BHAJA GOVINDAM "Hammer Blows to Delusion" : Slokam - 16.

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Sunday, December 04,  2022. 06:00. 

Slokam-16 Fooled by Austerity

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Slokam - 16: Fooled by Austerity

With Translation :

1 agre vanhih prishthe bhaanuh      = In front is the fire, at the back the sun;

2 raatrau chubuka samarpita jaanuh; = at night he sits with knees held to his chin;

3 karatala bhikshas-taru-tala-vaasah= with a tree as shelter, his alms in his palms –

4 tadapi na munchaty-aashaa paashah.= yet the noose of Desire spares him not!

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Bhashyam (Vyakyanam ) :

This slokam depicts the other extreme – utter self-denial – in the hope that it will 

exhaust all desire. Aversion, as opposed to indulgence, is attempted. If some have 

discovered that they have been fooled by indulging in desires, there are others who have 

been equally fooled by making senseless efforts to deny themselves all bodily comforts.

These efforts are also doomed to failure because they do not address the Mind, where the 

problem lies.

1-3 In this verse certain torturous methods, quite common in Shankaracharya’s time 

but also seen to this day, of inviting bodily discomfort are used to check one’s desires. Again 

the glaring truth is ignored that the mind needs to be checked, not the body. All the cases 

quoted take the body to extreme levels of endurance in the belief that desire will be rooted 

out by such methods. They bypass the problem area completely.

These methods are prompted mainly by the ego. A pure mind will not think of these 

techniques. Only a Rajasic or Tamasic mind, which does not have the power to grasp the 

essence of what scriptures are trying to say, will reveal its lack of understanding by adopting 

such methods of austerity. The Bhagavad Gita calls such austerity Rajasic or Tamasic. As in 

the previous verse, the details of the methods are not so important. Its the central principle 

at work that is important.

4 The result is that the ego drives the will to practice such tormenting methods. The 

ego seeks to take the credit for “achieving” liberation for itself. It hijacks the entire practice 

of Sadhana among the unwary seekers. The ego sets out on the premise that “it will conquer 

the senses”. Such efforts have deluded many individuals on the spiritual path.

In this whole process, Desire remains untouched! 

In trying to struggle out of the “noose” of Desire in this manner, it gets tighter and 

tighter!

We see behind these slokas, the maturity of God-experience of Sri Shankaracharya 

being brought to bear in his advice for the benefit of genuine spiritual seekers.

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Next- Slokam- 17: Fooled by Moderation

To be continued

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