp&CDit kzl< gehe,

gtvit vayaE dehapaye ayaR ib_yit tiSmn! kaye. 6.

Yvat-pavano nivasati dehe tvat-pcchati kuala gehe |
gatavati vyau dehpye bhry bibhyati tasmin kye || 6 ||
As long as breath (life) dwells in the body, so long they enquire of your welfare at home.
Once the breath (life) leaves, and the body decays, even the wife fears that very same body.

balStavt! Ifa-s> t[Stavt! t[I-s>,

v&StaviCcNta-s> prme i[ kae=ip n s>. 7.

Blas-tvat kr-sakta taruas-tvat taru-sakta |
vddhas-tvac-cint- sakta parame brahmai ko'pi na sakta || 7 ||
So long as one is in ones boyhood, one is attached to play; so long as one is in youth, one is
atached to ones own young woman (passion); so long as one is in old age, one is attached
to anxiety (pang) (Yet) no one, alas, to the Supreme Brahman, is (ever seen) attached!

ka te kaNta kSte pu> s<sarae=ymtIv ivic>,

kSy Tv< k> kt Aayat> tv< icNty tdih at>. 8.

k te knt kaste putra sasro'yam-atva vicitra |
kasya tva ka kuta yta tattva cintaya tadahi bhrta || 8||

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Who is your wife? Who is your son? Supremely wonderful indeed is this samsaara (worldly
life). Of whom are you? From where have you come? O brother, think of that Truth here.

sTsTve inSsTv< inSsTve inmaeRhTvm!,

inmaeRhTve inltv< inltve jIvNmui>. 9.

satsagatve nis-sagatva nis-sagatve nir-mohatvam |
nir-mohatve nicala-tattva nicala-tattve jvan-mukti || 9 ||
Through the company of the good, there arises non-attachment; through non-attachment
there arises freedom from delusion; when there is freedom from delusion, there is
Immutable Reality; on experiencing the Immutable Reality, there comes the state of
liberated-in-life.

vyis gte k> kamivkar> zu:ke nIre k> kasar>,

]I[e ive k> pirvar> }ate tve k> s<sar>. 10.

vayasi gate ka kmavikra uke nre ka ksra |
ke vitte ka parivra jte tattve ka sasra || 10 ||
When the age (youthfulness) has passed, where is lust and its play? When water is
evaporated, where is the lake? When the wealth is reduced, where is the entourage? When
the Truth is realized, where is samsaara?

ma k xnjn-yaEvn-gv hrit inme;at!-kal> svRm!,

mayamyimdm!-Aiol< buva pd< Tv< ivz ividTva. 11.

m kuru dhana-jana-yauvana-garva harati nimet-kla sarvam|
mymayam-idam-akhila buddhv brahma-pada tva pravia viditv || 11
Take no pride in your possession, in the people (at your command), in the youthfulness (that
you have). Time loots away all these in a moment. Leaving aside all these, after knowing
their illusory nature, realise the state of Brahman, and enter into it.

idn-yaimNyaE say< at> izizr-vsNtaE punrayat>,

kal> Ifit gCDTyayu> tdip n muTyazavayu>. 12.

dina-yminyau sya prta iira-vasantau punar-yta |
kla krati gacchaty-yu tadapi na mucaty-vyu || 12 ||

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Day and night, dawn and dusk, winter and spring, again and again come (and depart). Time
sports and life ebbs away. And yet, one leaves not the gusts of desires.

ka te kaNta xngticNta vatul ik< tv naiSt inyNta,

ijgit snsitreka vit va[Rv-tr[e naEka. 13.

k te knt dhana-gata-cint vtula ki tava nsti niyant|
trijagati sajjana-sagatir-ek bhavati bhavrava-tarae nauk || 13 ||
O Distracted one! Why worry about wife, wealth etc.? Is there not for you the One who
ordains (rules, commands)? In the three worlds it is the association-with-good-people alone
that can serve as a boat to cross the sea of change (birth and death).

jiqlae mu{fI luit-kez> ka;ayaMbr-bktve;>,

pZyip c n pZyit mUF> udr-inim< bkt-ve;>. 14.

jailo mu lucita-kea kymbara-bahukta-vea |
payann-api ca na payati mha hy-udara-nimitta bahukta-vea || 14 ||
One ascetic with matted locks, one with shaven head, one with hairs pulled out one by one,
another parading in his ochre robes these are fools who, though seeing, do not see.
Indeed, these different disguises or apparels are only for their bellys sake.

