View source for Bhaja Govindam

{{short description|Sanskrit stotra composed by Adi Shankara}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}

[[File:Raja Ravi Varma - Sankaracharya.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Adi Shankara]] with his disciples, painting by Raja Ravi Varma]]

"'''Bhaja Govindam'''" ({{langx|sa|भज गोविन्दं|lit=praise/seek [[Govinda]]}}), also known as "'''Moha Mudgara'''" ({{lit|destroyer of [[Maya (religion)|illusion]]}}), is a popular [[Hinduism|Hindu]] devotional poem in Sanskrit [[Works of Adi Shankara|composed by Adi Shankara]]. It underscores the view that ''[[bhakti]]'' (devotion) is also important along with ''[[jñāna]]'' (knowledge), as emphasised by the [[bhakti movement]].<ref>''Bhaja Govindam'', by Sankarācārya, [[Chinmayananda]], Translated by Brahmacharini Sharada. Published by Chinmaya Publications Trust, 1967. ''Page5-7''.</ref>

==Legend ==
There is a legend related to the composition of this hymn. It is said that Adi Shankaracharya, accompanied by his disciples, was walking along a street in [[Varanasi]] one day, when he came across an old aged scholar reciting the rules of Sanskrit grammar of [[Pāṇini|Panini]] repeatedly on the street. Taking pity on him, Adi Shankara went up to the scholar and advised him not to waste his time on grammar at his age, but to turn his mind to God in worship and adoration, which would only save him from this vicious cycle of life and death. The hymn "Bhaja Govindam" is said to have been composed on this occasion.<ref>''The Hymns of Sankaracharya'', by Śankaracarya, Telliyavaram Mahadevan Ponnambalam Mahadevan, Totakācārya, Sureśvarācārya. Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2002. {{ISBN|81-208-0097-4}}. ''Page 33''.</ref>

==Significance==
{{Hindu scriptures}}

This composition is a reminder that Adi Shankara, who is often regarded as reviver of the ''[[Jnana yoga|jnana marga]]'', or "path of knowledge", to attain ''[[moksha]]'', was also a proponent of the ''[[Bhakti yoga|bhakti marga]]'' (path of devotion) to attain the same goal.<ref>[http://www.sivananda.org/publications/yogalife/fall2003/pdfs/page18-bhaja-govindam.pdf Bhaja Govindam] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206022022/http://sivananda.org/publications/yogalife/fall2003/pdfs/page18-bhaja-govindam.pdf |date=6 February 2009 }} Ancient Wisdom, Yogalife, Fall 2003 Issue. [[Sivananda]].</ref> As [[C. Rajagopalachari]] put in his commentary, "When intelligence (jnana) matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom (vignyana). When that wisdom (vignyana) is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes devotion (bhakti).  Knowledge (jnana) which has become mature is spoken of as devotion (bhakti).  If it does not get transformed into devotion (bhakti), such knowledge (jnana) is useless tinsel."<ref>[http://www.hindunet.org/bhajgovindam/index.htm Commentary on Bhaja Govindam] by [[C. Srinivas Kuchibhotla]].</ref>

In this prayer, Adi Shankara emphasizes the importance of devotion for God as a means to spiritual development and to liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The prayer leaves one in no doubt that the renunciation of our egotistical differences and surrender to God makes for salvation. Many scholars hold that this composition encapsulates with both brevity and simplicity the substance of all [[Vedanta|Vedantic]] thought found in whatever other works that Adi Shankara wrote: 

"The refrain ''"Bhaja Govindam"'', which defines the composition and gives it its name, invokes the almighty in the aspect of [[Krishna]]; it is therefore very popular not only with Sri Adi Shankaracharya's immediate followers, the [[Smartha]]s, but also with [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavas]] and others."

==Meter / [[Chandas]]==
The metre is moraic (मात्राछन्दस्). Apart from the first verse, all other verses have 16 [[Matra (music)|matras]], which tend to fit the description of the padakulakam variety of matrasamaka [मात्रासमक] in [[vrtta-ratnakara]].
==Text and meaning==

