Moha Mudgar Stotram

8/10/2019 Moha Mudgar Stotram

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Bhaja Govindam

An Introduction

Adi Shankaracharyas works Composed by the great saint Sri Adi

Shankaracharya, Bhaja Govindam is one of the most lucid yet insightfulworks of edanta! Some of the other magni"cent works on edanta by AdiShankaracharya are the ivekachudamani and Atmabodha! #e combined hisscienti"c knowledge of the subject with deep devotion to produce brilliantcompositions!

Shankaras works are classi"ed into $ main categories%

&! Bhashya% Commentaries on the scriptures such as the 'panishads,Bhagavad Gita and the Brahmasutras

(! Stotras% )evotional compositions like the )akshinamoorthy stotras

$! Prakarana Granthas% *ntroductory manuals for spiritual studies

+he Bhaja Govindam belongs to the class of stotras! #owever, as theverses contain deep edantic thought it is often included as aprakarana,introductory tet! Although small, it is a prominent composition of Shankarasthat teaches the fundamentals of edanta! *ts style is simple and its melodymakes it appealing to people of all ages! -ach one of its $& verses is a pearlof wisdom that is relevant to our lives!

Another name for this tet is .oha .udgara! +he word moha, in Sanskrit,

means /delusion while mudgarameans /hammer! +ogether, .oha .udgarameans the remover or destroyer of delusion! *t is called so because it deals abody blow to the ecessive value we place on this samsara that is the world!

Origin

*t was on one of those days when Shankara and his disciples weretravelling that they passed through Benaras, a holy city of *ndia! Along theway, Shankara overheard an old pundit, scholar, memorising 0aninisgrammar rules! #e observed how the pundit memorised the grammar rulesbut missed the message of what he was studying and this inspired amasterful oration by Shankara that we call the Bhaja Govindam or .oha

.udgara!

Structure

+he Bhaja Govindam comprises $& verses! +he opening stan1a is taken tobe the chorus that is chanted at the end of every other verse! +radition has itthat the &( verses following the chorus were spoken by the great masterhimself! +hese &( verses form the "rst part of the Bhaja Govindam and are


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a spiritual eperience but that very Spirit going through a human eperience!So together, we must work towards lifting ourselves out of our delusion,our mohato greater heights of awareness!

+ranslation

9orship the Spirit ,worship the Spirit, worship the Spirit, : ;ool< ;or grammarrules =material pursuits> will not protect you when the appointed timearrives!

*nterpretation

+his verse is the chorus of the Bhaja Govindam! #ere Shankara ehorts usto look beyond the material trappings of the world! +he reference togrammar3rules is made because Shankara observed a pundit, scholar, inBenaras memori1ing the rules of Sanskrit grammar without understanding

the message of the scriptures written in Sanskrit! ;ollowing the letter but notthe spirit! ;rom this he draws a lesson that is relevant to all of us! 9e oftentravel the road of life without so much as thinking about what we are doing!9ithout 2uestioning! 9e get lost in the frills of life while missing out on itsvery essence!

/Bhaja Govindam or /9orship the Spirit is repeated thrice becauseShankara is asking us to align our three e2uipments ? the body, mind andintellect towards the higher! A diagram of our composition is shown below%

+he body is the e2uipment through which perceptions are taken in and

actions are performed! +he mind is the seat of emotion and feeling while theintellect is the domain of discrimination and judgment! By repeating thewords /Bhaja Govindam thrice, Shankara urges us to seek and worshipGovinda, the Self within, in everything we do! 9hen we enjoy sense contact,we can either indulge in the enjoyment or focus on the divine 0ower thatfacilitates the enjoyment! Similarly, actions can be performed with a sel"shend in mind or dedicated to a higher cause, the highest being Self@eali1ation! 9ith the mind, we must cultivate a devotional attitude rather


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than bind ourselves with attachments! +here must be an awareness of theunseen ;orce that has blessed us all so generously! ;inally, with the intellectwe must use our power of discrimination to distinguish between thepermanent and the temporary in our lives! *n essence, every thought,feeling, perception and action must be directed towards our goal of Self3

reali1ation or self3development!

Shankara asks us to seek the Self because the lasting happiness that weseek does not lie out there in the world but within each one of us! o amountof worldly knowledge, referred to by Shankara as grammar3rules, gives ussustainable joy! +rue happiness comes when we are able to rise above ourlittle selves and our egos to a higher level of awareness!

9hen the /appointed time, death, stares us in the face, the only things weare able to carry forward with us are our spiritual assets! 9e are unable to

take the wealth we worked so hard to accumulate, the relationships wedeveloped or the /grammar rules, worldly knowledge, we have assimilatedthrough the course of our lives! +herefore Shankara asks us to invest inourselves, not only to build healthy bank balances but to create spiritualassets that we can carry forward with us!

+his does not mean we have to stop what we are doing and give it all up!9hat Shankara means is that wherever we are, whatever we are doing, thefocus must be on improving ourselves, controlling our desires and movingtowards the ultimate goal of Self3reali1ation! 'tili1ing our talents to improveourselves!

Shankara refers to us as moodha =fools>! #e calls us foolish for focusing onthe transient, temporary aspects of life while completely missing out on thepermanent factor, Govinda, the Self in our lives! 9e indulge in the world andits trivialities at the cost of self3development! *n our short3sightedness wechoose the trappings of immediate pleasure over long3term satisfaction! 9echoose junk food instead of healthy food, 2uick divorces over lastingrelationships

+hus Shankara is merely asking us to wake up to our own potential that is*n"nite!

*n a dark room it is pointless just re3adjusting the furniture! 9hat we needis just a little light! +hen navigating the room becomes easy! Similarly in thepassage of life we are only trying to reorgani1e the world! *nstead we need tobring in the light of knowledge to make our sojourn a pleasant one!

/Govinda is a name of rishna but is not to be taken in the narrow sense!rishna means the Spirit in us all! +hat which is dark, unknown! Atman =theSelf> is unknown to us!


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Govinda comes from the root /go which has a few interpretations! +hese aregiven below%

-arth% +he substratum of the earth is Atman! Cattle% rishna was a cowherd who drove the cattle to the pastures at

sunrise and brought them back to their sheds at sundown! Similarly wedrive our senses to their respective pastures of sense objects everyday! Atman enables the senses to enjoy the sense contact!

Speech% Speech is an organ of action and represents all organs ofaction! Atmanempowers the organs to act!

+he edas% +he very subject of the edas is Atman! +he message of theedas is+at +vam Asi, Dou are that, the in"nite, all pervading, allpowerful Self!


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+ranslation

: ;ool, abandon the greed for ac2uiring wealth! -ntertain the thought of@eality in the mind, free from passion! 8et the mind be content with whatever

wealth you obtain by your own actions!

*nterpretation

*n this verse, Shankara deals with the "rst of the twin motivations we spokeof in the introduction to the Bhaja Govindam i!e! kanchanam, ac2uisition=wealth>, which is the negative aspect of human nature i!e! securing oneselffrom sorrow or dukkha nivrtti in Sanskrit!

Shankara addresses the ecessive and in4ated value that we have for theworld and its oEerings! #e urges us to renounce the thirsts to possesswealth! ot to renounce the wealth itself! *t is that servile mentality towards

material objects that Shankara is averse to! So powerful isthat trishna =insatiable thirst> that instead of us possessing the object, webecome possessed by it! 9e become servants to the material world when weare designed to be masters of it! +o have a slavish attitude towards thematerial world is to live below the dignity of a human being! And this is whatShankara "nds repulsive! *t is only our poverty thinking that makes us poor!9e may have enough of the world and much more! A nice home, a family, afancy car but it is that "endish trishna for the objects of the world that robsus oE our wealth! #ence we must move from poverty thinking to prosperitythinking!

*t is important to note that Shankara does not object to possessionsthemselves but only to the black3market value we place on them!

+he solution Shankara places before us are to /entertain the thought of@eality in our minds /free from passion! +his means that we must worktowards the goal of Self3realisation free from the distractions of desire! +his,however, applies only to those true seekers who want to liberate themselvesfrom the cycle of birth and death to attainmoksha! ;ew of us really want this!


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.ost of us just want a little peace in our lives! #ence what it means to thisclass of seekers is that they need to channelise our energies in aconstructive manner towards the achievement of a higher goal! +his ispossible only when we have a higher desire!

ow the "rst 2uestion that arises is /what is this higher desireF 8et us take alook!

+he most important thing to remember is the B.* pyramid i!e! the pyramid ofthe body, mind and intellect!