A< gilt< pilt< mu{f< dzn-ivhIn< jat< tu{fm!,

v&ae yait g&hITva d{f< tdip n muTyazaip{fm!. 15.

aga galita palita mua daana-vihna jta tuam |
vddho yti ghtv daa tadapi na mucaty-piam || 15 ||
The body has become worn out. The head has turned grey. The mouth has been toothless.
The old man moves about leaning on his staff. Even then he leaves not the bundle of his
desires.

Ae vi> p&:Qe anu> raaE cubuk-smipRt-janu>,

krtl-i]s!-ttlvas> tdip n muTyazapaz>. 16.

agre vahni phe bhnu rtrau cubuka-samarpita-jnu |
kara-tala-bhikas-tarutala-vsa tadapi na mucaty--pa || 16||

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With fire in front and the sun at the back, late at night he sits with his knees held to his chin;
he receives alms in his own scooped palm and lives under the shelter of some tree, and yet
the noose of desires spares him not!

kte ga-sagr-gmn< tpirpalnm!-Awva danm!,

}anivhIn> svRmten jit n mui< jNmzten. 17.

kurute gag-sgara-gamana vrata-pariplanam-athav dnam |
jna-vihna sarva-matena bhajati na mukti janma-atena || 17 ||
In pilgrimage one may go to Gangaasaagar where the Ganges meets the ocean, or observes
vows, or distributes gifts away in charity. However, according to all schools of thought, if he
is devoid of first-hand-experience-of-Truth (Gyaanam), he gains no release even in hundred
lives.

surmiNdrt-mUl-invas> zYya Utlm!-Aijn< vas>,

svRpirh-aegTyag> kSy suo< n kraeit ivrag>. 18.

Sura-mandira-taru-mla-nivsa ayy bhtalam-ajina vsa |
Sarva-parigraha-bhoga-tyga kasya sukha na karoti virga || 18 ||
Sheltering in temples, under some trees, sleeping on the bare ground, wearing a deerskin,
and thus renouncing all idea-of-possession and thirst-to-enjoy - to whom dispassion
(vairagya) will not bring happiness?

yaegrtae va aegrtae va srtae va sivhIn>,

ySy i[ rmte ic< nNdit nNdit nNdTyev. 19.

Yoga-rato v bhoga-rato v saga-rato v saga-vihna |
yasya brahmai ramate citta nandati nandati nandaty-eva || 19 ||
Let one revel in Yoga or let him revel in Bhoga (pleasures). Let one seek enjoyment in
company or let him revel in solitude away from the crowd. He whose mind revels in
Absolute Reaity (Brahman), he enjoys verily, he alone enjoys.

gvIta ikidxIta gajllvki[ka pIta,

skdip yen murair-smcaR iyte tSy ymen n ccaR. 20.

Bhagavad-gt kicid-adht gag-jala-lava-kaik pt |
sakdapi yena murri-samarc kriyate tasya yamena na carc || 20 ||
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To one who has studied the Bhagavad Geeta even a little, who has sipped at least a drop of
Ganges-water, who has worshipped at least once Lord Muraari, to him there is no discussion
(quarrel) with Yama, the Lord of Death.

punrip jnn< punrip mr[< punrip jnnI-jQre zynm!,

#h s<sare b Stare kpya=pare paih murare. 21.

Punar-api janana punar-api maraa punar-api janan-jahare ayanam |
iha sasre bahu dustre kpay'pre phi murre || 21 ||
Again birth, again death, and again lying in mothers womb this samsaara process is very
hard to cross over Save me, Muraare (O destroyer of Muraa) through Thy Infinite Kindness.

rWyacpRq-ivrictkNw> pu{yapu{y-ivvijRtpNw>,

yaegI yaeginyaeijtic> rmte balaeNmvdev. 22.

Rathy-carpaa-viracita-kantha puypuya-vivarjita-pantha |
yog yoga-niyojita-citta ramate blonmattava-deva || 22||
The Yogin who wears but a godadi1, who walks the path that is beyond merit and demerit,
whose mind is joined in perfect Yoga with its goal, he revels (in God-consciousness) and
lives thereafter as a child or as a madman.
1A shawl made up of pieces of cloth rejected by others, picked up from the streets and stitched together,
is called a godadi.

kSTv< kae=h< kt> Aayat> ka me jnnI kae me tat>,

#it piravy svRmsar< iv< TyKTva SvPnivcarm!. 23.

kastva ko'ha kuta yta k me janan ko me tta |
iti pari-bhvaya sarvam-asra viva tyaktv svapna-vicram || 23 ||
Who are you? Who am I? From where did I come? Who is my mother? Who is my father?
Thus enquire, leaving aside the entire world-of-experience (visvam) essenceless and a mere
dreamland, born of imagination (svapnavichaaram).

