Bhaja Govinda Stotram
Day 3, July 19
(No audio at the beginning of the discourse)
Sadashva is a good horse, a tamed horse, which listens to you and obeys your command. It is well trained. That is what the Upanishad says. We must treat the horse with care and bring it under our control. Then the horse will take us where we wish to go. Otherwise, we will be forced to go wherever the horse chooses to take us. That we do not want. We want to go where we wish to go. Dushtashva is a bad horse which is wild. We are sitting in a chariot. We are dependent on good horses. We are seated in a boat to cross the waters. If it springs a leak, it will be a problem. If it gets too heavy, it will be a problem. If the captain is not competent, it will be a problem. This body-vehicle must be kept in good shape through exercise, Yoga, and good thoughts. It should keep good company. It should be well cared-for. It should not be punished unduly. If you keep hitting a snake pit, the snake will not come out. If you wish to get a snake out of its pit, you should pour dirt into one hole, and the snake will come out of another hole in the pit. We do not know where the snake is hiding. The venomous serpent that hides within us in the form of the six inner enemies should be evicted, thrown out of its pit. For that, the dirt we pour into the hole is Sadvichaara, good thoughts obtained through the association with holy saints. The practice of studying the Bhaja Govinda Stotra does the job of filling the snake pit with dirt. That is what is happening here at the Sarada Vilas Centenary Hall.
We should add the dirt into the hole gradually, and not all at once, because we do not want to hurt the snake and give it pain, to speak in worldly terms. Guru likes to give instruction gradually, slowly, and step by step.
By yesterday we completed eight slokas. Today we will do four more. That way in three days we will finish the Dvadasa Manjarika Stotra, the initial collection of 12 verses, composed by Sri Bhagavatpada. Afterwards, we will study the verses composed by his disciples. The words of the disciples echo the words of their Guru.
When we bring home water in a pot from river Kaveri, the water belongs to Kaveri. It is not ours. Just because we have brought it home, it is not the same as water from our faucet. It is different from the water from our water tank. Similarly, whatever is taught by the disciples, is the wisdom obtained from Sadguru. I speak because my Sadguru is making me speak. I speak because of His grace. Vyasa’s speech is what we spread and circulate, after receiving it as Prasadam from him. All the knowledge we have, our energy, our motivation, our lives, our everything, we owe to Sadguru. With that feeling, we are studying the Bhaja Govinda Stotra.
Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam
Verse 9:
satsangatve nissangatvam
nissangatve nirmohatvam
nirmohatve nischalatattvam
nischalatattve jeevanmuktih
Verse 10:
vayasi gate kah kaamavikaarah
sushke neere kah kaasaarah
ksheene vitte kah parivaaro
gyaate tattve kah samsaarah
Verse 11:
maa kuru dhanajanayauvanagarvam
harati nimeshaatkaalah sarvam
maayaamayamidamakhilam hitvaa
brahmapadam tvam pravisa viditvaa
Verse 12:
dinayaminyau saayam praatah
sisiravasantau punaraayaatah
kaalah kreedati gachchhatyaayuh
tadapi na munchatyaasaavaayuh
The refrain says: when the departing time approaches, time, which is just lurking round the corner to snatch us away, grammar rules will not come to your rescue. Only the performance of good deeds will come to your aid.
Unthinkingly, we commit sins, thinking that this life is real, and its pleasures are real and desirable. But death comes as an unexpected guest. We never know when he will come. This teaching removes fear from us, and teaches that this is common occurrence, and we must be prepared by following the path of virtue.
Children should be taught this. When children show interest in going to temple or ashram, or show an inclination to listen to spiritual discourses, never discourage them, saying you are too young. This is not only for old people. Children must be taught to do good deeds always. It is not okay to engage in bad deeds during youth and become a good person only after advancing in years. Such thinking is not correct. At all ages, one should do good deeds. It is more important when the body is young and energetic, that they should be trained to do noble deeds. At an age when youth is vulnerable due to immature minds to go into bad ways, their attention should be diverted and channeled into doing good deeds.
