[nukkad] Gita in a nutshell?

[Sandeep Budhrani <>]

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Tip of the day:  Remember, this "nukkad" is international.
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Hello Nukkies

Hope this finds you well.

I picked this up from another Iskcon mailing list and I must admit, if  one 
wants to understand the message of Holy Gita, one can at least start by
reading this.
Do pass it on to all your friends.

Regards

Sandeep
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Bhaja Govindam of Sri Shankaracharya

Bhaja Govindam is one of the smaller works of Shankara. During Shankara's
stay in Kashi, he noticed an old man engaged in studying the rules of
sanskrit by Panini. Shankara was touched with pity seeing the plight of
the old man spending his years at a mere intellectual accomplishment while
he would be better off praying and spending time to control his mind.
Shankara understood that the majority of the world was also engaged in
mere intellectual, sense pleasures and not in divine contemplation. Seeing
this, he composed the verses of Bhaja Govindam.

The first twelve verses were intially composed by Shankara. His disciples
added 14 more verses. Shankara then added the remaining verses. The total
number of verses being 33.


TEXT 1 

bhajagovindam bhajagovindam
govindam bhajamuudhamate
sampraapte sannihite kaale
nahi nahi rakshati dukrijnkarane

Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda. Oh fool! Rules of
Grammar will not save you at the time of your death. 

TEXT 2

mudha jahiihi dhanaagamatrishhnaam
kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrishhnaam
yallabhase nijakarmopaattam
vittam tena vinodaya chittam

Oh fool! Give up your thrist to amass wealth, devote your mind to thoughts
to the Real. Be content with what comes through actions already performed
in the past.

TEXT 3

naariistanabhara naabhiidesham
drishhtvaa maagaamohaavesham
etanmaamsaavasaadi vikaaram
manasi vichintaya vaaram vaaram

Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and lust by
seeing a woman's navel and chest. Bodies are flesh, fat and blood. Do not
fail to remember this again and again in your mind.

TEXT 4

naliniidalagata jalamatitaralam
tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam
viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam
lokam shokahatam cha samastam

Uncertain is the life of man as rain drops on a lotus leaf. Know that the
whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief.

TEXT 5

yaavadvittopaarjana saktah
staavannija parivaaro raktah
pashchaajjiivati jarjara dehe
vaartaam koapi na prichchhati gehe

So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see the affection
all those around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word
with him when his body totters due to old age.

TEXT 6

yaavatpavano nivasati dehe
taavatprichchhati kushalam gehe
gatavati vaayau dehaapaaye
bhaaryaa bibhyati tasminkaaye

When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his welfare.
But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear
of the corpse.

TEXT 7

baalastaavatkriidaasaktah
tarunastaavattaruniisaktah
vriddhastaavachchintaasaktah
pare brahmani koapi na saktah

Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age
passes away by thinking over many past things. Alas! hardly is there
anyone who yearns to be lost in Parabrahman.

TEXT 8

kaate kaantaa kaste putrah
samsaaro.ayamatiiva vichitrah
kasya tvam kah kuta aayaatah
tattvam chintaya tadiha bhraatah

Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this samsara. Of whom are
you? Where have you come from? Brother, ponder over these truths.

TEXT 9

satsangatve nissngatvam
nissangatve nirmohatvam
nirmohatve nishchalatattvam
nishcalatattve jiivanmuktih

From Satsanga comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from
delusion, which leads to self-settledness. From self-settledness comes
Jivan Mukti.

TEXT 10

vayasigate kah kaamavikaarah
shushhke niire kah kaasaarah
kshiinevitte kah parivaarah
gyaate tattve kah samsaarah

What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has no
water? Where are the relatives when wealth is gone? Where is samsara when
the Truth is known?

TEXT 11

maa kuru dhana jana yauvana garvam
harati nimeshhaatkaalah sarvam
maayaamayamidamakhilaM hitvaa
brahmapadaM tvaM pravisha viditvaa

Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of these are
destroyed within a minute. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of
Maya and attain the timeless Truth.

TEXT 12

dinayaaminyau saayam praatah
shishiravasantau punaraayaatah
kaalah kriidati gachchhatyaayuh
tadapi na mujncatyaashaavaayuh

Daylight and darkness, dusk and dawn, winter and springtime come and go.
Time plays and life ebbs away. But the storm of desire never leaves.

TEXT 13

dvaadashamajnjarikaabhirasheshhah
kathito vaiyaakaranasyaishhah
upadesho bhuudvidyaanipunaih
shriimachchhankarabhagavachchharanarih

This bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian by the
all-knowing Shankara, adored as the bhagavadpada.

TEXT 14

kaate kaantaa dhana gatachintaa
vaatula kim tava naasti niyantaa
trijagati sajjanasam gatiraikaa
bhavati bhavaarnavatarane naukaa

Oh mad man! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth? Is there no one to
guide you? There is only one thing in three worlds that can save you from
the ocean from samsara. Get into that boat of satsangha quickly. 

TEXT 15

jatilo mundii lujnchhitakeshah
kaashhaayaambarabahukritaveshhah
pashyannapi cana pashyati muudhah
udaranimittam bahukritaveshhah

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.

TEXT 16

angam galitam palitam mundam
dashanavihiinam jatam tundam
vriddho yaati grihiitvaa dandam
tadapi na mujncatyaashaapindam

Strength has left the old man's body; his head has become bald, his gums
toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then the attachment is strong and
he clings firmly to fruitless hope.

