Swami Sri Adi Sankaracharya's BHAJA GOVINDAM : 1- INTRODUCTION - 5 : Swami Chinmayananda

08/02/2019
1. INTRODUCTION : 5.

Bhaja Govindam is one of the seemingly smaller but, infact, extremely important work of Sri Swami Adi Sankracharya. Here the fundamentals of Vedantam are taught in simple, musical verses so that, even from early childhood, the children of the Rishi-s can grow up amidst the melody of Advaitam.

The musical rhythm in these stanzas makes it easy even for children to remember and repeat these pregnant verses. For the intelligent young person, a sincere study of this poem can remove all his delusions ( Moham-s ), and so the poem is also called MOHA MUDGARA ( mudgara = hammer ).

*A popular story describes the circumstances in which the great poem broke out from the inspiring heart of the Teacher. It is said that, once in Benares, as Swami ji Sankaracharya was going along with fourteen disciples ( followers ), Sri Adi Sankaracharya overheard an old pandit repeating himself grammar rules, and at this futile effort put forth for a mere intellectual accomplishment and thus wasting his time in life without realising the spiritual unfoldment in himself, the Acharya is said to have burst forth into these stanzas, famous as "Moha Mudgara" now popularly known as "Bhaja Govindam."

"Grammar rules will never help anyone at the time of death. While living, strive to realise the deatless state of purity and perfection."

To be continued ...