Bhaja Govindam by Adi Sankara

About Sankara

Jagatguru Adi Sankaracharya is undisputably among the greatest philosophers that India, or the world, has ever produced. He is unique in the history of the world as he combined in himself the attributes of a philosopher, a devotee, a mystic, a poet and a religious reformer. Though he lived twelve hundred years ago, India and the world feels the impact of the life and work of this spiritual genius even today.

As per the promise given in the Gita that God would descend on earth whenever righteousness and all that is dependent upon Dharma is on the decline, Sankaracharya appeared on the Indian scene at a time when moral and religious chaos had overtaken the country.

Sankaracharya was born during the 8th century. By those times, Buddhism was widely spread in the country, but in a very much changed form from that of the pure and simple ethical teachings of the Master; Jainism also had its influence and a wide following. Both the religions, as per common comprehension, i.e. as per lay men's understanding, were bereft of the concept of God, with the result that atheism was becoming vogue and the general creed of the people. Hinduism itself was broken up into numberless sects and denominations, each opposed to and intolerant of the other. The religious coherence in the land was lost and, besides, many unwholesome excrescences such as the vows of the Saivas and the vamachara of the Saktas, Ganapatyas, Sauras and Bhagawatas which crept in, were corrupting the purity and spirit of religion. What the times needed was an integration of all thought so as to stop the waning of the eternal principles of Dharma, to arrest the religious decadence, disharmony, and discord mounting up among the various sects of the Hindus, and bringing about a moral, religious and spiritual harmony, integration and renaissance in the land. Such a mighty and stupendous task only God could do.... and Sankara came, undertook it and accomplished it too! ......

During the brief span of 32 years of life, Sankara established firmly the Advaita Vedanta philosophy as the essential unifying basis of the Hindu religion. He brought about religious harmony, spiritual coherence and moral regeneration of the country.

Sankara's Life Profile

Sankaracharya was born towards the end of the eighth century A.D., at Kaladi, a village in Central Kerala. He was the only son of a devout Nambudiri Brahmin couple, Sivaguru and Aryamba. It is believed that he was born as a result of their long prayers to Lord Siva of the famous Vrishabhachaleswara temple at Trichur. He was an infant prodigy and completed his Vedic studies by the age of eight. His father died when was still young and it was his mother who brought him up with loving care as he was her only source of consolation and support now. The boy exhibited ascetic tendencies and mother felt very upset. Yet, the divine mission for which that great genius had been born had to be fulfilled, and so something of miracle had to happen to set Sankara free from worldly ties. So once when the son was bathing in the nearby Purna river, while the mother was standing on the bank, a crocodile caught hold of the boy's leg and was dragging him into deeper waters.

When death was (seemingly) near, Sankara asked permission of the mother to enter the last 'ashrama of Sanyasa', which every Hindu was supposed to enter before his death. Formal renunciation at such a critical situation, *Apat-Sanyasa*, was a common practice. Very reluctantly, Aryamba gave her consent and lo, mysteriously the crocodile let go the boy ! Emerging from the river, the bala-sanyasin decided to become a wandering monk and soon left his village after consoling and assuring his mother that he would be at her side during her last days and even perform her funeral rites. Thus, Sankara set forth on his divine mission at the very young age of eight, when most of the boys would not have even left their toy-trinkets.

After leaving Kaladi, the young sanyasin-scholar wandered through South India and ultimately reached the banks of Narmada in search of a Guru. There, he met Govinda Bhagavatpada, a prominent disciple of the great Gaudapada of Mandukya Karika reputation. Govindapada welcomingly accecpted this boy-sanyasin as his disciple and initiated him into the intricacies of Vedanta. After about seven years, when Sankara had completed his Vedantic studies and Sadhana, his guru told him to proceed to Kasi, the ancient city of learing and spirituality, and spread the message of Advaita Vedanta from there by writing commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upnishads and the Bhagavad Gita.

