Oct 1, 2010

भज गोविन्दं

ॐ नमः शिवाय!


भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं,
गोविन्दं भज मूढ़मते।
संप्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले,
न हि न हि रक्षति डुकृञ् करणे ॥१॥

(1)O deluded minded friend, chant Govinda (Govinda is none but one and only one God), worship Govinda, love Govinda as memorizing the rules of grammar cannot save one at the time of death. ॥1॥. ( Save you from what?, death, no, something more superior then death)


मूढ़ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णाम्,
कुरु सद्बुद्धिमं मनसि वितृष्णाम्।
यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तम्,
वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तं ॥२॥

2) O deluded minded ! Give up your lust to amass wealth. Give up such desires from your mind and take up the path of righteousness. Keep your mind happy with the money which comes as the result of your hard work. 

नारीस्तनभरनाभीदेशम्,
दृष्ट्वा मागा मोहावेशम्।
एतन्मान्सवसादिविकारम्,
मनसि विचिन्तय वारं वारम् ॥३॥

(3)Do not get attracted on seeing the parts of woman's anatomy under the influence of delusion, as these are made up of skin, flesh and similar substances. Deliberate on this again and again in your mind. ॥3॥.
नलिनीदलगतजलमतितरलम्,
तद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम्।
विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं,
लोक शोकहतं च समस्तम् ॥४॥

(4)Life is as ephemeral as water drops on a lotus leaf . Be aware that the whole world is troubled by disease, ego and grief. ॥4॥

यावद्वित्तोपार्जनसक्त:,
तावन्निजपरिवारो रक्तः।
पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जरदेहे,
वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे ॥५॥

(5)As long as a man is fit and capable to earn money, everyone in the family show affection towards him. But after wards, when the body becomes weak no one enquires about him even during the talks. ॥5॥
यावत्पवनो निवसति देहे,
तावत् पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे।
गतवति वायौ देहापाये,
भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन्काये ॥६॥

(6)Till one is alive, family members enquire kindly about his welfare . But when the vital air (Prana) departs from the body, even the wife fears from the corpse. ॥6॥

बालस्तावत् क्रीडासक्तः,
तरुणस्तावत् तरुणीसक्तः।
वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्तः,
परे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः ॥७॥

(7) In childhood we are attached to sports, in youth, we are attached to woman . Old age goes in worrying over every thing . But there is no one who wants to be engrossed in Govind, the parabrahman at any stage. ॥7॥
का ते कांता कस्ते पुत्रः,
संसारोऽयमतीव विचित्रः।
कस्य त्वं वा कुत अयातः,
तत्त्वं चिन्तय तदिह भ्रातः ॥८॥

(8)Who is your wife ? Who is your son? Indeed, strange is this world. O dear, think again and again who are you and from where have you come. ॥8॥

सत्संगत्वे निस्संगत्वं,
निस्संगत्वे निर्मोहत्वं।
निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं
निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥९॥

(9) Association with saints brings non-attachment, non-attachment leads to right knowledge, right knowledge leads us to permanent awareness, to which liberation follows. ॥9॥

वयसि गते कः कामविकारः,
शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः।
क्षीणे वित्ते कः परिवारः,
ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः ॥१०॥

(10)As youth with out lust, lake with out water, the relatives with out wealth are meaningless, similarly this world ceases to exist, when the Truth is revealed? ॥10॥

मा कुरु धनजनयौवनगर्वं,
हरति निमेषात्कालः सर्वं।
मायामयमिदमखिलम् हित्वा,
ब्रह्मपदम् त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा ॥११॥

(11)Do not boast of wealth, friends (power), and youth, these can be taken away in a flash by Time . Knowing this whole world to be under the illusion of Maya, you try to attain the Absolute. ॥11॥

दिनयामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः,
शिशिरवसन्तौ पुनरायातः।
कालः क्रीडति गच्छत्यायुस्तदपि
न मुन्च्त्याशावायुः ॥१२॥

(12)Day and night, dusk and dawn, winter and spring come and go. In this sport of Time entire life goes away, but the storm of desire never departs or diminishes. ॥12॥