Tviy miy caNyEkae iv:[u> Vyw kPyis mYysih:[u>,

v smic> svR Tv< vaDSyicrad yid iv:[uTvm!. 24.

tvayi mayi cnyatraiko viu vyartha kupyasi mayy-asahiu |
bhava sama-citta sarvatra tva vchasy-acird yadi viutvam || 24 ||
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In you, in me, and in (all) other places too there is but one All-pervading Reality (Vishnu).
Being impatient, you are unnecessarily getting angry with me. If you soon want to attain
the Vishnu-status, be equal-minded in all circumstances.

zaE ime pue bNxaE ma k yTn< ivhsNxaE,

svRiSmip pZyaTman< svRaeTs&j eda}anm!. 25.

atrau mitre putre bandhau m kuru yatna vigraha-sandhau |
sarvasminn-api paytmna sarvatrotsja bhedjnam || 25 ||
Strive not, waste not your energy to fight against or to make friends with your enemy,
friend, son, or relative. Seeking the Self everywhere, leave the sense-of-difference (plurality),
born out of ignorance.

kam< aex< lae< maeh< TyKTva==Tman< pZyit sae=hm!,

AaTm}an-ivhIna mUFa> te pCyNte nrkingUFa>. 26.

kma krodha lobha moha tyaktv''tmna payati so'ham |
tmajna-vihn mh te pacyante narakanigha || 26 ||
Leaving desire, anger, greed, and delusion, the seeker sees in the Self, He am I. Those who
have no Self-knowledge are fools, and they are (consequently) tortured as captives in hell.

gey< gIta-namsh< Xyey< Ipit-pm!-Ajm!,

ney< sn!-se ic< dey< dInjnay c ivm!. 27.

geya gt-nma-sahasra dhyeya rpati-rpam-ajasram |
neya sajjan-sage citta deya dna-janya ca vittam || 27 ||
The Bhagavad Geeta and Sahasranaama are to be chanted; always the form of the Lord of
Lakshmi is to be meditated upon; the mind is to be led towards the company of the good;
wealth is to be distributed (shared with) the needy.

suot> iyte ramaaeg> paNt zrIre raeg>,

y*ip laeke mr[< zr[< tdip n muit papacr[m!. 28.

sukhata kriyate rm-bhoga pacdd-hanta arre roga |
yadyapi loke maraa araa tadapi na mucati ppcaraam || 28||
Very readily one indulges in carnal pleasures; later on, alas, come diseases of the body. Even
though in the world the ultimate end (saranam) is death, man leaves not his sinful behavior.
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AwRmnw avy inTy< naiSt tt> suo-lez> sTym!,

puadip xnaja< Iit> svRE;a ivihta rIit>. 29.

Artham-anartha bhvaya nitya nsti tata sukha-lea satyam |
Putrd-api dhana-bhj bhti sarvatrai vihit rti || 29 ||
Wealth is calamitous, thus reflect constantly: the truth is that there is no happiness at all
to be got from it. To the rich, there is fear even from his own son. This is the way with wealth
everywhere.

a[ayam< Tyahar< inTyainTy-ivvekivcarm!,

jaPysmet-smaixivxan< kvRvxan< mhd-Avxanm!. 30.

pryma pratyhra nitynitya-viveka-vicram |
jpya-sameta-samdhi-vidhna kurvavadhna mahad-avadhnam || 30 ||
The control of all activities (of lifes manifestations in you), the sense withdrawal (from their
respective sense-objects), the reflection (consisting of discrimination between the
permanent and the impermanent), along with japa (repetition of holy name) and the
practice of reaching the total-inner-silence (samaadhi) these, perform with care with
great care.

gucr[aMbuj-inRr> s<saradicrad v mu>,

seiNymans-inymadev< yis injdySw< devm!. 31.

Guru-carambuja-nirbhara-bhakta sasrd-acird bhava mukta |
Sendriya-mnasa-niyamd-eva drakyasi nija-hdayastha devam || 31 ||
O Devotee of the lotus-feet of the teacher! may you become liberated soon from the
samsaara through the discipline of the sense-organs and the mind. You will come to
experience (behold) the Lord that dwells in your own heart.

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