Category: Bhaja Govindam

Yāvat-pavano nivasati dehe tāvat-prcchati kuśalaṃ gehe |

Gatavati vāyau dehāpāye bhāryā bibhyati tasmin kāye | 6 |

Meaning – As long as the life force (prana) exists in the body, everyone around enquires about the well-being. However when this life force leaves the body and the person is dead, even his wife shudders at the sight of his corpse!

The previous stanza taught that worldly acquisitions are to be left behind. It also taught that this love professed in this world is untrue and that love stems out of selfish interests. This stanza delves a little more into the reality.

When Shiva, who exists in the form of vital breath (prana vayu) within the being, departs from the body, then all that remains is a corpse.

80% of people in this world take pride in their physical beauty and in their slim and trim physique. Such persons spend their entire life under the illusion that their spouse and children are fascinated by these appealing looks and as such will never ever desert them. Enveloped by this illusion, such person strives to fulfill the needs of his family members and worries about their future. ‘What will happen to my family after my death?’ Such questions always trouble the mind.

Looking after the needs of the family members is not wrong. Yet, it is important that every person should ponder about the spiritual realities as well. Every person should mandatorily pose to himself questions such as- ‘What will happen to ‘me’ after the death of this body? What will happen to this world after my death?’

If the supreme truth ‘none of these objects present in this world will accompany me on my further journey after death’ is deeply grasped by the mind, then it will automatically alter the person’s way of thinking. The one who has understood the truth will never ever grieve for that which is untrue.

In the journey after death, not even a blade of grass can accompany us! The money and wealth that we have strived to earn in this lifetime will remain here itself. Our cows and other domesticated animals will continue to remain in their sheds. The wife and children will accompany the body only till the main gate of the house. After all, the laws of dharma prohibit women from visiting the crematorium, don’t they? Our friends and relatives accompany us till the crematorium. What happens thereafter? The body, with which we had totally identified all our life, is now burnt in the fire.

Many fear death because they have to leave the body which they held on to dearly all through life and depart. But it is inevitable. The wife whom you loved so much, the children whom you raised with tender care, and the relatives who were your best companions, all have to be left behind.

What is it that accompanies us on this further journey after death? It is only our adherence to dharma (rules and duties of righteousness) that accompanies. The good as well as the bad deeds performed in life as well as the good and bad thoughts entertained accompany the being on this journey.

For this reason, the hymn begins with the phrase- ‘Bhaja Govindam’. It means, ‘O human, realize this great truth. With this understanding, engage in dharmic activities (righteous deeds) from now on and chant the holy names of the Lord’.

Do not waste your lifetime sitting and grieving that your spouse will not accompany you on your further journey. Accepting that this is the ‘nature of creation’, focus on performance of meritorious deeds.

Yāvad-vittopārjana saktaḥ tāvan-nijaparivāro raktaḥ |

Paścājjīvati jarjara dehe vārtāṃ kopi na prcchati gehe || 5 ||

Meaning – A person’s family members love and respect him only so long as he earns money or is inclined towards acquiring wealth. When he becomes old and debilitated, none of the family members even bother to enquire about his well-being. They are eager to leave him in an old-age home.

The great King Yudhisthira, who possessed immense sense control (indriya nigraha) had stated- ‘sarvam svārtham samīhate’- ‘this entire world is filled with selfishness’.

The story of Maharishi Valmiki’s life is a suitable example for today’s lesson. Valmiki’s original name was Ratnakara. Due to a curse, he had lost all memory of his previous life and was a wayside notorious dacoit wandering about in the forests. He supported his family by engaging in dacoity.

When the time for him to be relieved of his curse neared, the seven great saints approached him and asked, “Ratnakara, you are murdering, torturing the innocent, looting them and feeding your family with all these earnings. In the process you are also accumulating loads of sins. Will your wife and children share only the earnings, comforts and food supplied by you or will they take a share in all your sins?”

Without hesitating even for a second, Ratnakara answered, “Of course, they are going to take a share from my sins”. The saints laughed and said, “O Ratnakara! You seem oblivious to the ways of the world. In this world, no one shares the sins or sorrows of another”.

Ratnakara was unconvinced about this. An argument ensued between him and the saints. Lastly, in order to please the saints, Ratnakara went to his house and calling his wife and children, lovingly asked them, “Will you all take a share in my sins”? They collectively replied, “You alone have to pay for your sins. We have nothing to do with them”.

This unanimous reaction from his family members had a tremendous impact on him and it changed his life forever. He became inner-facing. Maharishi Nārada initiated him into the ‘Rama’ mantra. However the initiation was done in the reverse format as ‘Mara’. Ratnakara recited this ‘Mara’ mantra crores of times. He was covered with an anthill when he was seated in meditation. He came out of the anthill, earned the name ‘Valmiki’ and thereafter composed the ‘Ramayana’.