In the Ramayana, there is a very important episode. It is a turning point in Rama’s life. King Dasaratha discusses with his ministers and priests about getting Rama married. At that time arrives a powerful and awe-inspiring sage, Sage Vishwamitra. At once Dasaratha got worried. He wondered what he would ask for. If the king is unable to fulfill his wish, the consequences would be dire. The sage came. What did he ask for? I do not want your honors and hospitality. I came to ask for just one thing. I am performing a great Yajna. Give me your son Rama to me as a gift. I will accept and be on my way. Dasaratha is not willing to part with Rama. He was cautioned that the king cannot break his word and he must tread the path of Dharma. You should not insult me with your denial. You are breaking your promise. No one in your lineage has done that before. In Vishwamitra’s words was hidden a curse.
Okay, be happy. But you are breaking your word, said Vishwamitra to Dasaratha, who was afraid to send his young teenage son with the sage to fight against demons. There was a family secret. Such secrets should not be disclosed to the public. One must keep family quarrels private. Diseases and bad habits of family members should not be made public. Otherwise, in society, the family will lose respect. Ramayana as a literary piece does not mention this topic. But this omission has to be compensated for. It happens in the Maha Ramayana also called Yoga Vasishtha.
Here, the secret is disclosed. Vasishtha tells Dasaratha that Rama can be safely sent with Viswamitra. The guard is sent to fetch Rama. He tells the king that Rama has not been talking to anyone for several weeks and months, no matter how hard people try to distract and entertain him. If this secret is known to the enemy that the crown prince is behaving like this from dispassion, they will try to attack and occupy the kingdom. Rama was not even accepting food. Viswamitra, when he heard this, said, O this is a small matter that can easily be fixed. Bring Rama here. Rama has to be given counseling to revive his spirits. Vasishtha agrees. Rama comes and speaks. That chapter is called the Vairagya Prakarana. This Yoga Vasishtha is being explained daily in discourses at the ashram.
What happened to Rama? He is not sick. His mind is fixed on God and hence, he has no interest in engaging in any activity. Rama is told that he needs to obtain the permission of Guru and parents before renouncing everything. Sri Rama is only sixteen years old. If a prince has this understanding and dispassion, is it not necessary that our children should be informed of this truth about life. With such responsibilities upon his shoulders, Rama was instructed of truth and his duties, and Rama readily went with Viswamitra on the mission, and then proceeded to Mithila and married Sita. He went later to the forest and was able to handle all the situations because of the courage he gained from the philosophical instruction he received from his Guru at this young age. The exile in the forest shows the strength of character of Rama. Youth should be taught to balance worldly life and spiritual life. These days all children are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. They sit in a corner playing video games. No need to worry that young people will all become Vedantins and will renounce family life. One great scholar was approached by parents who wanted their son to take lessons from him but expressed concern on this point. The scholar said, I have learned Vedanta for 18 years. But I got married.
Swamiji got over a hundred children from America in the age range of 5-17 to memorize the entire Bhagavad Gita. This is much needed. This philosophical knowledge is very essential for children. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, past President of India recommended the study of Bhagavad Gita by all students. Give everyone the example of Rama. Maha Ramayana has 32,000 verses.
11,000 years Sri Rama ruled the kingdom. The philosophical knowledge he had gained, helped him to reign by establishing Dharma.
A man who works all day, cannot go home and work again. He has to go to Ashrama to remove his day’s shrama, the stress and strain. Only Jnana gives comfort after activity. The two wings of a bird are activity and knowledge. When you rise high you will see the depth of the work. Sri Bhagavatpada is extremely intelligent. His intellect is like mercury. Sri Krishan gave us the Bhagavad Gita. Veda Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata with 100,000 verses. How many of those do we know? Sri Vishnu Sahasranama, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Sanatsujateeya, perhaps we are familiar with. Adi Sankara is the one who wrote a detailed commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, to make it accessible to us all. There are many Gitas, and out of those Sankara Bhagavatpada has revealed the special significance of the Bhagavad Gita. Later other gurus have also written commentaries, Sri Ramanujacharya, Sri Madhvacharya, and later several gurus of other spiritual organizations.
Sri Swamiji, the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya is now reviving the Bhagavad Gita, by getting the children interested in learning it. Good food nourishes us well. Good spiritual food nourishes our soul and gives us courage.
Nahi nahi rakshati … means, when death approaches, none can escape.
Demons always tried foolishly to conquer death. God says, you are the eternal, immortal soul. You have no death. But the foolish demons, like Hiranyakasipu, Bhasmasura and others still tried to avoid physical death of the body.