+he physical desires or the desires at the level of the body lie at thebottom of this classi"cation of desires! *f we have physical desires, we feelhappy only when our physical needs are met! +he enjoyment comes onlywhen contacting the sense3object! 9hen we move up to the emotional levelor the level of the mind, we are able to "nd joy not only in the ful"llment ofour own desires but those of others as well! ;or eample, a hungry parent

"nds greater joy in feeding ones child rather than oneself! Above this is theintellectual level! 9hen we are absorbed in intellectual pursuit, we rise aboveour physical discomforts and the fact that we may be emotionally starved!;or eample a scientist absorbed in research of a new invention is able to sitin his or her laboratory for hours on end oblivious of what is happeningaround! +he scientist is able to rise above his or her physical and emotionalneeds to commit himself or herself to the progress of the research! Anothereample was .ahatma Gandhi! #e rose above his physical and emotionalneeds for the achievement of his goal, independence for *ndia! +his is thepower of the intellect! At the pinnacle of this B.* pyramid are our spiritualdesires! 9hen we are absorbed in spiritual pursuit nothing can aEect us! 9e

rise above our physical, emotional and intellectual needs to step into therealm of the Spirit!

As we move higher in the pyramid, not only do the 2uantum of desiresreduce but also the 2uality gets re"ned!

At the end of the verse, Shankara says that once we have pursued thathigher goal with our heart and soul, we must remain satis"ed with what weget as the fruit of action! *n this small statement Shankara de"nes what it isto be rich! *t is about being happy with what we have! +his does not mean weshould be complacent! +here must be higher aspirations and a desire to

ecel! But our happiness should not be pegged on the future! +hus /richnessis not a function of how much one has, it is really a function of how much onewants!

*n terms of spiritual pursuit, Shankara says we must be happy withourselves, be content with what we have achieved but we must never rest onour laurels until we get to that ultimate state of -nlightenment!


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Translation

Do not get infatuated seeing a ladys bosom or navel. It is amodication of esh! fat! etc. "eect in your mind over and over

again.

Inter#retation

*n the introductory shiksha to the Bhaja Govindam, we had spoken of thetwin motivations of human beings ? ac2uisition and enjoyment! #avingaddressed /ac2uisition in verse two, Shankara deals with the secondmotivation, kamini or enjoyment, here in verse three! +his is the positiveaspect of human motivation i!e! courting of joy or sukha prapti!

*n this verse, Shankara deals with our infatuation with sense enjoymentand uses the techni2ue ofpratipaksha bhavanato overcome this

infatuation! Pratipaksha bhavanais one of Shankaras greatest contributionsto edantic thought! *t is the ability to look at the same object or situation inmany diEerent ways!

+he eample Shankara has taken may not seem appropriate in todays dayand age! #owever, we must remember that Shankaras audiences were hisyoung disciples who were men and the mark of a great teacher is tocommunicate to the audience using eamples that are relevant to them! ;orus, the objective of studying this verse is to usepratipaksha bhavanato riseabove our obsession for sense enjoyment!

.ost of us have a weakness for one of the "ve senses! Det, when the senseobjects are broken down into their individual components, we "nd none ofthem attractive! 0ut together, they somehow seem to mesmeri1e us! +husthe enjoyment really isnt in the object, it is in our minds! 9e project ourenjoyment on the object when it is really self3created! +hus the happinessisnt in the object, it is within us! +his is maya, illusion! *t is dicult toovercome! #ence the appeal to think over it again and again! 9hen we seethe mirage of water it is impossible to understand that it is only the play of


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light rays that has created the fantasy of water! 9e go by what we see, notreali1ing that the eyes deceive! Similarly we are led by the senses and themind that see things that are not present! +he glitter and allure of the worldlies only in the mind! As long as we are attached to an object, it is impossibleto reali1e the deception! *t is important to always look at things from another

perspective! And we will see a totally diEerent picture!

+he same is true when a person or situation agitates our minds, we need tolook at it from another viewpoint and it ceases to disturb! Challenges too canbe seen as an opportunity to prove our mettle or as roadblocks to our goals!

+hus Shankara appeals to us to learn the art ofpratipaksha bhavanatofree ourselves from the unnecessary turmoil and agitation! +he way todevelop thispratipaksha bhavanais to pose 2uestions to ourselves, analy1eour desires and "nd ways of dealing with them! *t is through this process of2uestioning that we discover new dimensions in our spiritual search!

Translation

$s %ater on a lotus leaf is very unstable! life is e&tremely unsteady.'no% that the %hole %orld is stric(en %ith disease and arroganceand a)icted %ith sorro%.

Inter#retation

+he Pratipaksha Bhavanacontinues! 8ook at life afresh and you see anuncertain future! Shankara says life is as unsteady as a drop of water on a

lotus leaf! A slight bree1e is enough to tilt the leaf and the drop of water fallsin the pond! Similarly life is unpredictable! At any age, however healthy orstrong you may be, there is no security against death! *t takes away anyone,at any time!

+here is no time to waste! 9e have a tendency to procrastinate, postponeinvestment in the spiritual "eld! +his verse conveys the urgency of thesituation! ow you have the health, mental and intellectual faculties to


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develop the spiritual 2uotient! 9ho knows what the future has in storeF +hesame facilities may not be available later! So use this precious time for self3enhancement!

-ven during this uncertain tenure life is beset with all kinds of problems!+here is disease at the physical level, sorrow at the emotional plane andarrogance at the intellectual stage! All of which create agitations! But wehave got accustomed to them and do not feel the need to rise above them!9e cannot visualise a life free from these hardships! #ence there is noattempt to rid ourselves of them! Bhaja Govindam tries to awaken us to thetruth that as human beings we are meant to eperience a hassle3free life,one full of cheer and joy!

+his does not mean we should take the approach that we might die anymoment! +he point of this verse is that we must utilise our time judiciously!*nvest in our spiritual growth and make our life worthwhile! 9e seem to thinkthe study of the scriptures is for retirees, but the truth couldnt be fartherfrom that! -very one of us must set aside a little time for spiritual studyeveryday, think about it and strive to put it into practice!

Before being diagnosed with cancer, 8ance Armstrong took it easy on thecycling track! As a result, he didnt cycle as well he should have! *t was onlyduring his "ght against cancer that he realised he wasnt performing to hispotential! #e decided to commit himself to giving his best everyday! ;romthen on, 8ance Armstrong has gone on to win a world3record si +our de;rance titles! 'nlike 8ance, we shouldnt wait for cancer or some disease tohit us before we start giving our best! So take armative action :9! @efuseto pamper your body! )esist from pandering to your whims and fancies! .ake

a concerted eEort to abide by your own deeper aspirations! -ntertain thethought of the higher always! And see the diEerence!

Translation


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$s long as you are able to ac*uire %ealth! your retinue %ill follo%you. $fter%ards! %hen your body is %orn out! nobody %ill so muchas s#ea( to you in your o%n home.

Inter#retation

Shankara, in this verse, speaks about the transitory nature of wealth, nameand fame! 9e command respect in our corresponding circles of in4uence aslong as we are of use to those around! 9hen our Hutility factorI wanes, sodoes the respect we command!

.any of us ac2uire great wealth, name, fame, reputation and respect! 9ebecome C-:s, superlative athletes, great singers and seem to know all theHrightI people! But when the titles are taken away from us or the process oftime diminishes our abilities, fewer people seem to remember us anymore!But that is the nature of the world isnt itF :ne moment you will be hailed asa great leader of men, put on a pedestal, decorated and in the very same

breath people will make you the villain of the piece!

+his is why Shankara asks us to temper the value we place on these frills oflife! +his is not to say that we must shun wealth and fame! *n fact we mustenjoy it while it we have it! But we must derive our sense of value and self3worth from something deeper and more permanent! 9e must "nd our worthfrom pursuing our goal of self3development and self3puri"cation! Because theonly thing that remains with us is are our spiritual assets which are gainedthrough introspection, re4ection and contemplation on the higher values oflife!

*n the "nal analysis, wealth and fame are toys to be enjoyed! But theremust always be the vision of that something beyond, of something morepermanent, of the one thing that never leaves us! +hatAtmanor )ivinitywithin!

Translation


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$s long as the body breathes! #eo#le at home in*uire about your%elfare. +hen the breath is gone and the body destroyed! even the%ife fears that very body.

Inter#retation

#aving spoken about the approach one must have to wealth and fame inthe earlier verse, Shankara is telling us about the role our body plays in ourspiritual pursuit!

'nfortunately, we have become a generation of body3worshippers! .ostconcerned only about the way we look! 9e have become obsessed withboto and deto! +hrough this verse, Shankara is trying to tell us that thewrinkles and toins we need to address are not the ones on our bodies but inour minds! #e points out the insigni"cance of the body in this verse and howeven a spouse fears hisJher own life partners body once the life in it is gone!:ur problem is that a majority of our lifes eertions are geared towards

satisfying only our physical needs and comforts!

*t is true that the body must be nurtured, maintained and well taken careof! But not at the cost of spiritual development! +he body must be seen as aninstrument to get our spiritual goal of self3puri"cation! 9e must eercise,keep "t and keep our bodies "ghting "t! But at the same time we must put ineven greater eEort to keep our minds healthy and clean! ;ree from thewrinkles of sel"shness and the toins of negativity!

