BHAJA GOVINDAM "Hammer Blows to Delusion" : Slokam - 14. Sri Swami Adi Shankaracharyaji
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Monday, February 28, 2022. 06:00.
Slokam 14 : The Abuse of Outward Symbols
(Reflection by Swami Guru Bhaktananda - Chinmaya Mission.).
Slokam#14 :
"1 jatilo, munde, lunchita keshah 2 kashaya-ambara bahukrita veshah;
3 pashyan-api cha na pashyati mudho 4 hy-udara nimittam bahukrita veshah."
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Translation :
1 jatilo, mundee, lunchita keshah = An ascetic with matted locks; with shaven head; with hairs pulled out one by one;
2 kaashaaya-ambara bahukrita veshah; = another parading in his ochre robes –
3 pashyan-api cha na pashyati moodho = these fools, though seeing, do not see.
4 hy-udara nimittam bahukrita veshah. = Indeed, as different disguises or apparels, they are only for their belly’s sake.
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Slokam meaning :
There are many who go with matted locks, many who have clean shaven heads, many whose hairs have been plucked out; some are clothed in saffron, yet others in various colors --- all just for a livelihood. Seeing truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones see it not.
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Interpretation :
Here Shankaracharya ji describes a person who is on the spiritual path, one who is following the spiritual practices externally but is still grounded to worldly pursuits. It is difficult enough to tear oneself away from the temptations of the world and take to the higher pursuit. It is tragic if, in this inward journey, one gets entangled in mundane considerations. Thereafter it becomes more difficult to make a correction, as one believes one is on the right track. At least, while chasing after the objects of the world there is a feeling of wrongdoing, of straying away from the righteous path. One considers oneself a sinner. But here one is convinced of one's moral high ground and fails to see where one has deviated away from the path.
The description is vivid. An ascetic with matted hair or head shaven, with his material quest disguised in ochre robes, he does all this only for the ‘belly'. Belly signifies physical comfort, emotional satisfaction and intellectual delight. He does not see the possibility of anything beyond just his personal fulfilment.
Shankara calls such a person a fool because he is so near the Truth yet totally blinded. The most difficult part of the spiritual path is to avoid getting tied down by petty, selfish considerations. Once this hurdle is overcome the practices themselves become effortless. Whatever we do, the thought of ‘I, me and myself' does not leave us. We follow the spiritual exercises but we fail to address this crucial element. This, in fact, is the central point of the spiritual journey. Selflessness is a measure of spiritual growth. So it is no use doing everything else if we are unwilling to rid ourselves of selfish, self-centred interests. As a result we end up as hypocrites, professing the higher but pursuing the lower. We lose touch with basic human feelings. We fail to lift off. Hence we miss the power and ease, the grandeur and magnificence, of a life of dedication and surrender. All of us need to watch out for this pitfall. Selfishness creeps in without our knowing it, in spite of our best efforts. The intellect must be alert at all times.
“If we want to realize our dreams, we have to stay awake.” Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda.
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CONCLUSION :
1-2 In the period of Shankaracharyaji, the externals counted for everything that one stood for. Here three typical symbols are expressly mentioned, but there are many more. Not much needs to be said about the actual details of these symbols; for they are cultural, and vary from one period to another as well as one place to another, and more broadly even from one country to another. The principle that is more important to grasp.
3-4 Religion had become an outward show. It was a low point in the history of religious practice in India. Shankaracharya’s great contribution was to reform this situation which threatened to engulf our tradition. In any culture, when the spirit is lost and only the outward form remains, that culture dies a natural death. Shankaracharyaji had devoted his life to ensure that this situation was corrected. Passages like these, attributed to his disciples, show what a reforming spirit drove the Master. Let religion never degenerate to an outward show for the sake of filling one’s stomach. That is the message to take.
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The True Significance of Religious Symbols :
An important point to make regarding a verse such as this is that the attack is on the egoism and hypocrisy of insincere men; this is not an attack on the symbols themselves.
This is now being explained:
One’s identity to a role is largely determined by the uniform which that role is dressed in. A policeman on duty (in his uniform) is a braver person than when he is off-duty (without his uniform). Sadhus are “on duty” for 24 hours a day! They have to carry their uniform at all times. But they are also human, and can come down to lower consciousness at times.
This is where the problems begin.
The Sadhu world is also “infiltrated” by those who only enter it for the sake of making an easy livelihood from it, without meeting the standards demanded by it. No one can stop this happening. Strong poems like Bhaja Govindam may help to make people aware of these dangers by bringing them out into the open for public debate.
Such dangers would always be there in any system. Every system is open to abuse. There are many in police uniforms, too, who fall prey to bribes, etc, and lower the name of the Police Force. This does not become a valid reason to discontinue the Police Force. In the same way, the abuse of religious symbols does not constitute a valid reason for discontinuing them. What is really intended by this verse is a periodical self-introspective purging by each member of a particular system.
It becomes the duty of a spiritual teacher of worth to train his disciples in such a way that they do not use their outer symbols to buy privileges from society. This is best done by instilling a deep spirit of service in them. This was the approach used by the great modern saint, Sri Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. He drummed into the minds of his disciples the dangers of overdoing any practice of austerity. He made service the cornerstone of Sadhana for his disciples. And many of them excelled throughout the world as proof of the greatness of the system of Sannyas.
In short, symbols are intended to uphold a basically very good system. Service and sincerity are strong antidotes against their abuse.
Acharyaji gave some very good examples. Among them was that of Ravana. When he wanted to kidnap Sita, what better garb could he resort to than that of a Brahmin Sadhu! He did not stop to think of the consequences of misusing the garb to satisfy his lust. He did not think of how his act would reflect badly on the entire spiritual community.
Thus we should never be a cause for a stain on the spiritual life of society. Society does its best to uphold its spiritual seekers. And spiritual seekers have to reciprocate.
The next three slokas show that conquest of Desire is no easy matter…
Next -Slokam - 15: Fooled by Desire
To be continued ....
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