Bhaja Govindam

भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं
गोविन्दं भज मूढमते ।
सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले
नहि नहि रक्षति डुक्रिङ्करणे ॥ 1 ॥

bhaja govindaṃ bhaja govindaṃ
govindaṃ bhaja mūḍhamate |
samprāpte sannihite kāle
nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukriṅkaraṇe ॥ 1 ॥

Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, O fool!
The rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death.

bhaja — worship
govindaṁ — Govinda
mūḍha-mate — dull-minded, fool
saṁprāpte — when you have reached, arrived
sannihite — nearness of, close
kāle — end of time, death
nahi — surely not, never, by no means
rakṣati — protects, saves
ḍukṛñkaraṇe — the grammatical formula

मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णां
कुरु सद्बुद्धिम् मनसि वितृष्णाम् |
यल्लभसे निज कर्मोपात्तं
वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम् ‖ 2 ‖

mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgamatṛśhṇāṃ
kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitṛśhṇām |
yallabhase nija karmopāttaṃ
vittaṃ tena vinodaya chittam ‖ 2 ‖

O fool! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind to dispassion and thoughts of the Real. Be content with what comes to you through actions performed by your own work.

नारी स्तनभर नाभीदेशं
दृष्ट्वा मा गा मोहावेशम् |
एतन्मांस वसादि विकारं
मनसि विचिन्तया वारं वारम् ‖ 3 ‖

nārī stanabhara nābhīdeśaṃ
dṛśhṭvā mā gā mohāveśam |
etanmāṃsa vasādi vikāraṃ
manasi vichintayā vāraṃ vāram ‖ 3 ‖

Do not get drowned in delusion, infatuated with passion and lusty desires, by seeing a woman’s raised breasts and navel. These are nothing but a modification of flesh and fat, and the like. Do not fail to remember this again and again in your mind.

नलिनी दलगत जलमति तरलं
तद्वज्जीवित मतिशय चपलम् |
विद्धि व्याध्यभिमान ग्रस्तं
लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् ‖ 4 ‖

naḻinī daḻagata jalamati taraḻaṃ
tadvajjīvita matiśaya chapalam |
viddhi vyādhyabhimāna grastaṃ
lokaṃ śokahataṃ cha samastam ‖ 4 ‖

As water drops on a lotus leaf are unsteady and trembling, in the same way life in this world is exceedingly unsteady and restless. Know that the whole world is full of miseries, afflicted by unhappiness and grief.

यावद्-वित्तोपार्जन सक्तः
तावन्-निजपरिवारो रक्तः |
पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे
वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे ‖ 5 ‖

yāvad-vittopārjana saktaḥ
tāvan-nijaparivāro raktaḥ |
paśchājjīvati jarjara dehe
vārtāṃ koapi na pṛcChati gehe ‖ 5 ‖

यावत्-पवनो निवसति देहे
तावत्-पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे |
गतवति वायौ देहापाये
भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन् काये ‖ 6 ‖

yāvat-pavano nivasati dehe
tāvat-pṛchChati kuśalaṃ gehe |
gatavati vāyau dehāpāye
bhāryā bibhyati tasmin kāye ‖ 6 ‖

When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the life-air stops and the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse

बाल स्तावत् क्रीडासक्तः
तरुण स्तावत् तरुणीसक्तः |
वृद्ध स्तावत्-चिन्तामग्नः
परमे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न लग्नः ‖ 7 ‖

bāla stāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ
taruṇa stāvat taruṇīsaktaḥ |
vṛddha stāvat-chintāmagnaḥ
parame brahmaṇi koapi na lagnaḥ ‖ 7 ‖

The childhood is lost in attachment to games. The youth is lost in attachment to woman. Old age passes with worry and anxiety, thinking over many things. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost (attached) in para-braman, the Supreme Spirit.