Shankara is not trying to say the body is useless! *n fact it is an importantinstrument in our 2uest to evolve! *t must be respected! But only to make our

spiritual journey smoother!

Translation

$s a child one is attached to #lay! as a youth one is attached to ayoung lady! the elderly one is attached to %orry. ,obody is attachedto su#reme Brahman.


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Inter#retation

+his verse of the Bhaja Govindam addresses our emotional attachments!9e spend our childhood attached to toys, our youth dreaming of moonlitromances, and our old age in worrying about the littlest of things! 9e spendour entire lives getting attached to things that only bind us to the world! Andin the end, we ignore the one thing that we really need to pursue, Atman, the)ivinity within!

8ove is an enriching, ful"lling and ennobling emotion! #oweverattachment, or self3love, imprisons the mind! *t can no longer soar intosubtler realms and is not available for the pursuit of the higher!

#ere, Shankara gives us a panoramic view of our lives! ;rom birth to death,we are attached to something or other and have no time or inclination forAtman! 9e always feel we can put oE spiritual pursuits until our net goal ismet! But it never happens! By the time we free ourselves from one

attachment we get immersed in another!

A child is totally attached to toys! #e clings to his favorite toy even as hefalls asleep and reaches out for it the moment he wakes up! #e is completelycaught up with the toy! As the child grows into a youth he is consumed bypassion! #e pursues the world with energy, optimism, enthusiasm and vigor !+his attachment is far more enthralling and more dicult to overcome! +heyouth grows into old age and now is attached to worry< #e imagines all kindsof problems and worries over them!

Shankara rues the fact that we do not feel the need to attach ourselves to

Atman 3 the only thing one is born to achieve! +his verse is a clarion call forall of us to invest some time and energy in catering to our spiritual needs!

Translation


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+ho is your %ife- +ho is your son- This samsara %orld/ ise&tremely mystifying. +hose are you- +ho are you- +here haveyou come from- O brother! #onder over that Truth here.

Inter#retation

+his verse focuses on intellectual bondage! 9ho is your wifeF 9ife, in thiscontet, is taken to mean all partners ? in business, in a team sport, in amusical orchestra! *n the larger contet it means anybody we look to forcomfort! Son or child refers to anyone who looks up to us for support!

9ho are theyF 9ho are weF 9here did we come fromF 9here are wegoingF #ave we ever thought about these thingsF 9e may not have theanswers! #owever, we cannot live in ignorance all the time! 9ithout knowinganything about ourselves and our close relationships we are bound to gowrong! 9hen our actions boomerang on us and cause sorrow, we blame theother person or the environment or even Godand enjoyment of the sense objects =kamini>!

#ere, Shankara asks us why we constantly worry about material things!

9orry is a product of focusing on oneself, thinking about the fruit of actionand a lack of faith in the 8aw of arma! +he truth is that we all get only whatwe deserve! o amount of worrying can ever help us get more or less thanthat! +his is the law! :ur focus must be on doing our best in everything thatwe do! After that, the fruit is bound to come! *nstead of focusing on theaction, we epend our energies worrying about what might happen andspeculating if we will get what we desire! +his is why Shankara callsus vatula , confused and distracted one! *n worrying, we forget that there is ahigher 0ower, an :rdainer of the laws of life that cannot fail! 9e spend ourentire lives worrying about our petty preoccupations with material objectsand miss out on the )ivinity all around!

9hen we work in a spirit of service and sacri"ce, as opposed to worryingabout whether we will bene"t from our actions, we are able to rise above thechallenges the world presents us with! Since we do not crave and worryabout the fruit of action, we eperience many serendipitous momentsbecause we never epect anything from our actions! +he 8aw of arma neverfails and the sooner we understand this, the more peaceful life will be for us!


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+his serendipitous eperience is beautifully portrayed in 9ordsworthKs poem,/)aEodilsK! #e says7

/* wandered lonely as a cloud,

+hat 4oats on high oKer vales and hills,

9hen all at once * saw a crowd

A host, of golden daEodils!

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

;luttering and dancing in the bree1e!K

+his what Shankara means in the "rst two lines of this verse! #e advises usnot to worry but instead focus on performing our actions dedicatedly!+hereafter, the law takes over! And our lives become full of /9hen all at onceK

blissful moments!

;urther, Shankara says it is only the company of the good in the threeworlds that can help navigate through the samsara , the ocean of worldlyeistence! +he three worlds he refers to can be taken to mean the physical,emotional and intellectual worlds we all eperience! So when Shankara says/company of goodK, it implies a moderate environment and the company ofspiritual people at the physical level, the company of positive feelings at theemotional level and the company of elevating and inspiring thoughts at theintellectual level!

9hen one is in the /company of goodK at the physical, emotional andintellectual levels, it gives us the space to pursue our spiritual aspirations! *tis said that dama , self3control at the physical level, brings about sama ,mental peace! +his sama creates santosha , a satisfying inner joy! :nly whenwe are santosha can we sincerely take up svadhyaya , self3studyand vichara , re4ection for spiritual progress! Sajjanasangati , company ofgood, is a prere2uisite for all these! +hus Shankara calls it the boat that helpsus navigate throughsamsara , the ocean of worldly eistence!


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Translation

One ascetic %ith matted hair! one %ith tonsured head! one %ith hair#luc(ed out! one disguised in many %ays in ochre robes. They are

fools %ho! though seeing! do not see. The many disguises are onlyto feed the stomach.

Inter#retation

#ere Shankara describes a person who is on the spiritual path, one who isfollowing the spiritual practices eternally but is still grounded to worldlypursuits! *t is dicult enough to tear oneself away from the temptations ofthe world and take to the higher pursuit! *t is tragic if, in this inward journey,one gets entangled in mundane considerations! +hereafter it becomes moredicult to make a correction, as one believes one is on the right track! Atleast, while chasing after the objects of the world there is a feeling ofwrongdoing, of straying away from the righteous path! :ne considers oneselfa sinner! But here one is convinced of oneKs moral high ground and fails tosee where one has deviated away from the path!

+he description is vivid! An ascetic with matted hair or head shaven, withhis material 2uest disguised in ochre robes, he does all this only for the/bellyK! Belly signi"es physical comfort, emotional satisfaction and intellectualdelight! #e does not see the possibility of anything beyond just his personalful"lment!

Shankara calls such a person a fool because he is so near the +ruth yet

totally blinded! +he most dicult part of the spiritual path is to avoid gettingtied down by petty, sel"sh considerations! :nce this hurdle is overcome thepractices themselves become eEortless! 9hatever we do, the thought of /*,me and myselfK does not leave us! 9e follow the spiritual eercises but wefail to address this crucial element! +his, in fact, is the central point of thespiritual journey! Sel4essness is a measure of spiritual growth! So it is no usedoing everything else if we are unwilling to rid ourselves of sel"sh, self3centred interests! As a result we end up as hypocrites, professing the higher


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but pursuing the lower! 9e lose touch with basic human feelings! 9e fail tolift oE! #ence we miss the power and ease, the grandeur and magni"cence,of a life of dedication and surrender! All of us need to watch out for thispitfall! Sel"shness creeps in without our knowing it, in spite of our besteEorts! +he intellect must be alert at all times!

Translation

+ith %orn0out body! grey hair! toothless mouth! the old man %al(sholding a stic(. Still the bunch of desires! he does not leave.

Inter#retation

erses "fteen, siteen and seventeen describe the lives of diEerent kindsof people we see in the world! erse "fteen describes the plight of an oldman suEering the conse2uences of an indulgent life! erse siteen, portraysan abstinent person who despite his physical distance from material objectsremains persecuted by his desires! And verse seventeen depicts a good,virtuous soul who performs all the rituals perfectly but misses the purpose ofthe rituals! *n the end none of them manage to eradicate desire and evolvespiritually!

#ere, the person ages prematurely as a result of his indulgence! +he bodybecomes worn out, his hair has hair gone grey, his teeth have fallen, he isunable to walk without support, yet, he is not relieved of his burden ofdesires!

9hen we think of old people, we imagine them to be wise with eperienceand a satis"ed lot! *n some cases, however, the truth is far from that! .ost ofus live life according to our whims and fancies! 9e tend to go with the tideforgetting what we set out to achieve! 9e forget that our primary goal is tomanage and sublimate our desires! And in the end, when we are old, we lookback at our lives and repent for not investing time in spiritual activitiesearlier! +he message that this verse is sending out is that if you arenKt doingsomething about your Hspiritual 2uotientI yet, get down to doing it now!


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+he mind and its desires can be lethal if left uncontrolled! 8ack of mentaldiscipline prevents us from achieving even material prosperity leave alonespiritual progress! And to manage our desires and rise above them re2uirestremendous eEort! )esires do not go away HnaturallyI! ;or this purpose,edanta advocates HconsciousI living! Be aware of what you are doing by

keeping the intellect in play constantly! Control your contact with sense3objects and at the same time supplement the withdrawal with a study of theprinciples of edanta! .erely withdrawing without supplementing yourselfwith knowledge will only result in frustration!