Yama came and told one person to come along. The man was shocked. He said, I want to stay longer here. He then played a trick. He decided to offer Yama a bribe. That is human nature. You came to my home. It is a rare occasion. I wish to offer you a dessert to show my hospitality. Yama is kind-hearted. He is impartial. We have a wrong impression about Yama that he is merciless. Yama said, I am full. Okay, I will accept. The man added sleeping pills to the dessert, the rice pudding, and offered it. Yama knew. He said, okay, a short delay does not matter. Yama slept. Yama brought a book, with names of people he had to pick up. The man’s name was the first. The man struck it off and put it at the end. The man was happy that he had tricked Yama while Yama slept. Yama woke up and expressed happiness at the offer of the dessert. To show a favor to this man, he said, I will not go from the first name, I will begin from the end and go backward. Thus, the plan failed.
Nachiketa in Kathopanishad teaches a great lesson. He was a little boy. His father was giving all useless things in charity. The boy was unhappy and questioned the dad. The father got angry and sent the boy away to Yama’s kingdom. Nachiketa asked Yama to tell him the secret of death. Our country is a great nation of boys like this.
Verse 9:
satsangatve nissangatvam
nissangatve nirmohatvam
nirmohatve nischalatattvam
nischalatattve jeevanmuktih
How step by step one can acquire Liberation is spelled out here. First tell me who your friends are. I will tell you what your nature is. We are all doing Satsang here, associating with God. We are assembled here to make friendship with God. Sat means good. Doing good deeds in the company of pious and noble souls is Satsanga. Sanga is association. Pious company develops non-attachment.
Nissangatva is when one is in deep sleep; one has no association with anything or anyone. When you wake up, you feel so happy and refreshed. It is hell if one is deprived of sleep. If people are making noise all around, you cannot sleep and you tell them to hush. You just go within yourself without any expense, effort, or strain.
Nissangatva, non-attachment is so comforting. The happiness of deep sleep must be maintained in the wakeful state. It is possible by associating with the pious. Knowledge may come any source. Whoever gives us spiritual knowledge is noble.
You are studying in a group study. But you must concentrate to benefit from the study. Even being in your own company is Satsanga, if you go within with focus on your soul or God. Control the sense organs and mind and meditate. It gives great rest and relaxation. Krishna drags away our mind, even if we are unwilling. Krishna steals our minds. For children, certain days are given as days off. One is asked to just go to the temple and sit quietly. Moha is delusion that drags us down. That is removed by not associating. When you are alone chanting the mantra given by Guru, the still mind helps you a lot. A patient’s records do not reveal the disease. Then the doctor quietly closes his eyes and thinks deeply. Then the diagnosis strikes his mind. When the mind is at ease, one feels happy. It is difficult to control the mind. It is as if one is trying to bundle up air. Arjuna complained that it is tough to control the mind. Krishna agreed and said, with practice and persistence, mind can be brought under control. Mind’s nature is to wander. To make it still, you need Nissangatva. Even one moment of such stillness is an ecstatic experience, not once a day, but even once in a lifetime, it is thrilling. When the mind is stilled, Jeevanmukti, liberation is achieved. Freedom while still living in the body. To experience that immense bliss, there is no need to give up the body. We see our Sadguru in front of our eyes, who enjoys that bliss within, while being active in the world. Suka Avadhoota was very strong and hefty, without even receiving much food. He never stayed anywhere for more than a few minutes. His strength came from spiritual ecstasy. That bliss strengthens physically also.
Narada is an example.
There is more pleasure in listening than in speaking. No need to remember or plan the speech. You may even sleep during Satsang. It is a sacred circumstance.
Narada woke him up and asked Vishnu to explain the significance of Satsang. Vishnu said, I have no time now. I have been sleeping. Go to Mysuru. There is a canal with mosquitoes. You have darshan there of a newborn infant mosquito. The infant opened its eyes, saw Narada and died. On a tree there was a parrot just hatched. Vishnu told Narada to go take a look. Narada hoped it would speak. It also looked at Narada and died. Narada returned to Vishnu and asked again. Why do you test me? Vishnu said go to this particular kingdom and see the calf just born. Narada entered the cowshed. Saw the calf. The eyes met and the calf died. Narada was very upset. He returned to Vishnu and held his feet and begged to help him. Now Narada was sent to see a prince just born in a kingdom. Narada was afraid that the king would kill him if at the sight of the sage the prince died. Narada went and picked up the newborn child.