As instructed, he proceeded to Kasi and there, within a short time, established himself as the greatest champion of Vedanta philosophy. He won many debates; and disciples came to him in large numbers. Padmapada, Hastamalaka and Totaka were the chief among them. Thus, by the age of sixteen, Sankara had established himself as a great philosopher in the city of Varanasi, then the very heart of the intellectual and spiritual movements in India.

After establishing himself at Kasi as the invincible champion of Vedanta philosophy, Sankara started on tour of this vast country for a *Dig-Vijaya* or spiritual conquest, under specific instruction from sage Veda Vyasa who blessed him with a vision while Sankara was writing the Brahma Sutra Bhashya. Wherever he went, he won over eminent leaders of the other existing systems of philosophy and firmly established Advaita Vedanta. None could stand against his vast erudition, dialectical skill and spiritual insight. Amongst these debates, the one which was of great importance was his encounter with Mandana Misra, the great disciple of Kumarila Bhatta, a staunch protagonist of ritualism. The *Karma Kanda* portion of the Vedas had much hold on Hindu religion at that time and this was largely due to the philosopher-leaders and religious authorities like Kumarila Bhatta and Mandan Misra. In order to establish the truths of *Jnana Kanda*, Sankaracharya had to defeat and win over these two intellectuals. Due to unavoidable circumstances, Kumarila Bhatta could not undertake a debate with Sankaracharya and directed the Vedantin to meet his disciple Mandan Misra. The debate with Mandan Misra took place with Ubhaya Bharati, scholarly wife of Mandana Misra, acting as the Judge. After many days of discussion, Mandana Misra accepted defeat.

The condition of the debate was that he who would be defeated would become the other's disciple and take up the victor's way of life. Thus, Mandana Misra became a Sanyasi and was given the name Sureswara. This victory gave a new impetus to Sankara's spiritual conquest. Sri Sankara and his disciples travelled all over the land refuting false doctrines and purifying objectionable practices which were in vogue in the name of religion. He also established Maths in four places; in Sringeri in th south; Badri in the north, Dwaraka in the west and Jagannath Puri in the east. He chose these places of beauty of their natural environments amidst snow-clad mountains, forests and rivers or on the shores of the ocean, places where heaven and earth meet and transport man's thoughts to sublime heights. He placed Sri Sureswaracharya at the head of the Math in Sringeri, Sri Padmapada in Dwaraka, Sri Totaka in Badri and Sri Hastamalaka in Puri. The establishing of these Mathas indicate Sri Sankara's realisation of the physical and spiritual unity of India. He wrote in Sanskrit, the lingua franca of cultured India of those times, which alone could appeal to all the intellectuals all over the land.

After a pretty long stay in Sringeri, he hastened to the bed-side of his dying mother in his ancestral home at Kaladi and sped her soul to the 'immortal realms of light' to the strains of mellifluous hymns in praise of Siva and Vishnu. Undeterred by the opposition of his pharsaical (religious formalist) kinsmen, he cremated his mother's body on the river bank behind the house and the spot had since become hallowed as a place of pilgrimage.

He visited all the sacred shrines of the land around which have gathered the cultural traditions of the people, purifying the forms of worship and establishing the Sri Chakaras in many of them such as Kamakshi temple of Kanchi, Nara Narayana temple of Badri and Guhyesvari temple in Nepal, etc.

This "best of peripatetic teachers" ( Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya ) crowned his triumphal tours by vanquishing the great scholars of Kashmir, and ascended the sarvajnapitha as the symbol of recognition by the world of his scholarship and undisputed mastery in all the (then known) branches of learning.

During his last visit to Nepal, he had a vision of Sri Dattatreya and from there he went to Kedarnath at which place, at the age of thirty two, he said to have disappeared from his mortal existence. A spot not far from the shrine of Kedarnath is said to be the place of his disappearance. ( One version, however, is that he merged in Mother Kamakshi at the Holy Kanchi, thus ending his earthly career).