+rue enjoyment is possible only when one knows the real worth of worldlyobjects! *f the mind has projected a non3eistent, heightened value,disappointment is bound to follow! 9e must contact the world with the fullunderstanding that everything in life is ephemeral, passing and transient!+hen every eperience yields joy! *t is our unrealistic epectations ofpermanence from the world that result in our desires being thwarted, that

lead to frustration! +hrough this verse, the great masters are stressing the need to payattention to our spiritual needs and invest in ourselves! +hroughout our lives,we unconsciously hoard unhealthy desires and strengthen attachments! Andwhen we do get the objects of desire, we ask ourselves /*s this what * reallywantedFK, /)id * work all my life for thisFK

edanta isnKt supposed to be some esoteric subject meant for armchairintellectuals! *t is for men and women of action and dynamism! *t is a call forchange in our attitude andbehavior! *t is for us to initiate this change! Achange for the better!

Translation

+ith re in front and sun behind! %ith (nees tuc(ed into the chin atnight! receiving bhiksha alms/ in the #alms! living under trees!even then the bundle of desires does not go.


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Inter#retation

+his verse describes asceticism in its etreme! #ere, the man lives on barenecessities! Still he does not gain freedom from desire!

#e lives under trees, with no roof over his head! #e lights a "re in front to

protect him from the cold and during the day he warms himself in the sun!#e tucks his knees into his chin when he feels cold at night! )espite theseverest denial of worldly comforts he is not able to overcome desire!

*t is easy to give up possessions! *t is very dicult to give up dependenceon the world! )esire has no connection with possessions! A person living inthe lap of luury may have no desires while one with no possessions may beobsessed with desires for all that his neighbor possesses< edanta enables usto shed desire, which is the cause of all sorrow, and gain objects of desireeEortlessly! *n fact we donKt even have to chase after them! +hey will seekus! +his is the central theme of edanta, one that generations of *ndians

have misunderstood! edanta ehorts us to give up desire, not objects ofdesire! +he problem is with lusting after things in a beggarly manner when infact we are blessed with all we need! 9e must live a life of mentalabundance! +hereafter, we do not feel the lack of anything! +he good thingsof life come to us unsought!

Both ing 5anaka and the pauper, Sudama had reached the ealted state of@ealisation! Both were totally satis"ed, content, reveling in the Self! +heyneither needed nor sought the world and all that it oEered! +heir attitude tothe world was that of a waker to his own erstwhile dream< After awakening,the wise have little interest in the frivolities of the dream!

9e need to take a fresh look at our desires and see the absurdity ofseeking mere objects of the world! 9e must seek the higher! ;i a largergoal, one that goes beyond our petty wants and needs! *t is then that thelower desires will drop! 9ithout our knowing, we will begin to see things froma higher perspective! +his is how we grew out of our childhood desires! At nostage did we take a decision to give them up!

*t is not possible to give up desire! All we can do is take up something farmore entertaining and ful"lling! +hen, the lower ceases to hold our attentionand fades away! And this is the policy we must adopt to grow out of our

spiritual childhood!


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Translation 23

+orshi##ing at the #lace %here the Ganga enters the ocean!maintaining vo%s or doing charity! %ithout (no%ledge one does not

obtain liberation even in a hundred years according to all faiths.

Inter#retation

+he two preceding verses have described the plight of a person whoindulges in the material world and the misery of a hypocrite who lives like anascetic but continues to desire material objects! +his verse describes theproverbial /goodK person! A person may go for pilgrimages to the banks ofthe Ganga, maintain vows and engage in charitable activities! Det, such aperson does not attain mukti , liberation,janmashatena , even in a hundredyears if he or she isjnana viheena , does not have knowledge of the Self!

+he mukti that this verse speaks of is liberation from the clutches of desire!+he only way out of our constricted eistence is to ehaust our desires! 9henwe engage in charitable activities, go on pilgrimages and maintain vows asan end in themselves rather than a means to an end, we are unable toehaust our desires! +hese practices are ecellent to develop discipline andtake one further on the spiritual path when performed with the right attitude!But this verse is only cautioning us against getting lost in activities such asthese! Spiritual practices are meant to take us towards our goal of Self3@eali1ation, the state of desirelessness! *f we follow these practices withoutthis focus we grow to a limited etent beyond which we cannot progress on

the spiritual path!

+he most common criticism raised against edanta is that it talks onlyabout esoteric things like Self3@eali1ation while the rest of the world dies ofpoverty and hunger! Such views are misplaced! edanta encourages us to docharity, to epand our circle of concern and reach out to others! #owever, ifthese activities are performed without dedicating them to a spiritual goal toreduce our burden of desires, we get caught in a loop of desire! Andspiritually, we remain as far away from our goal as the persons described inthe two previous verses! -amine the situation closely! :ur goal is to reducethe number of desires! *f we lose sight of our goal, we get lost in these /goodKactivities and create desires to engage in /goodK activities! :n the otherhand, if we remain focused on our goal and understand that these spiritualpractices are a means to an end, we do not pick up more desires! +hepilgrimages, charity and vows become an oEering at the altar of our goal ofSelf3@ealisation!

9e must continue to seek knowledge, introspect and consistently work oneliminating our stockpile of desires! +his verse of the Bhaja Govindam is notsaying pilgrimages, charity and vows are useless in our pursuit! *t is only


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saying that the true spirit of these practices must always be kept in mindwhen performing them! Because "nite happiness isnKt good enough for us! *tis the *n"nite that we seek!

Translation

4iving in a tem#le under a tree! slee#ing on the ground! %earingdeer s(in! having renounced all thought of #ossession and cravingto enjoy! to %hom %ill dis#assion not give ha##iness-

Inter#retation

9hile the three previous verses describe how we lose ourselves in theworld, the Bhaja Govindam now shows us a way out in this verse, the way ofrenunciation! *t eamines a path that is oft misunderstood by us andenlightens us on its true meaning!

+he verse says that true renunciates are not those who merely live a lifebereft of material possessions! But they are those who have /renounced allthought of possession and craving to enjoy!K +hey are people who have foundhappiness and joy within themselves as opposed to those looking for it in theworld outside! +o such people it does not matter whether they are homelessand living under a tree or living in the lap of luury! +his is portrayed in thelives of the pauper, Sudama and the great king, 5anaka! 0eople ofrenunciation do not depend on the world for happiness! +hey becomeindependent of the world! +his is why nothing can disturb their peace! +his iswhat lends them power!

*f we look at those moments of ehilaration that we eperience in our lives,watching your child take his or her "rst steps, witnessing a beautiful sunrise,or listening to good music, they are moments when we have let go of ourwants and desires!

9hen we renounce the material objects without renouncing the attachmentto them, we cannot eperience the joy of true renunciation! =+his is


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suciently covered in verse siteen!> *t is only when we deal with our desiresand rise above them that we eperience higher joys! 9hen desires reduce,worries reduce! 9hen worries reduce, we are able to enjoy our lives as weshould and enjoy a peaceful nightKs sleep!

At the end of the verse they say, /to whom will dispassion not givehappinessFK +his dispassion they speak of is called vairagya inSanskrit! airagya is not due to a lack of motivation or higher aspiration! *tcomes out of an understanding that worldly pursuit cannot give enduringhappiness! 9hen we understand this, we stop looking for happiness from theworld and instead search for it within us! And it is when we begin that searchwithin that we develop that sense of vairagya , dispassion for the world! +hisdoes not mean that we should drop our obligations to the world and move tothe #imalayas! *t only means that we must do what we ought to do, give itour best while understanding that the happiness that we seek rests withinus!

So donKt take what this verse says at face value! -periment with thisconcept of renunciation in your life! Ask 2uestions! :bserve closely! @e4ecton your eperiences and the theory! And then, if convinced, integrate thisphilosophy in your daily life!

Translation 25

+hether devoted to yoga s#iritual #ractice/ or delighting in bhogasense indulgence/! fond of com#any or solitude! only the one%hose mind rejoices in Brahman is ha##y! revels! e&ults.

Inter#retation

#aving eplained the way to happiness through renunciation in theprevious verse, this verse of the Bhaja Govindam speaks about the glorious

state of Self3@eali1ation! *t clari"es that the state of -nlightenment does notdepend on oneKs lifestyle or mode of living! 9hat determines your spiritualstatus is the state of mind! 9hether you are engaged in spiritual practices oryou are indulging in the world is irrelevant! 9hat matters is where is yourmindF *f you have physically removed yourself to an ashram or place ofpilgrimage but the mind is still in worldly enjoyments you are still a sensualperson! :n the other hand, you could be in the world but the mind "rmlyanchored to the higher aspects of life! +his makes you a spiritual person!

yogarato vaabhogaratovaasaLgarato vaa sagaviihina# !yasya brahmai ramate chitta.nandati nandati nandatyeva !! =&M>


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A person of @eali1ation may revel inyoga , spiritual practices, or bhoga ,the material world! Such people may be in solitude or in the midst of acrowd! +hey are in constant ecstasy because they revel in the thoughtof Brahman or God within! +he word nandati is mentioned thrice because weseek happiness through the avenues of the body, mind and intellect! A

@eali1ed soul 1eroes in onAtman in and through the transactions of thebody, mind and intellect!