का ते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्रः
संसारोऽयमतीव विचित्रः |
कस्य त्वं वा कुत आयातः
तत्वं चिन्तय तदिह भ्रातः ‖ 8 ‖

kā te kāntā kaste putraḥ
saṃsāroayamatīva vichitraḥ |
kasya tvaṃ vā kuta āyātaḥ
tatvaṃ chintaya tadiha bhrātaḥ ‖ 8 ‖

Who is your wife? Who is your son? Supremely wonderful is saṁsāra, the circle of birth and death. Of whom are you? From where have you come? Brother, ponder over these concepts

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं
निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् |
निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं
निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ‖ 9 ‖

satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ
nissaṅgatve nirmohatvam |
nirmohatve niśchalatattvaṃ
niśchalatattve jīvanmuktiḥ ‖ 9 ‖

Being in the company of good people (saints) gives rise to non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to awareness of reality; understanding of reality gives rise to emancipation leading to the liberation of the soul (jīvan-mukti), while still alive.

वयसि गते कः कामविकारः
शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः |
क्षीणे वित्ते कः परिवारः
ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः ‖ 10 ‖

vayasi gate kaḥ kāmavikāraḥ
śuśhke nīre kaḥ kāsāraḥ |
kśhīṇe vitte kaḥ parivāraḥ
GYāte tattve kaḥ saṃsāraḥ ‖ 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? What is saṁsāra (transmigratory process), when Truth is known

मा कुरु धनजन यौवन गर्वं
हरति निमेषात्-कालः सर्वम् |
मायामयमिदम्-अखिलं हित्वा
ब्रह्मपदं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा ‖ 11 ‖

mā kuru dhanajana yauvana garvaṃ
harati nimeśhāt-kālaḥ sarvam |
māyāmayamidam-akhilaṃ hitvā
brahmapadaṃ tvaṃ praviśa viditvā ‖ 11 ‖

Do not take pride in wealth, friends and youth. Each one of these is destroyed within an instant by Time. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of māyā and attain the realm of brahman, timeless truth

दिन यामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः
शिशिर वसन्तौ पुनरायातः |
कालः क्रीडति गच्छत्यायुः
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशावायुः ‖ 12 ‖

dina yāminyau sāyaṃ prātaḥ
śiśira vasantau punarāyātaḥ |
kālaḥ krīḍati gacChatyāyuḥ
tadapi na muñchatyāśāvāyuḥ ‖ 12 ‖

Day and night, evening and morning, winter and summer come and go again and again. Eternal time plays and life ebbs away, yet one does not let go of the storm of desire.

द्वादश मञ्जरिकाभिर शेषः
कथितो वैया करणस्यैषः |
उपदेशो भूद्-विद्या निपुणैः
श्रीमच्छङ्कर भगवच्छरणैः ‖ 13 ‖

dvādaśa mañjarikābhira śeśhaḥ
kathito vaiyā karaṇasyaiśhaḥ |
upadeśo bhūd-vidyā nipuṇaiḥ
śrīmacChaṅkara bhagavacCharaṇaiḥ ‖ 13 ‖

The bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian by the all-knowing Śaṅkara, adored as bhagavat-pāda

का ते कान्ता धन गत चिन्ता
वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता |
त्रिजगति सज्जन सङ्गतिरेका
भवति भवार्णव तरणे नौका ‖ 14 ‖

kā te kāntā dhana gata chintā
vātula kiṃ tava nāsti niyantā |
trijagati sajjana saṅgatirekā
bhavati bhavārṇava taraṇe naukā ‖ 14 ‖

O, mad man! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth and beloved? Is there no one to guide you? In these thee worlds, only the association with saintly people (satsaṅga) can serve as the boat that can steer cross the ocean of repeated birth and death. (Stanza attributed to Padmapāda.)<

जटिलो मुण्डी लुञ्जित केशः
काषायान्बर बहुकृत वेषः |
पश्यन्नपि च न पश्यति मूढः
उदर निमित्तं बहुकृत वेषः ‖ 15 ‖

jaṭilo muṇḍī luñjita keśaḥ
kāśhāyānbara bahukṛta veśhaḥ |
paśyannapi cha na paśyati mūḍhaḥ
udara nimittaṃ bahukṛta veśhaḥ ‖ 15 ‖

There are many (ascetics) with matted hair, many with clean shaven heads, many whose hair have been plucked out; some are clothed in orange, yet others parading in various colors -Indeed, these different disguises or apparels are only for their belly’s sake. Seeing the truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones can not see through these many disguises. (Stanza attributed to Totakācārya.)

अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं
दशन विहीनं जातं तुण्डम् |
वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशा पिण्डम् ‖ 16 ‖

aṅgaṃ galitaṃ palitaṃ muṇḍaṃ
daśana vihīnaṃ jātaṃ tuṇḍam |
vṛddho yāti gṛhītvā daṇḍaṃ
tadapi na muñchatyāśā piṇḍam ‖ 16 ‖

Strength has left the old man’s body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then he can not let go of his attachment, clinging firmly to fruitless hopes and desires. (Stanza attributed to Hastamalaka.)

अग्रे वह्निः पृष्ठे भानुः
रात्रौ चुबुक समर्पित जानुः |
करतल भिक्षस्-तरुतल वासः
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशा पाशः ‖ 17 ‖

agre vahniḥ pṛśhṭhe bhānuḥ
rātrau chubuka samarpita jānuḥ |
karatala bhikśhas-tarutala vāsaḥ
tadapi na muñchatyāśā pāśaḥ ‖ 17 ‖

The ascetic warms his body with fire in front and the sun at the back. At night he dwells under a tree with face huddled between the knees to keep out of the cold. In his hands he holds the beggar’s alms and yet he does not let go of the noose of attachment to desire and passion. (Stanza attributed to Subhodha.)

कुरुते गङ्गा सागर गमनं
व्रत परिपालनम्-अथवा दानम् |
ज्ञान विहीनः सर्वमतेन
भजति न मुक्तिं जन्म शतेन ‖ 18 ‖

kurute gaṅgā sāgara gamanaṃ
vrata paripālanam-athavā dānam |
GYāna vihīnaḥ sarvamatena
bhajati na muktiṃ janma śatena ‖ 18 ‖

One may travel (on a pilgrimage) to the confluence where the Gaṅgā river meets the ocean (gaṅgā-sāgara), undertake vows and give away in charity, however without true knowledge (jñāna) one will not achieve liberation (mukti) even in a hundred lifetimes, according to all [schools of] thought. (Stanza attributed to Vārtikakāra.)

सुरमन्दिर तरु मूल निवासः
शय्या भूतलम्-अजिनं वासः |
सर्व परिग्रह भोगत्यागः
कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः ‖ 19 ‖

suramandira taru mūla nivāsaḥ
śayyā bhūtalam-ajinaṃ vāsaḥ |
sarva parigraha bhogatyāgaḥ
kasya sukhaṃ na karoti virāgaḥ ‖ 19 ‖

One who lives in temples or dwells at the foot of trees, whose bed is the surface of the earth, whose garment is a deer-skin, who has thus renounced all enjoyment of worldly possessions – to whom will such dispassion (vairāgya) not bring happiness? (Stanza attributed to Nityānanda.)

योगरतो वा भोगरतो वा
सङ्गरतो वा सङ्गविहीनः |
यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तं
नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव ‖ 20 ‖

yogarato vā bhogarato vā
saṅgarato vā saṅgavihīnaḥ |
yasya brahmaṇi ramate chittaṃ
nandati nandati nandatyeva ‖ 20 ‖

One may take delight in yoga (union with god) or bhoga (worldly enjoyment); may be delighted by company or solitude; but he whose mind delights in brahman (the spiritual truth), only he enjoys real bliss and is satisfied, no one else. (Stanza attributed to ānandagiriḥ)

भगवद्गीता किञ्चिदधीता
गङ्गा जललव कणिका पीता |
सकृदपि येन मुरारी समर्चा
क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा ‖ 21 ‖

bhagavadgītā kiñchidadhītā
gaṅgā jalalava kaṇikā pītā |
sakṛdapi yena murārī samarchā
kriyate tasya yamena na charchā ‖ 21 ‖

Let a man read but a little from Bhagavad-gītā, drink just a drop of Gaṅgā-water, worship but once murāri, the enemy of ‘Murā’ (Lord Kṛṣṇa); he then will have no confrontation with Yama, the Lord of death. (Stanza attributed to Dṛḍhabhakta.)

नरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं
पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम् |
इह संसारे बहु दुस्तारे
कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे ‖ 22 ‖

punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ
punarapi jananī jaṭhare śayanam |
iha saṃsāre bahu dustāre
kṛpayā’pāre pāhi murāre ‖ 22 ‖

Birth again, death again, again resting in the mother’s womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of saṁsāra (cycle of repeated birth and death). O Murāri! by your causeless mercy please protect me (from this transmigratory process). (Stanza attributed to Nityanātha.)

रथ्या चर्पट विरचित कन्थः
पुण्यापुण्य विवर्जित पन्थः |
योगी योग नियोजित चित्तः
रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव ‖ 23 ‖

rathyā charpaṭa virachita kanthaḥ
puṇyāpuṇya vivarjita panthaḥ |
yogī yoga niyojita chittaḥ
ramate bālonmattavadeva ‖ 23 ‖

The one whose patched garment is made from tattered rags cast on the road, whose path is free from sins having abandoned virtue and vices, whose mind is fixed on yoga (in union with god), that yogi indeed rejoices (in divine bliss) like a crazed wild child overwhelmed by happiness. (Stanza attributed to Nityanātha

कस्त्वं कोऽहं कुत आयातः
का मे जननी को मे तातः |
इति परिभावय निज संसारं
सर्वं त्यक्त्वा स्वप्न विचारम् ‖ 24 ‖

kastvaṃ koahaṃ kuta āyātaḥ
kā me jananī ko me tātaḥ |
iti paribhāvaya nija saṃsāraṃ
sarvaṃ tyaktvā svapna vichāram ‖ 24 ‖

Having abandoned this world, knowing it to be without essence, comparable to the reflection of a dream, consider well and reflect: Who am I? Who are you? Where have I come from? Who is my mother, and who is my father? (Stanza attributed to Surendra.)

त्वयि मयि सर्वत्रैको विष्णुः
व्यर्थं कुप्यसि मय्यसहिष्णुः |
भव समचित्तः सर्वत्र त्वं
वाञ्छस्यचिराद्-यदि विष्णुत्वम् ‖ 25 ‖

tvayi mayi sarvatraiko viśhṇuḥ
vyarthaṃ kupyasi mayyasahiśhṇuḥ |
bhava samachittaḥ sarvatra tvaṃ
vāñChasyachirād-yadi viśhṇutvam ‖ 25 ‖

In me, in you and in everything else, none but the same (All-Pervading) Lord Viṣṇu dwells. Your anger and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the Supreme Viṣṇu soon, be equal-minded in all circumstances, have samabhāva, equanimity, always. (Stanza attributed to Medhātithira.)

शत्रौ मित्रे पुत्रे बन्धौ
मा कुरु यत्नं विग्रह सन्धौ |
सर्वस्मिन्नपि पश्यात्मानं
सर्वत्रोत्-सृज भेदाज्ञानम् ‖ 26 ‖

śatrau mitre putre bandhau
mā kuru yatnaṃ vigraha sandhau |
sarvasminnapi paśyātmānaṃ
sarvatrot-sṛja bhedāGYānam ‖ 26 ‖

Do not waste your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend and foe, children and relatives. See the true self in everyone and give up all feelings of duality completely. (Stanza attributed to Medhātithira.)

कामं क्रोधं लोभं मोहं
त्यक्त्वाऽऽत्मानं पश्यति सोऽहम् |
आत्मज्ञ्नान विहीना मूढाः
ते पच्यन्ते नरक निगूढाः ‖ 27 ‖

kāmaṃ krodhaṃ lobhaṃ mohaṃ
tyaktvā”tmānaṃ paśyati soaham |
ātmaGYnāna vihīnā mūḍhāḥ
te pachyante naraka nigūḍhāḥ ‖ 27 ‖

Give up lust, anger, greed and infatuation, try to know the true self and consider: who am I? Those fools covered by ignorance, who lack self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) are tormented in hells. (Stanza attributed to Bhārativaṁśa.)

