Category: Bhaja Govindam

Punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ punarapi jananī jaṭhare śayanam |

Iha saṃsāre bahu dustāre kṛpayāpāre pāhi murāre || 21 ||

Meaning- O Murari! You are supremely compassionate. Please rescue me from this endless cycle of births and deaths (samsāra) wherein I am leaving one body only to land in the womb of another mother.

The karmas (fruitive actions) of a living being trap it in an endless cycle of births and deaths. Likes-dislikes (rāga- dvesha) are the root for the performance of karmas. Likes-dislikes originate out of infatuations and attachments (moha). This in turn stems from absence of discriminatory intelligence (avivekam). Avivekam arises due to spiritual ignorance (ajnana). From this we can conclude that spiritual ignorance is the primary root for this endless cycle of births and deaths.

The living being enters the womb of the mother. While in mother’s womb it suffers piteously and also causes limitless suffering to the mother. After entering this world it performs various fruitive actions (karma) and when it ultimately leaves this body, it re-enters the womb of another mother. This endless cycle is called samsara.

Swami Vidyaranya in his composition ‘Pancadasi‘, has stated – the being that is thrust within this cycle of endless births and deaths is like that worm which is being swept from one whirlpool to another due to the speedily flowing river currents. He is like the instrument in a weaver’s loom that is eternally being shoved from one end to the other. His illusions and imaginations cause him to travel from one death to another. This cycle of births and deaths has no beginning and no end and hence continues perpetually. Even then, it is possible to acquire liberation. It is God’s compassion which rescues the suffering being and helps him cross this samsara.

Shankara Bhagawad-pādācharya in His ‘Shivānanda lahari‘ states, – ‘this samsāra is devoid of any essence. In such a lifeless samsara which distances me from Your seva, I am a foolish person who is roaming blindly and aimlessly. O God Pashupati, you are my sole refuge. There is no power greater than You in this universe who can offer me refuge. Kindly uplift me’.

‘Murari‘ being referred to in this Bhaja Govindam and ‘Pashupati’ referred to in ‘Shivānanda Lahari’ are one and the same force. We should understand that Shiva and Keshava (Vishnu) are one and the same energy called God. Name and form are all creations. We adopt a particular name/ form to suit our requirements/ tastes in worship.

Very often Shankara-Bhagavadpāda refers to samsara using words such as samsāra sāgara (ocean of samsāra), samsāra vruksha (endless tree called samsāra) and samsāra chakra (wheel called samsāra). The idea is not to frighten the reader but to let him realize how endless this cycle is! When listening to such Vedanta subjects, many people get worried that they are sinners. This is not the intent. These will act like warning bells at the time when the person is about to commit sins.

Yogarato vā bhogarato vā sangarato vā sangavihīnaḥ |

Yasya brahmaṇi ramate cittaṃ nandati nandati nandatyeva || 19 ||

Meaning– One may take delight either in Yoga or in comforts of this world (bhoga); he may enjoy living amidst people (sanga) or enjoy living alone (nissanga), yet the truth is that only he, whose mind is totally enveloped in the company of the Supreme Brahma, can enjoy true bliss!

This stanza extols the person who has attained the vision of Brahma (Brahma Sākshātkāra). Obtaining the ‘vision of Brahma’ means to live in a state of advaita (non- dualism). In this state, the person perceives the Self everywhere. Having achieved victory over the six inner enemies (arishadvargas), he will be over and above the state of dualism and will see himself as existing within in all objects/ entities of this creation. Without any distinction, he will see the entire universe consisting of animate and inanimate objects as existing within his Self.

To such a person, being in a state of Yoga or enjoying material comforts (bhoga) are indistinguishably same. Being amidst the company of many or being all-alone is one and the same to him. Living abroad, living in the Himalayas or being seated in an aircraft, all mean the same to him. He will be in the same mental state at all times. Differences of place and time do not have any affect on him. This is because he is very well aware that only Brahma is true and eternal (satya) and that all these worldly objects are illusory, transitory and impermanent. He will be unaffected by illusion.