Sankara made the edifice of Hindu religion strong by his rational and scientific exposition of the Upanishadic philosophy so that Sanatana Dharma could face all the challenges during the vicissitudes of history till modern times. His contribution to Indian philosophy is so great and lasting that all the later philosophers have only tried to refute him or to elucidate his ideas. In foreign countries, Indian philosophy has always come to be identified with Sankara's Advaita.

Sankara symbolises the great *Rishi-culture* whose greatest exponent he was. The message of Sankara is a message of hope and optimism. He says that man is not a finality, a finished product; he has divine potentiality in him which is to be discovered through self-conscious evolution. The kingdom of peace, fullness and joy are within each one of us, says Advaita. We will have to realise it. As his very name suggests (Sam karoti iti Sankara -- " He who blesses is Sankara").

Sankaracharya was one of the greatest benefactors of mankind because he expounded the Advaita Vedanta philosophy which is the essence of Vedas and which is a pathway to Bliss and Immortality.

About Bhaja Govindam

Bhaja Govindam is one of the minor compositions of Jagatguru Adi Sankaracharya, compared to his monumental works called *Bhashyas*, commentaries on Indian Scriptures. Bhaja Govindam, along with Atma Bodha, etc., comes under the category of *Prakarana Granthas*, introductory manuals for spiritual studies. They are like primers, explaining the philosophical terms etc., for the spiritual initiates. The elementary spiritual truths are brought to the fore in these booklets and make man think, " Ah, this is life; I must seek escape from this prison-hole and may God guide and help me". Man is thus drawn out of miry bylanes of life in which he is stuck up and put onto the royal road of spirituality, on the pathway to God !

A popular story describes the circumstances in which this great poem burst forth the lips of Sankara. It is said that once in Banaras when he, together with his fourteen disciples, was going along on his daily rounds, he overheard a very old Pundit cramming Panini's grammer rules. Sankara was touched with pity at the ignorance and folly of the man to be wasting away the most precious 'dusk hours' of his life for a mere intellectual accomplishment instead of spending them in contemplation on the Lord, praying for spiritual enlightenment and for release from the bondage of Samsara. He knew that this was not the state of that particular old man only, but was the general state of most of the men.

Men waste and while away their lives in many (or most) futile ways, grovelling in the mire of earthly attachments forgetting God who is the only goal in life. In compassion for man's plight, he burst forth into these stanzas, famous as MOHA MUDGARA, now popularly known by the refrain of the song, which is *BHAJA GOVINDAM*.

"Oh, Mudha ! Oh, ignoramus ! Grammer rules (in fact all your secular learning) will not come to your rescue when death knocks to snatch you away. Instead of wasting away the precious span of your life in a futile manner, turn to and seek Govinda, who alone can save you from the jaws of life and death".

In thirty-one simple, sweet and lucid Slokas, giving homely analogies and illustrations for our easy understanding, Sankara tells us about the fallacy and futility of our life; and sloka by sloka he removes veil after veil, dispelling our ignorance, illusions and delusions (MOHA) and showing us where the remedy for all our misery lies. The poem is, therefore also called MOHA MUDGARA. He touches all aspects of our life, how these blind and bind us, plunging us deeper and deeper into the abyss of ignorance and misery. He wants each one of us to cultivate a discerning and discriminating eye (VIVEKA) to distinguish the permanent from the transitory, the real from the unreal, to practice dispassion (VAIRAGYA) for worldly attractions and distractions, to cultivate devotion for realising Govinda, the abiding Truth and thus getting released from the misery and bondage of this phenomenal existence.