9e learn two things from this verse%

&! +o evolve spiritually all you have to do is shift your thought toAtman! *tdoes not matter what you do!

(! :nce you reach the state of @eali1ation you can do anything! *t will nottake away from the ealted state you have gained access to!

+he diEerence between the Self3@eali1ed person and us is the etent of

dependence on the world! 9hile almost every one of our joys is dependenton the world, the Self3@ealised person lives independent of the world! +his iswhy he can be at peace in any situation! Be it a serene hill3station or abustling mall, Self3@eali1ed people remain unaEected by their environment!

+he 'panishads speak of a village in which the river is in 4ood and a manmanages to climb onto a tree to escape the 4ood! 9hile sitting on a branchof the tree nervously, he notices a bird on the neighbouring branch singingand chirping away cheerfully! #e understands that it is his dependence onthe branch that takes away his joy! #is fate depends entirely on that weakand brittle branch! +he bird, on the other hand, may be sitting on the branch

but is totally independent of it! *f the branch gives way it takes to its wings!

So is it with us! Dour joy is always dependent on your own little branches!Dour happiness depends on that net appraisal, the car youKve alwaysdreamed of owning, or a relationship! +he world we depend on for ourhappiness is as fragile as that branch in the story! *t changes constantly!+herefore, basing our happiness on something as temporary and 4eeting asthe world makes the happiness itself tenuous! *nstead, we need to base ourhappiness on that which is permanent, dependable and enduring, the Self orAtman within! +his is why the verse ends with the words nadati eva whichmean only =eva> a person who seeks and identi"es with the Self enjoys

=nandati>! ot the rest who chase the ever3changing material world!


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Translation

One %ho has studied the Bhagavad Gita just a little! drun( even adro# of Ganga %ater! has %orshi##ed 6urari 'rishna/ just once!

does not meet %ith 7ama lord of death/.

Inter#retation

9hile the previous verse glori"es the state of @eali1ation, this verse spellsout how one can get there! *t outlines the three practices 3 intellectual,devotional and physical 3 for a spiritual seeker!

+he "rst practice mentioned in the verse is the study of the Gita! +hisrefers to the path knowledge known asjnana yoga! +he seeker does not justread and recite verses of the Gita but truly understands its message, thediEerence between the transient and the transcendental! -ventually, the

seeker makes an eEort to live up to the principles enunciated in the Gita!Shankara says study the Gita /just a littleK because the process of gainingwisdom is threefold ? shravana or readingJlistening, manana or re4ection onthe truths learnt, and nidhidhyasana or meditation! +he re4ection has to bemuch greater than the intake of knowledge! :nly then can you live it! *f youknow it, you can tell others about it but it makes no diEerence to your life!+he knowledge by itself is useless!

+he process of making yoghurt from milk brings this point across! +o makeyoghurt, take some milk, heat it to a lukewarm temperature! +hen add ateaspoon of yoghurt to it! Stir and set aside for a few hours! +he 4uid milk

sets and becomes solid yoghurt! Similarly introduce just a little knowledge ofthe Bhagavad Gita or edanta in your mind! +he mind must be madelukewarm by the ordinary eperiences of life! *f the mind is too cold, has nothad any eperiences at all, you get lured by the temptations of the world! *fyou are too etrovert the knowledge will not seep in! 5ust the right degree ofcontact is what you need! +hen take in a little knowledge, re4ect over it, mullover it, contemplate on it! Gradually the mind, which is restless andunsteady, becomes mature, "rm and calm!


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+he second practice, symboli1ed by drinking just a drop of Ganga water,points to the path of devotion, bhakti yoga ! +his is where the seekerbecomes aware of the )ivinity around and develops a sense of gratitudetowards that benevolent ;orce!

+he Ganga is considered to be the source of all spiritual knowledge andhence is the greatest puri"er! -ven factually Ganga water alone does notputrefy when stored for a long period of time! )evotees believe that threedips in the river Ganga washes oE all their sins!

+here is a mythological story about the origin of Ganga! +he Ganga wasoriginally 4owing in the heavens! +he sage Bhagiratha did tapas =penance>and prayed that she bless humanity with her waters by coming down toearth! Ganga agreed but said the force of her 4ow would be so great that shewould bore a hole through the earth! She said that only a great tapasvi" ascetic> would be able to take the onslaught of the river! She suggested here2uest 8ord Shiva to receive the Ganga and release it in small doses forhumankind! Bhagiratha agreed and did more tapas to appeal to Shiva! Shivareceived the Ganga and vanished because Bhagirath had forgotten to askhim to release the water! #e now had to do more tapas and "nally Shivareleased the sacred water of the Ganga to us! +his is why Ganga is alsoknown as Bhagirathi!

+he story has a deep signi"cance! Ganga represents spiritual wisdom thatcan be absorbed only through hard work and tapas! #apas is de"ned as theconservation of energy by preventing it from going into wasteful avenues ofindulgence and dissipation and redirecting it to the higher goal! :ne who hasthus gained the wisdom must give it out in small doses in a manner that the

common person can easily understand and apply in life! *f not, it goes rightthrough and you remain eactly the same person!

+he third practice, referred to in the verse is karma yoga ! +his issymbolised by the worship of 8ord .urari =rishna>, where .urari literallymeans destroyer of .ura =ego>! And the way to destroy the ego is by actingin a spirit ofyajna =sacri"ce> without craving for the fruit of action!

+he emphasis is on /littleK! -ven a little eEort gives immediate bene"t! +hefocus should be on internal transformation, not eternal rituals! +he changein direction is what matters which takes only a slight re3alignment of thought,

not ehaustive study, arduous rituals or great acts of service!

+his verse beautifully portrays the signi"cance of spirituality in our lives!;or those of us who are just looking for some peace in the stress and strainof life, this verse is telling us that all we need is a little bit of spirituality inour lives! @eading inspiring literature, developing an attitude of gratitude anda positive and healthy work ethic! ;or those of us seeking the Self, this verseis reminding us that we do not have to master all the scriptures and visit


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every place of pilgrimage to attain @ealisation! *nstead, it is recommendingthat we focus on getting to the depth of the teachings and more importantly,it is suggesting that we focus on integrating these teachings into our lives!

TranslationBirth! death and slee#ing in the mother8s %omb over and over again9 thissamsara %orld/ is unfathomable and di:cult to cross. O6urari 'rishna/! #rotect me by your grace.

Inter#retation

+his verse eplains what happens when you do not put in eEort to developspiritually through the ways mentioned in verse twenty! Dou get victimi1ed bythe world and are subject to the cycle of birth and death over and overagain! As your desires keep mounting and the possibility of ehausting them

get slimmer, you have no choice but to submit to constant rebirth whichcauses suEering and sorrow again and again! +he desires ensure a constantreturn to life!

-ven in the present life there is no respite! Dou are tossed around by thechanges in the environment, with no capacity to weather the storm! +hisstate is likened to a cone on its ape which falls over unless supported at alltimes! Similarly if you do not gain the maturity lent by the spiritual path youtend to be unstable and always need to be cradled by people and objectsaround! 9ith a little spiritual knowledge you become like a cone on its side!By itself the cone is steady! But a little nudge sends it oscillating for a long

time! +his state is much better than the cone on its ape! By yourself youmay be "ne but a slight disturbance, an unkind word or a minor setback canspark oE a long spell of mental agitation! By the time you settle downsomething else triggers another wave of agitation and conse2uently, youremain in a constant state of uneasiness! Spiritual people are those who areunaEected by the world! +hey are like cones on their base! -ven if you tip acone over it returns to base! Similarly the ups and downs of the world haveno impact on them! +hey enjoy an uninterrupted state of Bliss! 8ike actors on


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stage, they approach their roles in life with a sense of objectivity! +hey feeldeeply and intensely but maintain their poise because they understand theirtrue identity and the play of matter that is the world!

At the end of the verse, the seeker appeals to .urari, 8ord rishna, to savethe him! #e does his best but knows that the journey is arduous! +here aretwo interpretations to this line! +he devotional angle is one of humility 3 KDouknow best! * am in ignorance! 0lease take me across this samsara =world ofchange>!K +he intellectual understands the law of karma and looks uponrishna as that 0ower that has set the law in place! -ither way there is an actof surrender after having done your best! +his helps overcome the anietyfor the fruit!