द्वादशमंजरिकाभिरशेषः
कथितो वैयाकरणस्यैषः।
उपदेशोऽभूद्विद्यानिपुणैः,
श्रीमच्छंकरभगवच्चरणैः ॥१२अ॥

(12A)This bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian by the all-knowing, god-like Sri Shankara. ॥12A॥
काते कान्ता धन गतचिन्ता,
वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता।
त्रिजगति सज्जनसं गतिरैका,
भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका ॥१३॥

(13).Oh deluded man ! Why do you worry about your wealth and wife? Is there no one to take care of them? Only the company of saints can act as a boat in three worlds to take you out from this ocean of rebirths. ॥13॥

जटिलो मुण्डी लुञ्छितकेशः, क
ाषायाम्बरबहुकृतवेषः।
पश्यन्नपि च न पश्यति मूढः,
उदरनिमित्तं बहुकृतवेषः ॥१४॥

(14) Matted and untidy hair, shaven heads, orange or variously coloured cloths are all a way to earn livelihood . O deluded man why don't you understand it even after seeing.॥14॥ 

अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं,
दशनविहीनं जतं तुण्डम्।
वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं,
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापिण्डम् ॥१५॥

(15) Even an old man of weak limbs, hairless head, toothless mouth, who walks with a stick, cannot leave his desires. ॥15॥
अग्रे वह्निः पृष्ठेभानुः,
रात्रौ चुबुकसमर्पितजानुः।
करतलभिक्षस्तरुतलवासः,
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापाशः ॥१६॥

(16)One who warms his body by fire after sunset, curls his body to his knees to avoid cold; eats the begged food and sleeps beneath the tree, he is also bound by desires, even in these difficult situations . ॥16॥
कुरुते गङ्गासागरगमनं,
व्रतपरिपालनमथवा दानम्।
ज्ञानविहिनः सर्वमतेन,
मुक्तिं न भजति जन्मशतेन ॥१७॥

(17) According to all religions, without knowledge one cannot get liberated in hundred births though he might visit Gangasagar (This place is in west bengal province of India) or observe fasts or do charity. ॥17॥.¸
सुर मंदिर तरु मूल निवासः,
शय्या भूतल मजिनं वासः।
सर्व परिग्रह भोग त्यागः,
कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः ॥१८॥

(18)Reside in a temple or below a tree, sleep on mother earth as your bed, stay alone, leave all the belongings and comforts, such renunciation can give all the pleasures to anybody. ॥18॥


योगरतो वाभोगरतोवा,
सङ्गरतो वा सङ्गवीहिनः।
यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तं,
नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव ॥१९॥

(19)One may like meditative practice or worldly pleasures , may be attached or detached. But only the one fixing his mind on God lovingly enjoys bliss, enjoys bliss, enjoys bliss. ॥19॥

भगवद् गीता किञ्चिदधीता,
गङ्गा जललव कणिकापीता।
सकृदपि येन मुरारि समर्चा,
क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा ॥२०॥

(20)Those who studied even little of Gita (Sacred book of Hindu's), drank just a drop of water from the holy Ganga, worship Lord Krishna with love even once, Yama, the God of death will not discuss about them ॥20॥

पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं,
पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम्।
इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे,
कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे ॥२१॥

(21)Born again, die again, lay again in the mother's womb, it is indeed difficult to cross this world. O Murari ! (Krishna) please help me to cross this illusion through your mercy. ॥21॥


रथ्या चर्पट विरचित कन्थः,
पुण्यापुण्य विवर्जित पन्थः।
योगी योगनियोजित चित्तो,
रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव ॥२२॥

(22) One who wears cloths ragged due to chariots, move on the path free from virtue and sin, keeps his mind controlled through constant practice, enjoys like a carefree exuberant child. ॥22॥

कस्त्वं कोऽहं कुत आयातः,
का मे जननी को मे तातः।
इति परिभावय सर्वमसारम्,
विश्वं त्यक्त्वा स्वप्न विचारम् ॥२३॥

(23)Who are you ? Who am I ? From where I have come ? Who is my mother, who is my father ? Ponder over these and after understanding, this world to be meaningless like a dream,relinquish it. ॥23॥