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I will go the hell where there are pious people, he said. Then hell turns into heaven. Where there are wicked people, even it is called heaven, it is hell. Our lives get positively transformed in the company of wise, saintly persons.
Association of saints is a tree. Its flower is discretion. The discretion is of the highest order, like a crown jewel. We must always strive to acquire wisdom. Whoever protects that flower of discretion becomes what? Without flowers, there are no fruits. All fruits are rewarded to us, where such flowers are there. We become saints ourselves. Audumbara tree alone has no visible flowers, but has fruits. Dattatreya resides under the tree. The natural process is to first have a flower which then produces a fruit. But Datta Guru can grant fruit without flower.
Void enters the mind sometimes. Once a lotus blooms, the mind is filled with light. A man who does Satsang invites even death readily as if it were a festival. Misfortune appears to him like a great treasure. Such courage comes from Satsanga. Such is its power and greatness.
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We don’t know where wisdom will come from. Delusion is like mist. Mist can make a lotus wilt. It is disastrous for it. But Satsanga is like the wind that disperses delusion. Victory to the company of saints, which opens the intellect and drives away ignorance. It kills the poisonous tree called ignorance. The mind that is drowsy and intoxicated become alert and bright with the association of saints.
Verse 10:
vayasi gate kah kaamavikaarah
sushke neere kah kaasaarah
ksheene vitte kah parivaaro
gyaate tattve kah samsaarah
Once age advances, lust diminishes. Once all the water goes away, can there be a pond? People suffer when there is drought. They cry and lament. Once wealth is spent, will there be friends and relatives around? Only when there is money people will hover around. Once spiritual awakening occurs, will there be worldliness and birth and death? Once enlightenment occurs, one will get off the giant wheel of birth and death, which is what is called Samsara. To dispel sorrow, one must learn this highest principle.
Verse 11:
maa kuru dhanajanayauvanagarvam
harati nimeshaatkaalah sarvam
maayaamayamidamakhilam hitvaa
brahmapadam tvam pravisa viditvaa
Don’t be proud of wealth, popularity, or youthful vigor. Time quickly destroys all of these. Time flies. It flies at jet speed. It was January 1st just a while ago. Already we are in July. So fast time moves. Since 2010 I feel that time is moving too fast. In the ashrama there are four main festivals. Sivaratri, Birthday, Navaratri, and Datta Jayanti. Time flies. How to control the speed of time? By contemplation in God, we can conquer Time. To become immortal is to conquer death. Chandrasekharamashraye ..If we contemplate on God, what can death do to us? We have the power to transcend time. Markandeya’s story explains this.
This whole world is illusory. Leave this imaginary world and knowingly enter into your inner self.
Tenali Rama story helps us to learn more about Maya/illusion. We will learn it tomorrow. Leave all of this and go inward and get established in that divinity within yourself. Reach that highest state of Brahman. I feel that this should be the 12th sloka. But it is not so. Tradition has one more verse after this.
Bhajan and devotion will grant you that highest state.
Verse 12:
dinayaminyau saayam praatah
sisiravasantau punaraayaatah
kaalah kreedati gachchhatyaayuh
tadapi na munchatyaasaavaayuh
Time never stops.
When I began learning Sanskrit, this verse stole my heart. I don’t know why. The nature of time is beautifully explained. We will discuss in detail tomorrow. Our lifespan reduces every minute. But our desires do not reduce. This is the 12th verse. With this Sri Bhagavatpada stopped the composition abruptly.
The tune is very nice. M. S. Subbulakshmi’s tune also is very nice. Swamiji has also sung it. Whatever you feel like writing, you also write. The disciples all got inspired and they all composed their own verses. Chaturdasa Manjariki is another collection of another 14 slokas composed by the disciples of Adi Sankara. After listening to these, Sri Bhagavatpada was pleased and added four more verses.
May Sadguru’s grace help you to absorb the teaching of this great Bhaja Govinda Stotram. Do good deeds. Think good thoughts.
Om Shantisshantisshaantihi.
Sri Guru Datta