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;" 
|-
! verse
! [[Devanagari]]
! Transliteration
! English Translation
|-
|1
|<poem>
भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं
गोविन्दं भज मूढमते ।
सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले
नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृञ्करणे ‖ 1 ‖
</poem> 
|<poem>bhaja gōvindaṃ bhaja gōvindaṃ
gōvindaṃ bhaja mūḍhamatē ।
samprāptē sannihitē kālē
nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukṛñkaraṇē ॥ 
</poem>
|<poem> Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, 
Worship Govinda, oh deluded mind!
At the time of your death,
Rules of grammar will not save you.
</poem>
|-
|2
|<poem>
मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णां
कुरु सद्बुद्धिम् मनसि वितृष्णाम् |
यल्लभसे निज कर्मोपात्तं
वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम् ‖ 2 ‖
</poem>
|<poem>mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgamatṛṣṇāṃ
kuru sadbuddhiṃ manasi vitṛṣṇām ।
yallabhasē nijakarmōpāttaṃ
vittaṃ tēna vinōdaya chittam ॥
</poem>
|O fool! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind to dispassion and thoughts of the Real. Be content with what comes to you through actions performed by your own past work.
|-
|3
|
|nārīstanabhara-nābhīdēśaṃ
dṛṣṭvā mā gā mōhāvēśam ।
ētanmāṃsavasādivikāraṃ
manasi vichintaya vāraṃ vāram ॥
|Do not get drowned in delusion, infatuated with passion and lusty desires, by seeing a woman’s raised breasts and navel. These are nothing but a modification of flesh and fat, and the like. Do not fail to remember this again and again in your mind.
|-
|4
|
|nalinīdala-gatajalamatitaralaṃ
tadvajjīvitamatiśaya-chapalam ।
viddhi vyādhyabhimānagrastaṃ
lōkaṃ śōkahataṃ cha samastam ॥
|As water drops on a lotus leaf are unsteady and trembling, in the same way life in this world is exceedingly unsteady and restless. Know that the whole world is full of miseries, afflicted by unhappiness and grief.
|-
|5
|
|yāvadvittōpārjanasaktaḥ
tāvannijaparivārō raktaḥ ।
paśchājjīvati jarjaradēhē
vārtāṃ kō'pi na pṛchChati gēhē ॥
|So long as a man is fit and able to support his family by earning wealth, all those family members around him show affection. But no one at home cares for him, even have a word with him, when his body becomes invalid and totters due to old age.
|-
|6
|
|yāvatpavanō nivasati dēhē
tāvatpṛchChati kuśalaṃ gēhē ।
gatavati vāyau dēhāpāyē
bhāryā bibhyati tasminkāyē ॥
|When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare. But when the life-air stops and the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse
|-
|7
|
|bālastāvatkrīḍāsaktaḥ
taruṇastāvattaruṇīsaktaḥ ।
vṛddhastāvachchintāsaktaḥ
paramē brahmaṇi kō'pi na saktaḥ ॥
|Childhood is lost in attachment to games. The youth is lost in attachment to woman. Old age passes with worry and anxiety, thinking over many things. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost (attached) in para-braman, the Supreme Spirit.
|-
|8
|
|kā tē kāntā kastē putraḥ
saṃsārō'yamatīva vichitraḥ ।
kasya tvaṃ kaḥ kuta āyātaḥ
tattvaṃ chintaya tadiha bhrātaḥ ॥
|Who is your wife? Who is your son? Supremely wonderful is saṁsāra, the circle of birth and death. Of whom are you? From where have you come? Brother, ponder over these concepts.
|-
|9
|
|satsaṅgatvē nissaṅgatvaṃ
nissaṅgatvē nirmōhatvam ।
nirmōhatvē niśchalatattvaṃ
niśchalatattvē jīvanmuktiḥ ॥
|Being in the company of good people (saints) gives rise to non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to steadfastness; steadfastness gives rise to emancipation leading to the liberation of the soul (jīvan-mukti), while still alive.
|-
|10
|
|vayasi gatē kaḥ kāmavikāraḥ
śuṣkē nīrē kaḥ kāsāraḥ ।
kṣīṇē vittē kaḥ parivāraḥ
jñātē tattvē kaḥ saṃsāraḥ ॥
|What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has no water? Where are the relatives when wealth is gone? What is saṁsāra (transmigratory process), when Truth is known.
|-
|11
|
|mā kuru dhana-jana-yauvana-garvaṃ
harati nimēṣātkālaḥ sarvam ।
māyāmayamidamakhilaṃ hitvā
brahmapadaṃ tvaṃ praviśa viditvā ॥
|Do not take pride in wealth, friends and youth. Each one of these is destroyed within an instant by Time. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of māyā and attain the realm of brahman, timeless truth.
|-
|12
|
|dinayāminyau sāyaṃ prātaḥ
śiśiravasantau punarāyātaḥ ।
kālaḥ krīḍati gachChatyāyuḥ
tadapi na muñchatyāśāvāyuḥ ॥