Bhaja Govindam Verses

   Verse 1:
   ~~~~~~
   BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM
     GOVINDAM BHAJA MUDHAMATE
   SAMPRAAPTE SANNIHITE KALE
     NA HI NA HI RAKSHATI DUKRINKARANE
   
   Seek Govinda! Seek Govinda! Seek Govinda! Oh ignoramus, at the time
   of death the rules of grammer, which you are trying to cram and
   master, will not be able to rescue you at all.
   (Grammer rules mean all secular knowledge and earthly acquistitions. 
   Mudhamati means a materialist, wholely worldly-minded, who does not 
   believe in God or the spiritual entity that is in man,
   i.e., Nastika or Anatmavadi
   
   Verse 2:
   ~~~~~~
   MOODHA JAHEEHI DHANAAGAMATRISHNAAM
     KURU SADBUDHIM MANASI VITRISHNAAM
   YALLABHASE NIJAKARMOPAATHAM
     VITHAM TENA VINODAYA CHITHAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   Oh, Fool! give up your insatiable desire for earthly possessions;
   be sensible and develop serenity and contentment. Be satisfied
   and happy with whatever you may earn by the sweat of your brow
   and whatever has destiny marked for your lot.
   
   Verse 3:
   ~~~~~~
   NAAREE STHANABHARA NABHEEDESAM
     DHRISHTWA MAA GAA MOHAVESAM
   YETAN MAAMSAVASAADI VIKAARAM
     MANASI VICHINTHAYA VAARAM VAARAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   Enticed by the physical glamour of a woman, do not lose your senses;
   the body is nothing but a conglomeration of flesh, do not forget 
   this any time.
   
   Verse 4:
   ~~~~~~
   NALINEEDALAGATHA JALAMATITHARALAM
     TADWAJJEEVITAMATHISHAYA CHAPALAM
   VIDDHI VYADHYABHIMAANAGRASTAM
     LOKAM SHOKAHATAM CHA SAMASTHAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   The water droplet on the lotus leaf is tremulous and unsteady. 
   So too is life which is as uncertain. Know the body to be in 
   the claws of disease, which may swallow it at any moment. 
   Life is ultimately nothing but worry, misery and grief.
   
   Verse 5:
   ~~~~~~
   YAAVADVITTOPAARJANA SAKTHAH
     TAAVANNIJAPARIVAARO RAKTHAH
   PASCHAAJJEEVATI JARJARADEHE
     VAARTHAM KOPI NA PRICHCHATHI GEHE
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   As long as you are fit to make an earning, so long will your
   kith and kin be solicitous about you, but no sooner your 
   limbs become infirm and your earnings cease, none will care for 
   you, not even your own home-folk.
   
   Verse 6:
   ~~~~~~
   YAAVATPAVANO NIVASATI DEHE
     TAAVATPRICHCHATI KUSHALAM GEHE
   GATAVATI VAAYO DEHAAPAAYE
     BHAARYA BIBHYATI TASMINKAAYE
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   As long as there is life in your body, your people may have
   concern for you, but once the life-breath ebbs out of your 
   body, even your own wife will run away from you.
   
   Verse 7:
   ~~~~~~
   BAALASTAAVAT KREEDAA SAKTHAH
     THARUNASTAAVAT THARUNEESAKTHAH
   VRIDDHASTAAVAT CHINTHAASAKTHAH
     PARASE BRAHMANI KOPI NA SAKTHAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   Childhood skips off on sport and play. Youth flies off in 
   pursuits of love-making. As one grows older he is drowned 
   in worry about the security and future of his wife and
   children. One's whole life gets spent in some kind of 
   worry or other. And at no stage does man find time to 
   lift his thoughts to God.
   
   Verse 8:
   ~~~~~~
   KAA TE KAANTAA KASTE PUTHRAH
     SAMSAROYAMATEEVA VICHITRAH
   KASYA TWAM KAH KUTHA AAYAATAH
     TATWAM CHINTHAYA TADIHA BHARATAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   Who indeed is your beloved and who indeed is your son? Strange 
   indeed are these family bonds; who belongs to you and to whom you
   belong? whence did you come, Oh brother! Reflect on the truth
   of it all.
   
