Bhaja Govindam  

            A few words  about Bhaja Govindam

 

        Adhi Sankara who expounded the philosophy of Advaitha mainly wrote philosophical tomes defending his interpretation of Hindu philosophy.He also wrote several Stotras( Hymns in praise of Gods) .But Bhaja Govindam is a philosophical hymn written for the most common man.Though it preaches unalloyed devotion to the God, it also preaches high philosophy in simple terms.

 

 

 BHAJA GOVINDAM –Charpata Panjarika Stotra.

 (The eighteen gems of wisdom)

        Adi Sankara Bhagvat Pada

   (Translated into free verse by P.R.Ramachander, Bangalore)

 

Bhaja  Govindam, Bhaja Govindam,

Govindam Bhaja Mooda Mathe,

Samprapthe sannihithe kale,

 Nahi nahi rakshathi dookrunj karane.

 

Pray Govinda, Pray Govinda,

Pray Govinda, You fool,

For all the ken with you,

Will not be there,

When your end is near.

 

Dhinamapi rajani , sayam pratha,

Sisira vasanthou punarayatha,

Kala kreedathi  gachat yayu,

Sthadapi  na munjathyasa vayu

 (Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Daily comes the night, eve and morn.

The autumn and spring,

Comes again and again every year.

Time forever plays with life,

But desire does not desert this body forever.

(Pray Govinda,………..)       1

 

Agre Vahni  , prashte bhanu,

Rathrou chibuka samirpitha janu,

Karathala biksha  taru thala vasa

Sthadhapi na munjathyasapasa.

(Bhaja Govindam….)

 

The sun in the back,

And the fire behind,

Prevents biting cold during the day,

Knees meet the chin during the night,

To keep one warm.

And food comes by the daily begging,

Life is spent below a tree,

But desire does not desert this body forever. 

 (Pray Govinda,...)     2

 

Yavadvitho parjana saktha,

Sthavannija parivaro raktha

Paschat jeevathi jarajjara dehe,

Varthaam prucchathi ko apina gehe

(bhajagovindam....) 

Till you are able to earn,

The wealth that everybody yearns,

All the family you love,

Will love and care.

But when the cage of your body gets old,

They would not even ask you,

                            "How are you?"                       

(Pray Govinda,..)   3

 

Jatilo mundee lunchitha kesa,

Kaashayambara bahu krutha vesha,

Pasyannapi  cha na pasyathi lokaa

              Hyudhara nimittam bahu krutha soka.            

(Bhaja govindam….)

 

Men with hairs overgrown,

Men with a shaved head,

Men with a well-cut hair,

Men with ochre robes,

See the world,

But pretend they don’t,

And suffer all the way,

       To fill their belly forever.    

 (Pray Govinda,...)    4

 

 

Bagavat geetha kinchid adheetha,

Gangaajalalava kanikaa peetha,

Sukrudhapi  yasya murari samarcha,

Tasya yama kim kuruthe charchaam.

(Bhaja Govindam…)

 

Read and imbibe Bhagavat Gita,

Drink a drop of the holy Ganga,

At least once salute the Lord,

Then the God of death,

Will not bother you forever.

(Pray Govinda,..)    5

 

Angam galitham palitham mundam,

Dasanaviheenam  jatham thundam,

Vruddho yathi gruheetha dhandam,

Tadapi na munjathyaasa pindam.

(Bhaja Govindam….)

 

The limbs have become weak,

The head has become fully bald,

There are no teeth in the mouth,

And the old man totters with an aid of a stick,

But desire does not desert this body ever.

(Pray Govinda,…)    6

 

Balasthavat kreedasaktha,

Stharunasthavath tharunee saktha,

Vrudha staavath chintha magna,

Parame brahmani kopi na lagna.

 (Bhaja Govindam….)

 

The child’s mind is engaged in play,

The youths mind is engaged in his lasses charms,

The old man’s mind is full of worries,

But no one thinks of the Ultimate Truth.

(Pray Govinda,…)  7

 

Punarapi jananam  punarapi maranam,

Punarapi janani jatare sayanam,

Iha samsaare khalu dusthare,

Krupayaa pare pahi murare.

 (Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Again and again one is born,

And again and again one dies,

And again and again one sleeps in the mother’s womb,

Help me to cross,

This limitless sea of Life,

Which is uncrossable, my Lord

(Pray Govinda,..)    8

 

Punarapi Rajani, punarai divasa,

Punaraip paksha, punarapi maasa,

Punarapyayanam, punarapi varsham,

Tadapi na munjityasaamarsham.

 (Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Again and again this dark nights,

Again and again this luster full days,

Again and again these months and years,

But pride and desire never leaves you forever

 (Pray Govinda,..)    9

 

Vayasi gathe ka kama vikara,

Shushke neere ka kaasaara,

Nashte dravye  ka parivaara,

Gnathe tathwe ka samasaara.   