|Day and night, evening and morning, winter and summer come and go again and again. Eternal time plays and life ebbs away, yet one does not let go of the storm of desire.
|-
|13
|
|kā tē kāntā dhanagatachintā
vātula kiṃ tava nāsti niyantā ।
trijagati sajjanasaṅgatirēkā
bhavati bhavārṇavataraṇē naukā ॥
|O, mad man! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth and beloved? Is there no one to guide you? In these thee worlds, only the association with saintly people (satsaṅga) can serve as the boat that can steer cross the ocean of repeated birth and death. (Stanza attributed to Padmapāda.)
|-
|14
|
|dvādaśa-mañjarikābhiraśēṣaḥ
kathitō vaiyākaraṇasyaiṣaḥ ।
upadēśō'bhūdvidyā-nipuṇaiḥ
śrīmachChaṅkara-bhagavachCharaṇaiḥ ॥
|
|-
|15
|
|jaṭilō muṇḍī luñChitakēśaḥ
kāṣāyāmbara-bahukṛtavēṣaḥ ।
paśyannapi cha na paśyati mūḍhaḥ
udaranimittaṃ bahukṛtavēṣaḥ ॥
|There are many (ascetics) with matted hair, many with clean shaven heads, many whose hair have been plucked out; some are clothed in orange, yet others parading in various colors -Indeed, these different disguises or apparels are only for their belly’s sake. Seeing the truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones can not see through these many disguises. (Stanza attributed to Totakācārya.)
|-
|16
|
|aṅgaṃ galitaṃ palitaṃ muṇḍaṃ
daśanavihīnaṃ jātaṃ tuṇḍam ।
vṛddhō yāti gṛhītvā daṇḍaṃ
tadapi na muñchatyāśāpiṇḍam ॥
|Strength has left the old man’s body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then he can not let go of his attachment, clinging firmly to fruitless hopes and desires. (Stanza attributed to Hastamalaka.)
|-
|17
|
|agrē vahniḥ pṛṣṭhē bhānuḥ
rātrau chubuka-samarpita-jānuḥ ।
karatala-bhikṣastarutalavāsaḥ
tadapi na muñchatyāśāpāśaḥ ॥
|The ascetic warms his body with fire in front and the sun at the back. At night he dwells under a tree with face huddled between the knees to keep out of the cold. In his hands he holds the beggar’s alms and yet he does not let go of the noose of attachment to desire and passion. (''Stanza attributed to Subhodha''.)
|-
|18 
|
|kurutē gaṅgāsāgaragamanaṃ
vrata-paripālanamathavā dānam ।
jñānavihīnaḥ sarvamatēna
bhajati na muktiṃ janmaśatēna ॥
|
|-
|19
|
|suramandira-taru-mūla-nivāsaḥ
śayyā bhūtalamajinaṃ vāsaḥ ।
sarva-parigraha-bhōgatyāgaḥ
kasya sukhaṃ na karōti virāgaḥ ॥
|Living on the foot steps of temples, sleeping on deer skin, leaving behind all luxuries, who does detatchment not give joy to?!
|-
|20
|
|yōgaratō vā bhōgaratō vā
saṅgaratō vā saṅgavihīnaḥ ।
yasya brahmaṇi ramatē chittaṃ
nandati nandati nandatyēva ॥
|
|-
|21
|
|bhagavadgītā kiñchidadhītā
gaṅgājala-lavakaṇikā pītā ।
sakṛdapi yēna murārisamarchā
kriyatē tasya yamēna na charchā ॥
|
|-
|22
|
|punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ
punarapi jananījaṭharē śayanam ।
iha saṃsārē bahudustārē
kṛpayā'pārē pāhi murārē ॥
|
|-
|23
|
|rathyācharpaṭa-virachita-kanthaḥ
puṇyāpuṇya-vivarjita-panthaḥ ।
yōgī yōganiyōjita-chittaḥ
ramatē bālōnmattavadēva ॥
|
|-
|24
|
|kastvaṃ kō'haṃ kuta āyātaḥ
kā mē jananī kō mē tātaḥ ।
iti paribhāvaya sarvamasāraṃ
viśvaṃ tyaktvā svapnavichāram ॥
|
|-
|25
|
|tvayi mayi chānyatraikō viṣṇuḥ
vyarthaṃ kupyasi mayyasahiṣṇuḥ ।
bhava samachittaḥ sarvatra tvaṃ
vāñChasyachirādyadi viṣṇutvam ॥
|
|-
|26
|
|śatrau mitrē putrē bandhau
mā kuru yatnaṃ vigrahasandhau ।
sarvasminnapi paśyātmānaṃ
sarvatrōtsṛja bhēdājñānam ॥
|
|-
|27
|
|kāmaṃ krōdhaṃ lōbhaṃ mōhaṃ
tyaktvā tmānaṃ paśyati sō'ham ।
ātmajñānavihīnā mūḍhāḥ
tē pachyantē narakanigūḍhāḥ ॥
|
|-
|28
|
|gēyaṃ gītā-nāmasahasraṃ
dhyēyaṃ śrīpati-rūpamajasram ।
nēyaṃ sajjana-saṅgē chittaṃ
dēyaṃ dīnajanāya cha vittam ॥
|Chant Gita, 
Meditate krishna's form, be in company of sages and gurus, donate to purify yourself 
|-
|29
|
|sukhataḥ kriyatē kāmābhōgaḥ
paśchādanta śarīrē rōgaḥ ।
yadyapi lōkē maraṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ
tadapi na muñchati pāpācharaṇam ॥
|
|-
|30
|
|arthamanarthaṃ bhāvaya nityaṃ
nāstitataḥ sukhalēśaḥ satyam ।
putrādapi dhanabhājāṃ bhītiḥ
sarvatraiṣā vihitā rītiḥ ॥
|
|-
|31
|
|prāṇāyāmaṃ pratyāhāraṃ
nityānitya vivēkavichāram ।
jāpyasamētasamādhividhānaṃ
kurvavadhānaṃ mahadavadhānam ॥
|
|-
|32
|
|gurucharaṇāmbuja-nirbharabhaktaḥ
saṃsārādachirādbhava muktaḥ ।
sēndriyamānasa-niyamādēvaṃ
drakṣyasi nijahṛdayasthaṃ dēvam ॥
|
|-
|33
|
|mūḍhaḥ kaśchana vaiyākaraṇō
ḍuḥkṛṅkaraṇādhyayanadhurīṇaḥ ।
śrīmachChaṅkara-bhagavachChiṣyaiḥ
bōdhita āsīchChōdhita-karaṇaḥ ॥
|
|}

