Bhaja Govindam
Bhaja Govindam is a musical piece in Sanskrit composed by the great Hindu
saint and philosopher Adi Shankaracharya hundreds of years ago. In this piece, he
describes the trials and tribulations ("samskara" ) that everyone has to go
through in this lifeand how to escape the "life and death" odyssey by seeking
Lord Govinda (the "protector" among the Trinity of Gods in Hindu religion). It
is written for the layman in simple verses that can be chanted by anyone. Each verse
("sloka") may be sung in a different raga. There are a total of about 31 slokas
. In a deeper sense, by composing Bhaja Govindam, Adi Shankara provided a
simple tool with which one could develop Bhakti (unflinching faith) for and identify with
Lord Govinda.
(Original posting in newsgroups: rec.music.indian.classical
From: [email protected] (Ramta)1995/04/23;
Edited & Formated:by Aswin Rangaswamy)
From [email protected] Mon Sep 12 06:07:05 EDT 1994
Article: 8688 of rec.music.indian.classical
Here is a mixure of
(1) Lyrics and rAgAs for M S's "bhaja govindam" posted by Srini Pichumani
and
(2) Translation obtained from the book: Hymns of Sankara. The book gives detailed
explanation of the verses, for those interested. Thanks to Uma Maheswari who sent me a
copy of this the translation.
Transliteration scheme:
a A i I u U e ai o au am :
k kh g gh ng
c ch j jh gn
T Th D Dh N
t th d dh n
p ph b bh m
y r l v
sh Sh s h
| rAgam |
SANSKRIT VERSE |
TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH |
| yamankalyANI |
bhaja govindam bhaja govindam
govindam bhaja mUDhamate
samprApte sannihite kAle
nahi nahi rakShati dukrunjkaraNe |
Adore the lord, adore the lord,
Adore the lord O fool,
When the appointed time (for departure) comes,
the repetition of grammatical rules will not indeed save you. |
| brndAvana sAranga |
mUDha jahihi dhanAgamatrshNAm
kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrshNam
yallabhase nija karmopAttam
vittam tena vinodaya cittam |
O fool, leave off the desire of wealth;
create in the mind thoughts about reality, devoid of passion.
what you get -i.e., what you have achieved through your past deeds
-with that, satisfy your mind. |
| pantuvarAlI |
yavadvittopArjana saktah:
tAvannija parivAro raktah:
pashcAt jIvati jarjara dehe
vArtAm kopi na prcchati gehe |
As long as you have the ability to earn money,
so long will your dependents be attached to you.
After that, when you live with an infirm body,
no one will even speak to you a word. |
| bAgEshrI |
mA kuru dhana jana youvana garvam
harati nimeShAt kala: sarvam
mAyAmayam idam akhilam hitvA
brahma padam tvam pravisha vidhitvA |
Do not be proud of wealth, kindred and youth;
Time takes away all these in a moment.
Leaving aside this entire (world) which is of the nature of
an illusion, and knowing the state of brahman, enter into it. |
| behAg |
sura mandira taru mUla nivAsa:
shayyA bhUtalam ajinam vAsa:
sarva parigraha bhoga tyAga:
kasya sukham na karoti virAga: |
Living in temples or at the foot of the trees,
sleeping on the ground, wearing deer-skin, renouncing all possession
and thier enjoyment - to whom will not dispassion bring happiness? |
| nAdanAmakriyA |
bhagavat gIta kincitadhItA
gangAjalalava kaNikApitA
sahrdapi yena murAri samarca
kriyate tasya yamena na carcA |
For him, who has studied the Bhagavatgita, even a little,
who has drunk a drop of the Gangawater, and who has performed
the worship of the destroyer of the demon Mura (viz Srikrishna)
at least once, there is no tiff with Yama |
| kApi |
punarapi jananam punarapi maraNam
punarapi jananI jaTare shayanam
iha samsAre bahudustAre
krpayA pAre pAhi murAre |
Repeated birth, repeated death and repeated lying in
mother's womb - this transmigratory process is extensive and
difficult to cross; save me, O destroyer of Mura, through your grace. |
| senjurutti |
artham anartham bhavaya nityam
nAstitata: sukhalesha: satyam
putrAdapi dhana bhArjAm bhItih:
sarvatraiShA vihitA rIti: |
Wealth is no good: thus reflect always; there is not the
least happiness there from; this is the truth.
For the wealthy there is fear even from a son;
everywhere this is the regular mode. |
| mohanam |
geyam gItA nAma sahasram
dhyeyam shrIpati rUpamajashram
neyam sajjana sange cittam
deyam dInajanAya ca vittam |
The Bhagavatgita and the Sahasranama should be sung;
the form of the lord of Lakshmi ( Vishnu) should be always meditated on;
the mind should be led to the company of the good;
and wealth should be distributed among the indigent. |
| sindubhairavI |
gurucharaNambuja nirbhara bhakta:
samsAradacIradbhava mukta:
sendriyamAnasa niyAmAdevam
drakShyasi nija hrdayastam devam |
Being devoted completely to the lotus-feet of the Master,
become released soon from the transmigratory process.
Thus, through the discipline of sense and mind-control,
you will behold the deity that resides in your heart. |
Vishnu Sahasranamam (Sa-ha-sthra) is another great composition in
theHindu literature by "Grandsire" Bhishma, the senior most member of the
Kaurava race in Mahabharata. In the decisive battle that ensues between the Pandavas and
Kauravas in this epic, the legandary Bhishma puts up achivalrous fight against the heroic
Arjuna, the master archer of thePandavas but is defeated in the end and lays on a bed of
arrows ("saratharpa") waiting for an auspicious moment to breathe his last. It
is then that Lord Krishna unfolds himself in his universal form ("Vishwarupa")
and Bhishma sings 1000 names in the Lord's praise that came to be known as Vishnu
Sahasranamam. The lyrics are read as a poem or as "namavali" (literally means
name calling). The names may not be distinguished in the poem form but come up
individually in "namavali".
Temples all across the country (India and US) have devotees that chantVishnu
Sahasranamam on a daily or weekly basis. There are cassettes andbooks available if you are
interested.
(Original posting in newsgroups: rec.music.indian.classical
From: [email protected] (Ramta)1995/04/23;
Edited by Aswin Rangaswamy)