(Bhaja Govindam…)

 

Why this passion, when one totters with age,

Why the search for water in the dried up lake,

Why search for relations, when wealth dries,

There is no desire for life,

When you get real knowledge. Of truth 

(Pray Govinda,..)     10

 

Naree sthana bhara nabhi nivesam,

Mithyaa mayaa mohaavesam,

Ethan mamsavasaadhi vikaram,

Manasi vichinthaya vaaram vaaram.  

(Bhaja Govindam….)

 

A lady’s busts divine,

Her bellies shapely,

They are but gates of deceit,

And the joy that is given out,

Is by flesh and fat alone..

Think of this,

Day in and day out   

 (Pray Govinda,……..)  11

 

 

Kasthwam Ko aham kutha ayatha?

Kaa me janani ko me thatha.

Ithi paribhavaaya sarvamasaaram,

Viswam tyakthwa swapna vichaaram.

(Bhaja Govindam….)

 

Who am I?

Where from did I come?

Who is my mother ?

Who is my father?

Think of these,

Realize that this world,

Is but a meaningless  mirage,

And Leave  this dream like world  

(Pray Govinda,….)  12

 

Geyam Githa , Nama sahasram,

Dhyeyam sri pathi roopamajasram,

Neyam sajjana sange chittam,

Dheyam deenajanaaya cha vitham. 

(Bhaja Govindam….)

 

Sing the Geetha,

And His thousand names,

Meditate on the Lord of Lakshmi,

Spend time with good souls,

Give all the wealth to the poor.

(Pray Govinda,……)   13

 

Yavajjevo nivasathi dehe,

Kusalam thaavath prucchathi gehe,

Gathavathi vaayou dehaapaaye,

Baryaa bhibyasthi tasmin kaye. 

 (Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Till the breath is in the body,

All friends ask your welfare,

When it leaves your frame,

Even your darling wife,

Is full of fear of you , Hey fool  

  (Pray Govinda, …….)     14

Sukhadha kriyathe ramaa bhoga,

Paschatdandha sarere roga,

Yadyapi loke maranam saranam,

Tadapi na munchathi papacharanam.  

(Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

It is but for pleasure,

That a lady is sought,

Slowly the body gets sick,

The only path leads you,

To your death for sure,

Still no one leaves the sinful ways.

 (Pray Govinda,…….)    15

 

Radhyaa charpata virachita kkandha,

Punyaapunya vivarjitha padha.

Naaham nathwa naayam loka,

Stadhapi kimartham kriyathe soka. 

(Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Like collecting strewn  rags all the way,

In life one collects sin and  good deeds.

Realize that  me or you,

Is not the truth.

In your newly chartered path

Still why are you sad? 

 (Pray Govinda,…..)    16

 

Kuruthe Gangaa sagara gamanam,

Vrutha paripaalana madhava dhaanam,

Gnana viheena sarvamathena,

Mukthin na bhavathi janma sathena.  

(Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Take bath in Ganga,

Take a dip in the ocean,

Observe penance,

Give money to charity.

All faiths tell you without fail,

And if you do not realize this truth,

Even in hundred lives,

You will not attain the Lord. 

 (Pray Govinda,………) 17

 

Yoga ratho vaa bhogaratho vaa,

Sanga ratho vaa sanga viheena,

Yasya brahmani ramathe chittam,

Nandathi nandathi nandathyeva. 

 (Bhaja Govindam….)

 

You get joy,

Of meditation or passion,

Or you get joy,

In solitude or in company,

But All these  are but impermanent.

Try to make your mind one,

With Para Brahmam,

That is the only permanent joy.  

(Pray Govinda,………..) 18  

 

             

   BHAJA GOVINDAM –Dwadasha Panjarika Stotra.

 (The twelve pearls of wisdom)

Sankara Bhagvat Pada

(Translated into free verse by P.R.Ramachander,Bangalore)

 

Bhaja  Govindam, Bhaja Govindam,

Govindam Bhaja Mooda Mathe,

Samprapthe sannihithe kale,

Nahi nahi rakshathi dookrunj karane.

 

 

Pray Govinda, Pray Govinda,

Pray Govinda, You fool,

For all the ken with you,

Will not be there,

When your end is near.

 

Arthamanartham Bhavaya nithyam,

Naasthi thatha sukalesa sathyam,

Puthraadhapi dhana bhaajam bheethi,

Sarvathraisha vihithaareethi. 

(Bhaja Govindam…..)

 

Wealth that you earn,

Has no meaning in life,

The real truth in it, is,

That it gives no pleasure,

The wealthy are but scared,

Even of him whom they beget, 

(Pray Govinda,…….)    1

 

Kaa thee kanthaa kasthe puthra,

Samsoroya matheeva vichitram,

Kasya twam ka kutha aayatha,

Sthathwam chinthya yadhidham  braatha. 

 (Bhaja Govindam…..)