Kathopanishad states that the Self is unique. It is devoid of the 5 subtle sensory perceptions of taste, smell, touch, sound and form. It cannot get depleted; is without beginning and end, and is over and above even the ultimate and most subtle principle of creation called Mahat. It is unchangeable, permanent and stable.

The one who has understood this knowledge will be free from the jaws of death. In other words, he will exit from this repeated cycle of re-births. In other words, he has obtained the ‘vision of Brahma’. He will be eternally immersed in the supreme unending bliss. He will be over and above distinctions such as dharma-adharma. In his state of absolute purity, the good and bad no longer touch him.

In reality he can cause purity to all those around him wherever he is, nevertheless the risk of being defiled due to the impurity of others does not even slightly arise. In Datta Darshanam, Lord Datta taught all this to Pingalanaga. He is just like the beetle which is untouched by muddy mire even after dipping into it.

At all times and in all conditions, he is ruled by feelings of equal-mindedness. Just by his presence, everything around him turns pure. He will be over and above the feelings of arrogance, honour, humiliation. He will be unaffected by both praise and abuse.

Kurute gaṅgā sāgara gamanaṃ vrata paripālanam-athavā dānam |

Jñāna vihīnaḥ sarvamatena bhajati na muktiṃ janma śatena || 17 ||

Meaning – A person may go to the banks of River Ganga or any ocean; he may observe all the disciplines that are to be adhered there; he may give away huge riches in charity; yet he cannot get liberation (mukti) even after many births because Jnana (Spiritual Knowledge) is the essential pre-requisite for liberation.

Jnana being referred to in this stanza is the most essential Sadhana for attaining liberation (moksha). It is the centre-most focal point behind Shankara Bhagawad-pādāchārya’s teachings.

Only one knowledge pertains to the natural state of the inner being. Such knowledge dispels all ignorance that exists about this Self. To drive away this darkness called spiritual ignorance there is nothing other than utpatti.

A person may visit Kashi and bathe in the waters of River Ganga. He may go to Rameshwaram and bathe in the ocean there. He may perform innumerable religious rituals and pujas. He could construct limitless choultries, temples and ponds as a service to society. All of these purify the mind and enable achievement of total concentration (ekagrata). However these cannot show the way that leads towards the supreme goal of human birth i.e. attaining liberation.

Attaining Jnana amounts to attaining liberation (moksha). ‘Jnanam vinā muktir na bhavati’– the person who does not obtain Supreme Knowledge (Jnana) cannot secure liberation even after countless births. Obtaining supreme knowledge is the path for attaining liberation.

Why does the path of karma not bestow liberation? This is because karma (action) cannot directly attack spiritual ignorance (ajnana). Good actions such as meritorious charitable deeds, pujas, reading holy texts etc. are extremely important as they purify the mind and enable the person to achieve total concentration (ekagrata). A pure mind makes it easy to grasp the supreme knowledge.

Spiritual ignorance (ajnana) can meet its end only in the hands of Supreme Knowledge (Jnana). In the darkness a rope is mistaken for a snake; a fool is mistaken for a thief. These are caused due to bhranti (misconception). It is due to this bhranti that from the existing object, knowledge of another object emerges.

In His commentary on Gita, Shankaracharya Swami has authoritatively declared that obtaining Jnana is the only way to obtain liberation. He has also said that this is the final opinion of all the Upanishads and Gita.

Many people may question here- ‘Isn’t it true that total devotion (bhakti) can grant liberation? Performing yagnas and yaagas and undertaking naadopasana also lead to liberation, don’t they?’ The answer here is that to attain that liberation from which there is no return, Jnana is the only path to be followed. All the other paths grant liberation (mukti) which is not permanent.

How can there be impermanent liberation? Here it is essential to understand that there is a difference between ‘swarga mukti’ and ‘jeevan mukti’. ‘Swarga’ means ‘heaven’. ‘Swarga mukti’ means attaining the state of heaven. The being will be in heaven in accordance with the balance of punya (merit) that is stored in his account. The moment this balance depletes totally, the being has to return back to earth. All the other paths grant this temporary liberation. There are many puranic stories that incorporate this kind of mukti. The story of Nahusha is an example of this.

‘Jeevan mukti’ means total permanent liberation from which there is no return and which can be achieved only by attaining the supreme knowledge.