त्वयि मयि चान्यत्रैको विष्णुः,
व्यर्थं कुप्यसि मय्यसहिष्णुः।
भव समचित्तः सर्वत्र त्वं,
वाञ्छस्यचिराद्यदि विष्णुत्वम् ॥२४॥

(24)Lord Vishnu resides in me, in you and in everything else, so your anger is meaningless . If you wish to attain the eternal status of Vishnu, practice equanimity all the time, in all the things. ॥24॥


शत्रौ मित्रे पुत्रे बन्धौ,
मा कुरु यत्नं विग्रहसन्धौ।
सर्वस्मिन्नपि पश्यात्मानं,
सर्वत्रोत्सृज भेदाज्ञानम् ॥२५॥

(25)Try not to win the love of your friends, brothers, relatives and son(s) or to fight with your enemies. See yourself in everyone and give up ignorance of duality everywhere.॥25॥


कामं क्रोधं लोभं मोहं,
त्यक्त्वाऽत्मानं भावय कोऽहम्।
आत्मज्ञान विहीना मूढाः,
ते पच्यन्ते नरकनिगूढाः ॥२६॥

(26)Give up desires, anger, greed and delusion. Ponder over your real nature . Those devoid of the knowledge of self come in this world, which is a endless hidden hell. ॥26॥

गेयं गीता नाम सहस्रं,
ध्येयं श्रीपति रूपमजस्रम्।
नेयं सज्जन सङ्गे चित्तं,
देयं दीनजनाय च वित्तम् ॥२७॥

(27)Sing thousand glories of Lord Vishnu (Vishnu Shasranama), constantly remembering his form in your heart. Enjoy the company of noble people and do charity for the poor and the needy. ॥27॥

सुखतः क्रियते रामाभोगः,
पश्चाद्धन्त शरीरे रोगः।
यद्यपि लोके मरणं शरणं,
तदपि न मुञ्चति पापाचरणम् ॥२८॥

(28)People use this body for pleasure which gets diseased in the end. Though in this world everything ends in death, man does not give up the sinful conduct. ॥28॥

अर्थंमनर्थम् भावय नित्यं,
नास्ति ततः सुखलेशः सत्यम्।
पुत्रादपि धनभजाम् भीतिः,
सर्वत्रैषा विहिता रीतिः ॥२९॥

(29)Keep on thinking that money is cause of all troubles, it cannot give even a bit of happiness. A rich man fears even his own son . This is the law of riches everywhere. ॥29॥


प्राणायामं प्रत्याहारं,
नित्यानित्य विवेकविचारम्।
जाप्यसमेत समाधिविधानं,
कुर्ववधानं महदवधानम् ॥३०॥

(30)Do pranayama, the regulation of life forces, take proper food, constantly distinguish the permanent from the fleeting, Chant the holy names of God with love and meditate,with attention, with utmost attention. ॥30॥
गुरुचरणाम्बुज निर्भर भक्तः,
संसारादचिराद्भव मुक्तः।
सेन्द्रियमानस नियमादेवं,
द्रक्ष्यसि निज हृदयस्थं देवम् ॥३१॥

(31)Be dependent only on the lotus feet of your Guru (Spiritual) and get salvation from this world. Through disciplined senses and mind, you can see the indwelling Lord of your heart !॥31॥

मूढः कश्चन वैयाकरणो,
डुकृञ्करणाध्ययन धुरिणः।
श्रीमच्छम्कर भगवच्छिष्यै,
बोधित आसिच्छोधितकरणः ॥३२॥

(32)Thus through a deluded grammarian lost in memorizing rules of the grammar, the all knowing Sri Shankara motivated his disciples for enlightenment. ॥32॥


भजगोविन्दं भजगोविन्दं,
गोविन्दं भजमूढमते।
नामस्मरणादन्यमुपायं,
नहि पश्यामो भवतरणे ॥३३॥

(33) O deluded minded friend, chant Govinda, worship Govinda, love Govinda as there is no other way to cross the life's ocean except lovingly remembering the holy names of Krishna. ॥33॥


ॐ नमः शिवाय!

Sianala, Montreal Oct 01 2010