गेयं गीता नाम सहस्रं
ध्येयं श्रीपति रूपम्-अजस्रम् |
नेयं सज्जन सङ्गे चित्तं
देयं दीनजनाय च वित्तम् ‖ 28 ‖

geyaṃ gītā nāma sahasraṃ
dhyeyaṃ śrīpati rūpam-ajasram |
neyaṃ sajjana saṅge chittaṃ
deyaṃ dīnajanāya cha vittam ‖ 28 ‖

Regularly recite from the Gītā, meditate on Viṣṇu (śrīpati) in your heart, and chant his thousand glories names (viṣṇu-sahasranāma). 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.)

सुखतः क्रियते रामाभोगः
पश्चाद्धन्त शरीरे रोगः |
यद्यपि लोके मरणं शरणं
तदपि न मुञ्चति पापाचरणम् ‖ 29 ‖

sukhataḥ kriyate rāmābhogaḥ
paśchāddhanta śarīre rogaḥ |
yadyapi loke maraṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ
tadapi na muñchati pāpācharaṇam ‖ 29 ‖

Very readily one indulges in carnal pleasures but later on, alas, come diseases of the body. Even though in the world the ultimate end is death (maraṇaṁ), even then one does not relinquish his sinful behaviours.

अर्थमनर्थं भावय नित्यं
नास्ति ततः सुख लेशः सत्यम् |
पुत्रादपि धनभाजां भीतिः
सर्वत्रैषा विहिता रीतिः ‖ 30 ‖

arthamanarthaṃ bhāvaya nityaṃ
nāsti tataḥ sukha leśaḥ satyam |
putrādapi dhanabhājāṃ bhītiḥ
sarvatraiśhā vihitā rītiḥ ‖ 30 ‖

Remember always that wealth is the source of misfortune. The truth is that one cannot extract even a bit of happiness from it. For the rich, there is fear even from one’s own son. This is the established way with wealth everywhere.

प्राणायामं प्रत्याहारं
नित्यानित्य विवेक विचारम् |
जाप्यसमेत समाधि विधानं
कुर्व वधानं महद्-अवधानम् ‖ 31 ‖

prāṇāyāmaṃ pratyāhāraṃ
nityānitya viveka vichāram |
jāpyasameta samādhi vidhānaṃ
kurva vadhānaṃ mahad-avadhānam ‖ 31 ‖

Practice control of breath (prāṇā-yāma) and withdrawal of the senses from their respective sense objects (pratyāhāra); deliberate on the distinction between the permanent and the transitory; perform meditation along with chanting the holy names of god; perform these with great attention and extreme care!

गुरु चरणाम्भुज निर्भरभक्तः
संसाराद्-अचिराद्-भव मुक्तः |
सेन्दिय मानस नियमादेवं
द्रक्ष्यसि निज हृदयस्थं देवम् ‖ 32 ‖

guru charaṇāmbhuja nirbharabhaktaḥ
saṃsārād-achirād-bhava muktaḥ |
sendiya mānasa niyamādevaṃ
drakśhyasi nija hṛdayasthaṃ devam ‖ 32 ‖

Oh devotee sincerely dedicated to the lotus feet of the Guru! May thou be soon free from Saṁsārā, the circle of birth and death. Through disciplined senses and controlled mind, thou shalt come to see (experience) the in-dwelling Lord of your heart

मूढः कश्चिन वैयाकरणो
डुकृण्करणाध्ययन धुरीणः |
श्रीमच्छङ्कर भगवच्चिष्यैः
बोधित आसीच्छोदित करणैः ‖ 33 ‖
इति मोहमुद्गरः संपूर्णः।।

mūḍhaḥ kaśchina vaiyākaraṇo
ḍukṛṇkaraṇādhyayana dhurīṇaḥ |
śrīmacChaṅkara bhagavachchiśhyaiḥ
bodhita āsīcChodita karaṇaiḥ ‖ 33 ‖
Iti mohamudgaraḥ saṃpūrṇaḥ..

Thus a foolish grammarian lost in grammatical rules, was cleansed of his narrow vision and shown the light by the students of the illustrious Śrīmad Śaṅkarācārya.