== See also ==

* [[Hari Stuti]]
* [[Kanakadhara Stotra]]
* [[Ashtalakshmi Stotra]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{wikisourcelang|sa|भजगोविन्दम्|Bhajagovindam(Sanskrit Text)}}
{{wikisource}}
* [http://sites.google.com/site/vedicscripturesinc/home/srishankaracharya/bhajagovindam Bhaja Govindam] Side by side translation in Hindi and English
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090227142610/http://www.hindubooks.org/books_by_rajaji/bhaja_govindam/index.htm Bhaja Govindam] by [[C. Rajagopalachari]] (online book)
* [http://www.blurb.com/books/1253512 Bhaja Govindam] by K. P. Rathnakara Bhatta (online book)
* [http://vakilspublications.com/S002.asp Bhaja Govindam : Follow Your Heart] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918065755/http://vakilspublications.com/S002.asp |date=18 September 2021 }} published by Vakils Feffer & Simons Pvt Ltd
*[https://notionpress.com/read/bhaja-govindam Bhaja Govindam – Essence of Vedanta for Peace and Happiness] by Br. Prasanna Swaroopa 
* [https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_vishhnu/bhajagovindam.html Bhaja Govindam at sanskritdocuments.org]
* Bhaja Govindam, by Swami Chinmayananda, Chinmaya Mission, eshop.chinmayamission.com

==External links==
* [http://www.sankaracharya.org/bhaja_govindam.php Complete Works of Shankaracharya]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120426002324/http://subhalakshmikumar.com/video/ms-bhaja-govindam/ Bharatanatyam Rendition of Bhaja Govindam]
* [http://www.carnatic.com/karmasaya/index.php?Bhaja%20Govindam Talk by Rajaji at carnatic.com]
* [http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/movie/TD00017.html Listen to Bhaja Govidam at Raaga]
* [http://www.kamakoti.org/shlokas/kshlok19.htm Bhaja Govindam & its meaning at Kamakoti.org]
* [https://os.me/chant-the-holy-names-bhaj-govindam-16/ An insightful commentary on Bhaja Govindam in a six-episode series by Om Swami.]
* [https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07GZRT88M/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_glt_43FB3S7F4BWJTXCWF92G]

{{Indian Philosophy}}

[[Category:Hindu texts]]
[[Category:8th-century Sanskrit literature]]
[[Category:Bhakti movement]]
[[Category:Adi Shankara]]
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta texts]]