Translation

+earing a #atched garment made of rags from the streets! the yogitreading the #ath free from #unya virtue/ and a#unya vice/! %ithmind focused on yoga union/! rejoices li(e a child! li(e one insane.

Inter#retation

+his verse describes what happens when you follow the spiritual practicesrecommended in verse twenty to attain the state of @ealisation! *t describesthe state in terms of the physical, emotional and intellectual planes thusmaking it easier for the common person to understand!

*t says that those who follow the prescription of karma, bhakti and jnanayoga become sages! +he description, if taken literally, is most unappealing!obody would want to live thus! *t is the misinterpretation of verses such asthese that have resulted in the rejection of our invaluable spiritualknowledge! 9e need to understand that the verse is trying to communicatesomething that is beyond the intellect! #ence it is dicult to put in words! *tuses cryptic language and words that make you think to capture the spirit


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beyond the words! Below is an interpretation of the diEerent phrases fromthe verse!

&! /9earing a patched garment made of rags from the streetsK% A godadi orpatchwork shawl is made of bits of cloth left over from making othergarments! +his depicts one who lives on the principle of maimum giving,minimum taking! #e does not want to arrogate, gather from the world for hispersonal bene"t! #is focus is on sacri"cing, contributing, adding value tosociety, the nation, the world! +he result of sacri"ce is enormous bene"t tooneself and the larger community! -ven the prosperity which comes to himunsought, unepected, is redeployed for service of humanity! :nly when youwork in a spirit of service and sacri"ce can you be happy! And mostimportantly, such sacri"ce leads to self3puri"cation! )esires drop and yougrow spiritually! *n the *savasya 'panishad, the student on the verge of@ealisation says, H8et the elements go back to where they belongI! -ven theelements that make his physical body during his life now go back to their

source as he prepares for his take oE into the fourth plane of Consciousness! (! /+reading the path free from punya and apunya, virtue and viceK% *f youractions are driven by sel"sh and negative desires, you accumulate negativevasanas =unmanifest desires, inclinations, tendencies>! +he actionboomerangs on you as a fresh coat of sel"sh desire! 9hen good impulsesand desires prompt your actions you ac2uire good vasanas! #owever, togrow spiritually, you need to reduce and eliminate desires! +his is achievedby acting on the sane counsel of the intellect, performing obligatory actions,whether you like it or not! Such actions divest you of vasanas! #ence theclarion call to perform niyatam karma, duties, not claim rights! *t is thisinvaluable aspect of *ndian culture that has maintained the longest,unbroken civilisation for centuries! Any individual, society or nation that isfounded on obligatory actions in favour of desire3driven ones is happy,harmonious, and peaceful! +he moment you stray into the avenue ofunbridled desires there is strife, stress and con4ict! +he more you act onuncontrolled desires, the greater is the tendency to break ethical and moralconstraints and perform nishiddha karma, actions not supported by yourconscience!

$! /.ind focussed on yoga =union>K% :ne who never loses sight of the goal!As the Bible says% HAs the hart panteth after the water brook, So panteth mysoul after thee : God!I 9e should seek God with the same intensity as the

thirsty deer looks for water! 9e are born in the world only to reach@ealisation! 9e are born mortal only to gain immortality! 9e are born "nitenot to die as "nite individuals but to grow into the *n"nite! #owever, theworld is so enchanting and alluring that we get lost in trivial entertainmentand forget the purpose of our very eistence! A spiritual person is one whoenjoys the world and all that it has to oEer like anyone else but alongsidemakes a determined eEort to progress toward -nlightenment! +his is the only


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intelligent person! +he rest are foolish, giving up permanent, in"nite Bliss fortemporary, 4eeting rushes of pleasure!

6! /@ejoices, like a child, like one insaneK% A child always lives in the presentmoment! #ence is not subject to worry over the past or aniety for the futurelike the rest of us! *t is this meandering into the dead past and unborn futurethat robs you of both success and happiness! A madman is one who liveswith us, interacts with us and appears like any of us but is always in a worldof his own! 9e have no entry to his world! Similarly a realised Soul is onewho eats, drinks, and enjoys emotional relationships and intellectualcommunication like any normal human being! But lives in a plane alien to us,to which we have no access!

*n other edantic tets a third term is used to depict a realised 0erson ?pishachavat or /like a ghostK! A ghost is a loner, lives alone always! Andeveryone is afraid of a ghost! Similarly a realised :ne is 2uite happy to bealone! #e is not dependent on company! #e does not seek or lean on peoplefor happiness! #e may also be feared by people around because anythingunknown is feared! @ealisation is an unknown arena and is thus feared by thecommon person!

Translation

+ho are you- +ho am I- ;rom %here have I come- +ho is mymother- +ho is my father-


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and svapnavichaaram , born of dreams, this verse prods us to take a freshlook at our lives!

+he law of life is, HAs you think, so shall you beI! 9e have unconsciouslybeen thinking continuously of the body, mind and intellect and have becomephysical3emotional3intellectual beings totally at the mercy of the world! 9ehave never allowed ourselves to so much as even suspect the presence of afourth entity ? the Spirit! *t is only the Spirit that is immune to the in4uenceof the world and only those who think incessantly ofAtman become *t!+hereafter they become one with that supreme 0ower, completely free andindependent of the world!

+he starting point is to en2uire ? who am *F 9ho are youF 9here have wecome fromF 9here am * headingF 9hat is my role in lifeF As you 2uestion,you "nd that the world is not what it appears to be! +his apparently solid,substantial world has no real inherent value! Dou have imposed an imaginary,in4ated value on it! Stripped of the hype the world has no essence!Asaaram!

+he scriptures tell us the waking world that seems so real now is as real asthe dream which we now understand to be a mere projection and dismiss!Any state appears real as long as you are in it! +he moment you move toanother plane it appears a meaningless projection! So is it with the wakingstate! +hough it seems real, it is no diEerent from the dream ? a mereprojection of the mind! *n fact, we reject the reality of the waking state inevery dream we eperience! Suppose you eat a full meal and go to sleep!Dou dream you are a beggar who has not eaten for days! *f you were told thatyou have eaten dinner half an hour ago, you would ridicule the statementbecause you have been starving for days in the dream< +he 2uestion now

arises ? is the dream real or the wakingF *n other words, are you the wakerwho is imagining the dream world or are you the dreamer projecting theillusory waking stateF

+he renowned ing 5anaka once dreamt that he was a beggar suEeringfrom hunger and poverty! #e woke up confused! #e called a meeting of hiscouncil of ministers and asked them that famous 2uestion, HAm * the ingwho just dreamt that he was a beggar or am * the dreamer now imaginingmyself as the ingFI one of the ministers had even conceived such a2uestion! #e instructed them to come up with the answer in a weekKs time!At the appointed time, the great sage Ashtavakra appeared in 5anakaKs court

and gave the answer and said, HDou are neither the ing nor the beggar! Douare the Self,Atman! I ing 5anaka was now inspired and made eEorts tounderstandAtman and relentlessly pursued his ideal!

+he scriptures say that you are neither the waker or the dreamer or thedeep sleeper! Dou are the immaculate Self that is at the core of your being!+he reality is the fourth plane of Consciousness, the state of -nlightenment!-ven in your own eperience, things that are really important to you lose


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their sheen when you shift them in time and space! A traumatic eperiencelike failure in an eam appears trivial after a few years and you laugh it away!+he most pleasurable happening like your (&st birthday is all but forgottenwith the passage of time! Apply the same techni2ue to your presentinfatuations and you will become objective! +he eaggerated value to things

and beings will drop! Dou will then see things as they are not what you wantthem to be!

Translation

There is only one =ishnu in you! me and every%here else. 7ou getannoyed and im#atient %ith me in vain. Become e*uations in allsituations if you %ant to reach the state of =ishnu.

Inter#retation

)emonstrating his magnanimity of thought, the master emphasises theeistence of one +ruth! +his is what the edas have said time andagain! $kam Sat, vipra bahudha vadanti ! +ruth is one, sages call *t by manynames! +he goal of any spiritual path must be the pursuit of the ultimate+ruth! ;ailing this condition, the path ceases to be spiritual! )espite Shankaraand his disciples being followers of 8ord Shiva, Shaivites, this verse glori"es

8ord ishnu as a symbol ofAtman ! +his was a conscious attempt to makethe people of the times to understand that both Shiva and ishnu are thesameAtman ! Det there were bitter clashes between the two sects who fail tounderstand the underlying @eality and went by super"cial demarcations! +hismessage is as important today as it was then! 9ith wars being fought in thename of religion, this message of /oneness of +ruthK must be taken to everyciti1en of our planet! +he goal of every religion is the same! #owever, themethods of getting to the +ruth may diEer and all should be respected!


