Adi Shankaracharyas Bhaja Govindam

Adi Shankaracharya composed a number of Vedantic works for imparting the knowledge of the Self. One of these hymns is the famous “Bhaja Govindam”. ‘Bhaja’ literally means ‘seek’, ‘Govindam’ means ‘the Lord’ – ‘the Truth’. The learned masters, out of deep compassion try to wake up humanity. They invite us to open our eyes to a higher dimension of living. The whole text of Bhaja Govindam in essence means ‘Wake up, seek the Lord, and stop seeking the primitive and superficial things in life.’ The compilation of thoughts presented in this book is applicable to one and all. Swami Sukhabodhananda in his unique style explains the verses with deep clarity and understanding.

Bhaja Govindam is the Smallest, Simplest, Sweetest Upanishad-like work penned by the great Master Adi Shankaracharya himself. In soul-stirring poetry, Sankara expounds the wisdom of attaining peace and nirvana. A beautiful work of the highest literary order that is sung in many Indian homes. मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णाम् कुरु सद्बुद्धिमं मनसि वितृष्णाम् । यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तम् वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तं ॥ २ ॥ mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgamatṛṣṇām kuru sadbuddhimaṃ manasi vitṛṣṇām । yallabhase nijakarmopāttam vittaṃ tena vinodaya cittaṃ ॥ 2 ॥ 02. O Young Man! Wealth shall surely pull you magnetically with tremendous force, weave out of its spell by pragmatic reasoning. The Special technique of escaping its tentacles gets revealed by honest hard work that naturally stems the inflow of intoxicating tendencies. Direct your peaceful moments gained by the strength of your sincere efforts in remembering the great Lord. Your mind shall surely feel that cooling sweetness of contentment. ------------------------------------ For the Sanskrit Enthusiast, - Each verse is in Original Devanagari with a Latin Transliteration. - Padachheda - Word boundary and Vibhakti - Case is listed. - Carefully chosen dictionary meaning of each word is given so that the earnest seeker can grasp the beauty and depth in the language.

Sri Sankara, the Hindu sage, is said to have 'crossed the ocean of Maya as easily as one steps over a small irrigation channel in the field'. He wrote a number of texts and hymns to foster knowledge of the self and to foster the sense of devotion in the hearts of humankind. This offering is one of Sri Sankara's most famous hymns.

A commentary on the introductory scriptural text by philosopher-saint Adi Shankaracharya. For those interested in the study of the scriptures, this book provides a short and simple beginning. The text provides the basic instructions on life. It highlights the two main motivations which propel the life of a human being viz.acquisition and enjoyment. The first motivation drives him to acquire, aggrandise, hoard wealth. And the second causes him to indulge in the enjoyment of the acquired wealth. The text points out the hollowness of these external pursuits. Directs you to seek the supreme Self within. And reach the eternal Abode of peace and bliss.

Bhaja Govindam An individualistic interpretation of which was originally composed by the great saint Sri Adi Shankaracharya. In this short write up, I am going to elaborate only on the essence of great sage Shri Adi Shankaracharya's sacred composition named "Bhaja Govindam." For the sake of brevity and focus on the topic, I am going to assume that readers are already aware and have read at least one account of such composition, or its translation elsewhere. There have been numerous such efforts in the past which have been authored by many learned authors and commentators and hence I am not going to repeat the traditional, anecdotal, historical references which have been documented and depicted earlier. Rather, I am simply going to make a humble attempt to lay out my own reflections about Shri Adi Shankaracharya's composition. I hope you may find some resonance with it. Again, just a disclaimer that, I am not and do not claim to be an expert in such topics. I am also not writing to present alternative facts or to dispute any previously made claims or interpretations. What I intend to present are simply my own independent reflections. I hope you enjoy reading it. By Abhijit Telang

Talks on Adi Shankara’s Bhaj Govindam “Shankara is a unique person. And it is very easy to misunderstand the unique person because he is beyond your common understanding. It seemed to people that he was a logician, a great logician. But can a great logician say, ‘Sing! Dance! Sing the song of the divine’? It is just not possible for him to say so. Such words can be spoken only by a lover of the divine from the depths of his heart.” —OSHO The eighth-century enlightened mystic, Adi Shankaracharya, traveled across India arguing, debating and defeating all the renowned scholars, theologians and religious leaders of the time, but at the same time he never forgot to sing his song of ecstasy and live his joy in life. Shankara is a man close to Osho’s heart – a man who has an enlightened consciousness, a towering intellect, but who also came to understand, from his own experience, the opportunities for awareness and self-understanding that living each moment “in the marketplace” can give. As he comments on Shankara’s Bhaj Govindam, his song of ecstasy, and responds to related questions, Osho introduces his vision of the New Man, the whole man – joyous, silent, ecstatic; repressing nothing, delighting in and watching everything.

Vedanta provides the ultimate answers regarding our real nature, this life and the world we are in, and thus guides us in leading a life of peace and happiness. Bhaja Govindam reveals the subtle and profound message of Vedanta (the wisdom of the Upanishads) in a simple, direct and concise manner, and that too through exquisite poetry. Importantly, it presents practical ways to apply Vedanta to daily life, cutting through the numerous terms and concepts in spirituality. For most people, Bhaja Govindam – authored by Adi Shankaracharya – is just a beautiful song, ever filling their hearts with devotion towards Lord Krishna. But, in reality, every verse presents us with an understanding of life and shows us how to lead a life that is filled with peace and happiness, and finally leading us to fulfilment. Bhaja Govindam shows us how we suffer in life because of the wrong perceptions (delusions) regarding ourselves and life in this world. That is why this text is formally referred to as Moha-mudgara? (literally meaning: ‘the hammer that destroys delusion’). It helps us remove the wrong perceptions so that we can be free from suffering and be endowed with ever-lasting happiness. This book is a translation and commentary (in English) on Bhaja Govindam and offers quotes from other texts, including Bhagavad Gita, Vivekachoodamani, Srimad Bhagavatam and Upanishads. Thus, this book becomes a comprehensive guide for any spiritual seeker, even for those who are not familiar with the various concepts of Vedanta.

Study with text of Bhajagovinda of Sankaracarya.

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