TEXT 17

agre vahnih prishhthebhaanuh
raatrau chubukasamarpitajaanuh
karatalabhikshastarutalavaasah
tadapi na mujncatyaashaapaashah

Behold there lies the man who sits warming up his body with the fire in
front and the sun at the back; at night he curls up the body to keep out
of the cold; he eats his beggar's food from the bowl of his hand and
sleeps beneath the tree. Still in his heart, he is a wretched puppet at
the hands of passions.

TEXT 18

kurute gangaasaagaragamanam
vrataparipaalanamathavaa daanam
gyaanavihinah sarvamatena
muktim na bhajati janmashatena

One may go to the Ganga, observe fasts, and give away riches in charity!
Yet, devoid of jnana, nothing can give mukthi even at the end of a hundred
births.

TEXT 19

sura mandira taru muula nivaasah
shayyaa bhuutala majinam vaasah
sarva parigraha bhoga tyaagah
kasya sukham na karoti viraagah

Take your residence in a temple or below a tree, wear the deerskin for the
dress, and sleep with mother earth as your bed. Give up all attachments
and renounce all comforts. Blessed with such vairagya, could any fail to
be content?

TEXT 20

yogarato vaabhogaratovaa
sangarato vaa sangaviihinah
yasya brahmani ramate chittam
nandati nandati nandatyeva

One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or detachment.
But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one
else.

TEXT 21

bhagavad giitaa kijnchidadhiitaa
gangaa jalalava kanikaapiitaa
sakridapi yena muraari samarchaa
kriyate tasya yamena na charchaa

Let a man read but a little from the Gita, drink just a drop of water from
the Ganga, worship Murari just once. He then will have no altercation with
Yama.

TEXT 22

punarapi jananam punarapi maranam
punarapi jananii jathare shayanam
iha samsaare bahudustaare
kripayaa apaare paahi muraare

Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother's womb ! It is
indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari ! Redeem
me through Thy mercy.

TEXT 23

rathyaa charpata virachita kanthah
punyaapunya vivarjita panthah
yogii yoganiyojita chitto
ramate baalonmattavadeva

There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are rags cast
off the road. Freed from vice and virtue, onward he wanders. One who lives
in communion with God enjoys bliss, pure and uncontaminated, like a child
and as someone intoxicated.

TEXT 24

kastvam ko.aham kuta aayaatah
kaa me jananii ko me taatah
iti paribhaavaya sarvamasaaram
vishvam tyaktvaa svapna vichaaram

Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my
father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essenceless and give up the
world as an idle dream.

TEXT 25

tvayi mayi chaanyatraiko vishhnuh
vyartham kupyasi mayyasahishhnuh
bhava samachittah sarvatra tvam
vaajnchhasyachiraadyadi vishhnutvam

In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your
anger and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the quality of
Vishnu soon, have Sama Bhaava always.

TEXT 26

shatrau mitre putre bandhau
maa kuru yatnam vigrahasandhau
sarvasminnapi pashyaatmaanam
sarvatrotsrija bhedaagyaanam

Do not waste your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend
and foe, children and relatives. See yourself in everyone and give up all
feelings of duality completely.

TEXT 27


kaamam krodham lobham moham
tyaktvaa atmaanam bhaavaya ko aham
aatmagyaana vihiinaa muudhaah
te pachyante narakaniguudhaah



Give up lust, anger, infatuation, and greed. Ponder over your real nature.
Fools are they who are blind to the Self. Cast into hell they suffer there
endlessly.



TEXT 28


geyam giitaa naama sahasram
dhyeyam shriipati ruupamajasram
neyam sajjana sange chittam
deyam diinajanaaya cha vittam



Regularly recite from the Gita, meditate on Vishnu in your heart, and
chant His thousand glories. Take delight to be with the noble and the
holy. Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy.



TEXT 29


sukhatah kriyate raamaabhogah
pashchaaddhanta shariire rogah
yadyapi loke maranam sharanam
tadapi na mujnchati paapaacharanam



He who yields to lust for pleasure leaves his body a prey to disease.
Though death brings an end to everything, man does not gives up the sinful
path.



TEXT 30


arthamanartham bhaavaya nityam
naastitatah sukhaleshah satyam
putraadapi dhana bhaajaam bhiitih
sarvatraishhaa vihiaa riitih



Wealth is not welfare, truly there is no joy in it. Reflect thus at all
times. A rich man fears even his own son. This is the way of wealth
everywhere.



TEXT 31



praanaayaamam pratyaahaaram
nityaanitya vivekavichaaram
jaapyasameta samaadhividhaanam
kurvavadhaanam mahadavadhaanam



Regulate the pranas, remain unaffected by external influences and
discriminate between the real and the fleeting. Chant the holy name of God
and silence the turbulent mind. Perform these with care, with extreme
care.



TEXT 32



gurucharanaambuja nirbhara bhakatah
samsaaraadachiraadbhava muktah
sendriyamaanasa niyamaadevam
drakshyasi nija hridayastham devam



Oh devotee of the lotus feet of the Guru! May thou be soon free from
Samsara. Through disciplined senses and controlled mind, thou shalt come
to experience the indwelling Lord of your heart!



TEXT 33


muudhah kashchana vaiyaakarano
dukrijnkaranaadhyayana dhurinah
shriimachchhamkara bhagavachchhishhyai
bodhita aasichchhodhitakaranah



Thus was a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow vision
and shown the Light by Shankara's apostles.



TEXT 34


bhajagovindam bhajagovindam
govindam bhajamuudhamate
naamasmaranaadanyamupaayam
nahi pashyaamo bhavatarane



Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool! Other than
chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's
ocean.


  


R.R.Vidyasagar 
M.S Scholar 
TD&CE Laboratory 
Mechanical Engg. Department 
I.I.T Madras 
Chennai-600 036



 

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