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#e goes on to say that there is only one @eality in us all! Dou have to lookwithin to "nd *t! *f you want to look at your re4ection in a lake, its surfacemust be calm! #owever, if the water is disturbed, you see a distorted imageof yourself! Similarly, you are able to see the )ivinity within only when youhave puri"ed and calmed the mind! But through an agitated mind, you see

only a distorted and limited representation of that )ivinity that you are!

*n the image above, the incident ray isAtman, never disturbed, eversteady! +he re4ected ray is your personality that gets distorted! +here4ecting surface is your mind! 9hen you calm the mind, you begin to seethe one )ivinity everywhere! +hen you remain in a state of ehilarationirrespective of the situation! +he problem is not with the world but with youridenti"cation with it! *f you identify with matter components and getentangled with the world, you remain in a state of uneasiness! *t is only whenyou focus on the Self and nothing will disturb you!

As Shakespeare said, HAll the worldKs a stage, And all men and womenmere players! +hey have their eits and their entrancesI! Consider yourselfan actor with a role to play in the drama of life! 0lay your part to the best ofyour ability and eit gracefully when the time comes!

8ater, he appeals to us not to get annoyed with him because he is onlytelling the truth! +he truth is always unpleasant to face but he re2uests us tostay calm! *t is only when we are able to s2uare up to the truth that we canmake any progress on the spiritual path!

+he "rst step to calmness of mind is to get the intellect to take charge ofyour personality! *t is the mind that plays games with you! *t feels joy and

sorrow and is tossed around by the world! +he intellect prevents theaEectation! +he grandeur of a human being is the ability to feel deepemotions but never get swayed by them! :ur problem is that we are eitherdry of emotions or get completely aEected by them! 9e never eperiencethe state where we feel the intensity of emotions without getting toppled bythem! A realised Soul is one who feels subtle, deep emotions without beingaEected by them!

+hus it is only when you have controlled and puri"ed the mind of desiresthat you eperience lasting peace! 9hen the mind becomes calm, itbecomes meditative! And it is in the silence of meditation that you reach the

state of ishnu, the Self, the state of God3hood!


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Translation

Do not try to either ma(e %ar or #eace %ith enemy! friend! son!

relative. See the Self in everything! every%here. 4et go of ignorance%hich causes distinctions.

Inter#retation

+his verse speaks of the four diEerent types of relationships we have ? son,relative, friend and enemy! 9e are either attached to, or in league with, orinimical towards them! And this e2uation is not a constant! *t shifts accordingto whether they cater to us! 9hen they indulge and pamper us, we arefriendly towards them! 9hen they do not pander to our likes and dislikes, weare at war with them! #ere the master urges us to rise above these pettyconsiderations and see the Self in all things and beings!

All bheda, diEerences, spring from ajnanam, ignorance! And we see onenessthe moment we ac2uire and absorb true spiritual knowledge!

*t all depends on what we identify with! 9hen we associate with our bodies,we see ourselves as diEerent from everybody else! Such a view puts us upagainst the whole world! 9e see maimum disparity! 9hen we connect withthe mind, we are able to see oneness at least among those we love! -achperson we love has a distinct personality diEerent from the others but in ourperception they are all /familyK! +hey are one! 9hen we identify with theintellect, our area of e2uality epands still further! A musician sees a bondamong the fraternity of musicians! Similarly for sportspersons, scientists,

artists, authors! *f we identify with humanity, we are able to accommodate allhumans! #umanity becomes our family! +hen it no longer matters whetherthey are educated or illiterate, rich or poor, re"ned or uncultured! +hey areall ours! +he "nal ascent is to identify with the Self,Atman!*t is only t henthat all diEerences and demarcations vanish! 9e see everything as amanifestation of that single, indivisibleAtman!


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9herever there is bheda , diEerences, there is hatred and sorrow! +he*savasya 'panishad highlights this in mantras si and seven! .antra si says/for one who sees his Self in all beings and all beings in the Self there isno vijugupsa, hatred!K .antra seven says /where is the delusion, where is thesorrow, for the seer of oneness in all beings % K +he suggestion is that all

diEerences and demarcations cause hatred! #atred causes sorrow! All thissprings from the delusion that we are the body, mind and intellect! +hisdelusion comes because of ignorance of the Self! 9e do not know our @ealpersonality,Atman!

9e get carried away by surface diEerences and miss the truth! +he formand shape of gold jewellery sway a layperson! But a goldsmith sees onlygold! *t does not matter whether it is a bangle, necklace or ring! #e is onlyconcerned with the purity of the gold! Similarly one who is in contactwithAtman, who has reali1ed the Self, views the whole universe as nothingbut a manifestation ofAtman! All demarcations and diEerences vanish in this

enlightened vision of things! Swami @ama +irtha says the truth is that thereis only one @eality ?Atman! *f we see diEerences it is because of ourignorance and delusion! And this delusion causes hatred, anguish, sorrowand heartburn! So the sooner we rise above diEerences the happier, moresuccessful we will become! .ore importantly we evolve spiritually! )esiresdrop!

Translation

"enouncing desire! anger! greed and delusion one sees the Self as>1e am I?. ;ools %ithout Self0(no%ledge are tortured in hell.

Inter#retation

+he last verse said that ignorance is the cause of all diEerences! *gnoranceleads to desire! #ere, this verse asks us to relin2uish desire and itsmodi"cations!


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)esire comes out of a need to "ll the emptiness we feel within ourselves!All of us feel a sense of incompleteness giving rise to thoughts that rush outto the world! +he desires rush out to gain objects and beings in the beliefthat they will "ll the void! *f we look back at our lives, we "nd we haveful"lled many desires and ac2uired many things of the world! Det the

emptiness remains! *t does not even reduce< +his is a clue that there issomething fundamentally wrong with our pursuit! edanta says the truth isthat we are always ful"lled! Paripurna, ever full! ever are we deprived! Det,for some ineplicable reason we do not know our fullness! +his ignorance ofour fullness leads to an imaginary void that is the cause of all desires!

9hen desire is interrupted it causes anger! )esire is a stream of thoughts4owing from us to an object or being! *f an etraneous element stands in theway of this thought34ow the thoughts get de4ected towards the obstructionas anger! So anger cannot arise without an underlying desire! *t is only whenwe deal with the desire that anger will automatically vanish! ot

understanding this people all over the world try to overcome anger withouttackling desire!

:n the other hand, if desire is ful"lled it creates greed! 9hen it is fed stillmore it leads to delusion! A person obsessed with the desire for moneyac2uires it! #e gets greedy! *f even the greed is ful"lled he gets deluded! #ethinks his wealth makes him invincible! #e allows the wealth to get to him!

All these cause a great deal of mental turbulence and suEering! +his is whythe master says fools without knowledge of Self are tortured as captives inhell! 9e are held captive by our own desires and we lose the capacity to riseabove them!

9hat we need is not objects of desire but knowledge of our fullness! :ncewe understand we areparipurna , we will no longer generate thoughts thatrush out into the world to ac2uire things of the world!

+he "rst line of defense is to scan desires through the intellect! :nce theintellect guides, streamlines and directs the desire, the desire loses itsvirulence and becomes benign! +he net stage is to substitute lower desireswith a higher one! #aving "ed a higher ideal, we need to perform actionsnot because we like them but to ful"ll our duty! Similarly, we will not avoidthings just because we dislike them! +hus we rise above our likes and dislikes

to lead a life guided by our intellects! edic culture emphasi1es a life basedon duties, not desires! 9e must always perform niyatam karma, ourobligatory duties and steer clear of kamya karma, desire3driven actionswhich are detrimental to us while abstaining from nishiddhakarma, prohibited actions, actions not permitted by our conscience!

*t is when desires mount to a level where they cannot be ful"lled by ethicalmeans that we cross over to nishiddha karma!+his spells disaster for our


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material as well as spiritual well3being! +hus the message is to consistentlyutili1e and develop oneKs intellect!

Translation

Bhagavad Gita and Sahasranama should be recited! the form of=ishnu 4ord of 4a(shmi/ al%ays meditated on! the mind directed tothe com#any of the good #eo#le! and %ealth given to the #oor.

Inter#retation

+his verse deals with bahiranga sadhana , eternal spiritualdisciplines! Bahiranga sadhana comprises four main disciplines!

&! *ntellectual% /Bhagavad Gita and Sahasranama should be recitedK! +hismust not be taken literally! *t means that edantic principles should be

studied and re4ected upon till the principles are imbibed and lived! *t is there4ection or manana that is important, denoted by sahasranama whichmeans repeating the 8ordKs name a thousand times! *t is only when you goover an idea repeatedly that it sinks in and you derive its bene"t! .ereknowledge of the principles does not help! Dou have to apply them in yourlife!

(! -motional% /+he form of ishnu always meditated onK! +his is thedevotional aspect of spiritual practice! )evelop gratitude! Be aware of all thathas been bestowed on you, unasked for and unacknowledged! +his changesyour focus from deprivation and de"ciency to that of abundance and

suciency! *t lends you a sense of peace and as a result, you developpositive emotions towards all beings!