There are numerous such stories in our Puranas. This wealth and prosperity are not permanent. The feelings of ‘me’ and ‘mine’ are equally impermanent. At every minute, the person should remember this. He should recite the names of God at all times.

Many eminent saints and poets have preached this same lesson in various different ways. In the ‘Sumati Shatakam’, the poet states, –

Eppudu sampada kaligina appudu bamdhuvulu vatturadi yetlannan

Teppaluga ceruvu nimdina  kappalu padhivelu ceru gadara sumati !

Meaning – Just as a pond overflowing with water attracts thousands of frogs towards it, a house  abounding in wealth, attracts relatives and friends in huge numbers!

The frogs are attracted to the pond only for the plentiful water available there. If the pond dries up, needless to say the new frogs will not reach there but what is note-worthy is that the existing frogs will seek a new home. Likewise, as long as the person is rich and has a great name and fame, people will flock towards him just as ants collect around a piece of sugar candy. They will make him feel that he is as great as God.

However when the person loses his wealth or his period of downfall begins, or he stops earning, these relatives and friends will desert him completely. They will not even remember him and their association with him. Do ants ever remember the place and time where they had enjoyed the sugar candy? Do frogs ever recollect that dried up pond that had once given them shelter?

In a similar manner, none ever thinks about the needs and feelings of the aged persons. When they are no longer able to contribute to the earnings at home, the younger generation will be in a great hurry to pack them off to an old age home. This is the reality.

Nalinī dalagata jalamati taralaṃ tadvajjīvita matiśaya capalam |

Viddhi vyādhyabhimāna grastaṃ lokaṃ śokahataṃ ca samastam || 4 ||

Meaning – This life is as unstable and fickle as a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Everyone in this entire world is seized & tormented by diseases (vyādhi), grief, and egoism.

This stanza teaches about time, its value, the nature of this world & its inhabitants. Life has been compared to the drop of water delicately balancing on a lotus leaf. Akin to this drop of water, life is fickle and wobbly and hence this hymn instructs the person to give up the ego that he is permanent. Bhagavad Geeta states- ‘antavanta ime deha’ which means ‘all these bodies are perishable.’

It is imperative that everyone understands this truth that life is impermanent! With this understanding, the person should increase his dedication towards dharma and should abide by it!

If we assume the life span of a person to be 100 years, then 50% of it, i.e. 50 years he spends in sleeping. 12 ½ years is lost in infancy and childhood stage wherein he is ignorant. Another 12 ½ years is lost in old age and its debilities. Ultimately the time span available to the person is a mere 25 years. This time is lost in sickness, sorrows and difficulties. Where then is the scope for any happiness in life?

We should conscientiously and attentively abide by righteousness (dharma) at every minute, believing that the Lord of death is holding us by our hair and pulling us away. We should accelerate and complete our meritorious deeds at the earliest. Procrastination in this aspect is not advisable. Always remember that at times of our difficulties and needs, the Supreme Lord does not procrastinate, but instead rushes to our aid.

Lord Krishna once wanted to teach Arjuna about Karna’s magnanimous, philanthropic attitude. In the garb of a Brahmin, Krishna approached Karna and begged for alms. Exactly at that minute Karna was holding a golden pot full of oil in his left hand and was oiling his hair with his right hand. Without even a second thought, Karna gave away with his left hand, the golden pot full of oil to the Brahmin. The Brahmin refused to accept this gift stating that it was wrong to give charity with left hand. Moreover giving oil with the left hand was absolutely unacceptable.

Karna realized that the Brahmin standing in front of him was none other than Krishna. Immediately he fell at Krishna’s feet and pleaded, “O Krishna! It is not out of arrogance that I have given away the object with my left hand. When you asked for it, I was holding the golden vessel in my left hand. To give it away in charity in the proper procedure, I would have to pour out the oil, wash and clean the pot thoroughly. What if I were to have a change of heart in the meantime? Therefore, even without thinking, I gave it away with my left hand. Please excuse me”.   Krishna was overjoyed with this attitude displayed by Karna.

Like the cow that wastes the entire time allocated for grazing in chewing its cud, and later on isremorseful that the other cows have consumed all the grass, what is the use of regretting in the last minute, after having wasted the entire allotted lifespan? Time does not wait for anyone. To move eternally is its duty. Perhaps you may be able to conquer every other thing in this universe, but remember that you can never conquer death. Therefore it is imperative that every person who is desirous of crossing this ocean of samsara, should engage in Bhagavan nama sankeertana.