$! 0hysical% /+he mind directed to the company of good peopleK! +he mindis vulnerable to eternal in4uences especially in the initial stages of yourspiritual pursuit! A conducive environment is etremely important! +hismeans eposing yourself to positive thoughts from positive people! *t issimilar to people with low physical immunity! Such people are always


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susceptible to disease until they build up their immune system! Similarly, it isonly when you build /spiritual immunityK that you are able to deal with anyenvironment!

6! .aterial% /9ealth given to poorK! +his discipline helps you maintain acharitable disposition! At the material level, it encourages you to share thebene"ts you have reaped with others! *n a broader sense, it develops anattitude of giving at every level be it material, physical, emotional orintellectual! ;or it is only through an attitude of service that we gainhappiness!

Translation

One delights in carnal #leasure. 4ater the body gets diseased. @venthough death is inevitable in the %orld one does not give u# sinfulbehavior.

Inter#retation

+he last four verses of this tet are ShankaracharyaKs blessing to hisdisciples! #e summarises the main theme of the tet! +his verse dealswith kamini , enjoyment, while verse (M speaks of kanchana , wealth!

8ife seems misleading! +hat which gives instant grati"cation leads tosorrow in the end and that which is painful in the beginning unfolds as realhappiness! *gnorant of this you opt for instant pleasures, signing up for long3term sorrow! Bhoga , indulgence, leads toroga , disease and agitation! *t is

due to ignorance of conse2uences that you choose sense indulgence! Senseindulgence and an unhealthy lifestyle burden the body resulting in prematureageing and eventual breakdown! And worse still, the indulgence ceases togive any pleasure!

+hus Shankara is not sounding a pessimistic note but is only giving us awake up call! #e is pointing out our unintelligent persistence in pursuing theworld!


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*f we eamine closely, what we are looking for is permanent and lastinghappiness! +his cannot be found in the world! +rue happiness can only befound by turning inward and searching for it within through your spiritualpursuit! Des, you must enjoy the world and all it has to oEer! But with theunderstanding that the joys born of the world are 4eeting!

+hrough this verse, Shankara appeals to us to take that "rst step inward!Commit yourself to a life of spirituality, self3improvement and ecellencetoday! )onKt wait till you earn your "rst billion! )onKt wait till you get thatdream job! Begin now! Because the Soul is calling! 9here are youF


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Translation

+ealth is disastrous. $l%ays reect on this. The truth is that thereis not even the slightest ha##iness in it. The %ealthy fear even theiro%n son. This is ho% it is ordained every%here.

*nter#retation

*n this verse, Shankara warns you of the folly of material pursuits! 9hen hesays /9ealth is disastrousK, he does not mean there is a problem withpossessing and enjoying wealth! *t is the unbridled desire for wealth andattachment to it that is /disastrousK!

An eaggerated value for wealth comes with a great deal of suEering! *tcreates a sense of envy towards those who have more than you and

arrogance towards those who have less! 9ealth becomes a curse! *f youunderstand the place of wealth and know eactly what role it plays in life it isa great blessing! +his is why wealth, personi"ed by Goddess 8akshmi, isworshipped! But only when wedded to 8ord ishnu! *n other words, wealth isa blessing only to those who have cultivated higher values! -ternal richeswithout inner forti"cation lead to untold sorrow! +he wealth which was meantto lend comfort becomes the very source of agony and misery!

Shankara implores you to re4ect on the nature of wealth and, in a broadersense, the material world! .aterial objects can only help you procure othermaterial objects! +hey cannot give you the higher, subtler and lasting

happiness you seek! +his is why Shankara says that there isnKt the slightesthappiness in wealth! And this is veri"ed by Swami @amatirtha who said /*ronand gold are good for buying iron and gold7 that is all!K

Besides, wealth comes only to go! +here are times when it will shower onyou and times when it will evade you! But that is its nature! *f youKredesperately seeking it or are attached to it, youKre bound to be aEected by


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the 4uctuations in your fortunes! +he key is to remain mentally detachedfrom wealth while possessing it and even enjoying it!

;urther in the verse, Shankara says the wealthy fear even their children!9hen the desire for wealth is not guided and controlled by higher values, thegreed becomes insatiable! 9ith desire and greed comes attachment! +heattachment in turn creates a fear of losing what you have! So great is theattachment to wealth that the wealthy fear their own children! #e is puttingit in a poetic way but Shankara is only drawing attention to this loathsomeattachment to material objects!

+his is the nature of wealth and the material world! ;lippant and temporary!*t is with this knowledge that you must relate to wealth! -stablish a healthyrespect for it! 0ossess it! -njoy it! But let it not become the be3all and end3allof your life! +he happiness you want lies within!

Translation

Breath control! sense control! reection on the distinction bet%eenthe eternal and e#hemeral! #ractice of ja#a leading to samadhisilence/ 9 #ractise these %ith devotion! very carefully.

Inter#retation

#aving listed the eternal spiritual disciplines, bahiranga sadhana , in verse(N, Shankara now prescribes the internal spiritual disciplines, antarangasadhana !

*t comprises "ve practices%

OPranayama % 8iterally translated,pranayama means breath control! *n thelarger sense, however, it means control over lifeKs activities! -verytransaction with the world needs to be carefully regulated in order to avoiddissipation of oneKs energies into unproductive channels! +his regulation is


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performed by the intellect to bring about a greater awareness of yourthoughts, feelings and actions!

OPratyahara % :nce youKve develop this greater self3awareness, you learnto stay away from activities that take you away from the spiritual path, self3control in other words!Pratyahara helps you to mentally withdraw from theworld and turn introvert!

O&itya Anitya iveka icharam % 9hen the mind withdraws frometroverted pursuits, the intellect becomes free to focus on the distinctionbetween the eternal and the ephemeral! 9ithout this withdrawal, you remaincaught up in trivial pursuits with little time and energy to pursue moremeaningful endeavours! 9ith the mind withdrawn, the intellect is engaged inthe all3important eercise of sifting the real from the unreal, the truth fromun3truth, the enduring from the temporary! *n life you confer permanence onthe world when in fact everything in the world passes! 9hen it goes, as itmust, you are shattered! +his is why you need to be "rmly rooted in thepermanent aspect of life, your real Self!

O'apa % .editation! 9hen you practice the above eercises, the mind getsmeditative by nature as it has no attraction for the world! *t is free of desirethat pushes it to various avenues of ful"lment! *t seeks ful"lment within!Such a fully prepared mind is given a point of concentration, a mantra torepeat! 9hile the mind repeats the thought, the intellect is acutely awareand in command, not allowing the mind to slip to any other thought! +husyou are totally focussed on one thought! At this stage you stop the chant!+he thought 4ow is broken! +he mind which is a 4ow of thoughts gets etinct!+he intellect which has been discriminating between thought and silence

now dissolves in silence!

OSamadhi!+his is the "nal silencing of the mind, the goal of all spiritualpractices! And it is in this silence that your real Self lies!

At the end of the verse, Shankara cautions you to proceed on the spiritualpath with care and patience! Spiritual growth is a slow process and re2uiresconsistent application! Be patient with yourself, make gradual changes andthe results are bound to follow!


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Translation

Devoted to the lotus feet of the guru may you soon get liberatedfrom the %orld. By control of the senses and mind you %ill see the

su#reme S#irit seated in your heart.

Inter#retation

*n this, the "nal verse of the Bhaja Govindam, Shankara blesses us bysaying /may you soon get liberated from the world!K +he usage of theword achiraat , meaning /soonK, indicates that the liberation that we seekfrom this seemingly unending cycle of birth and death is attainable here andnow! *t is not an impossible task as most think it to be! +hrough his blessing,Shankara provides us with the motivation to carry on with spiritual practice!

:ne of the important points that Shankara touches upon in this verse isdevotion to the guru! *n order to progress on the spiritual path, we must haverespect for the teacher! ;or it is from that respect that we are able to learn! *fwe constantly doubt the bona "des of the guru, then there will be little timeto pursue spiritual knowledge! +his is why choosing a guru is important! 9eneed to choose someone whose approach to spirituality appeals to us! Someteachers have an emotional approach while others have a more intellectualone! +his does not mean one is right and the other is wrong! +hey may beboth right as there are many paths to the same +ruth! 9ho we choose tofollow depends on our mental build!

#aving chosen a guru, it is important to work towards mastering the

senses and the mind with the help of the intellect! +he spiritual disciplines ofkarma yoga, bhakti yoga and jnana yoga help strengthen the intellect! :ncewe achieve this mastery over the mind through the three yogas, we gainaccess to the )ivinity that is the core of our being!

By saying the supreme Spirit is /seated in your heartK, Shankara sends outa strong message that God is not someone sitting up in the clouds doling out


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blessings and curses but the 8ife3principle within each one of us! And theway to begin is by turning inward!

Moha Mudgar Stotram

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Transcript of Moha Mudgar Stotram