   Verse 9:
   ~~~~~~
   SATSANGATWE NISSANGATWAM
     NISSANGATWE NIRMOHATWAM
   NIRMOHATWE NISCHALATATWAM
     NISCHALATATWE JEEVANMUKTHIH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   The company of the good weans one away from false atttachments;
   when attachment is lost, delusion ends; when delusion ends, the mind
   becomes unwavering and steady. An unwavering and steady mind is merited
   for Jeevan Mukti ( liberation even in this life).
   
   Verse 10:
   ~~~~~~~
   VAYASI GATE KAH KAMAVIKARAH
     SHUSHKE NEERE, KAH KAASAARAH
   KSHEENE VITHE KAH PARIVARO
     GYNATE TATWE KAH SAMASARAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   When youth is gone, where is lust and its play? Where is the lake
   when its waters have dried up? Where are the kinsfolk when riches
   are gone ? When Truth is realised, where is the snare of Samsara?
   
   Verse 11:
   ~~~~~~~
   MAA KURU DHANAJANAYOUVANAGARVAM
     HARATI NIMESHAATKAALAH SARWAM
   MAAYAAMAYAMIDAMAKHILAM HITHWA
     BRAHMAPADAM TWAM PRAVISHA VIDITWA
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   The pleasures and riches of worldly life are deceptive appearances. 
   Understanding that they are all but a passing-show, be detached and 
   dispassionate, cultivate renunciation and seek Brahman.
   
   Verse 12:
   ~~~~~~~
   DINAYAAMINYOU SAAYAM PRAATAH
     SHISHIRAVASANTOW PUNARAAYAATAH
   KAALAH KREEDATI GACHCHATYAAYUH
     TADAPI NA MUNCHATHYAASAAVAAYUH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM..........)
   
   Day and night, dawn and dusk, winter and spring, all these are flitting
   across the stage of the world. While time thus is frolicking and 
   befooling us, our life span is also running out; yet we do not , even
   a little, give up the clinging to our desires, nor do we let the 
   desires loosen their grip on us.
   
   Verse 13:
   ~~~~~~~
   KAA TE KAANTAA DHANAGATACHINTAA
     VAATULA KIM TAVA NAASTI NIYANTAA
   TRIJAGATI SAJJANASANGATIREKAA
     BHAVATI BHAVAARNAVATARANE NOUKAA
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Crazy man ! Why do you worry so much about your wife and property?
   why don't you seek out the Truth ? Know that in these three worlds
   it is only the association with the good and holy that can help you
   in crossing safely the ocean of life.
   
   Verse 14:
   ~~~~~~~
   JATILO MUNDI LUNCHITAKESHAH
     KAASHAAYAAMBARA BAHUKRITAVESHAH
   PASYANNAPI CHA NA PASYATI MOODHO
     HIUDARANIMITAM BAHUKRITAVESHAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   The ascetic with matted locks, the man with the shaven head or
   one with hair pulled out, or the man parading in the ochre robes
   -- they all have eyes but yet do not see. All these are but deceptions
   for cheating the world, for filling their bellies. ( Renunciation
   does not lie in external appearance, but in inward thought, attitude
   and feeling).
   
   Verse 15:
   ~~~~~~~
   ANGAM GALITAM PALITAM MUNDAM
     DASANAVIHEENAM JAATAM TUNDAM
   VRIDHDHO YAATI GRIHEETWA DANDAM
     TADAPI NA MUNCHATYAASHAAPINDAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   The body has become decrepit, the hair on the head has turned 
   completely gray; the mouth has become totally toothless; the
   back is bent down and the old man cannot take even a step witout
   the aid of his stick; yet he does not loosen even a bit, his hold
   on the bundle of desires.
   
   Verse 16:
   ~~~~~~~
   AGRE VAHNIH PRISHTE BHAANUH
     RAATHROW CHUBUKASAMARPITAJAANUH
   KARATALABHIKASHAS TARUTALAVAASAH
     TADAPI NA MUNCHATYAASHAAPAASAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Homeless he is; his back is bent down with age. His body has lost its
   heat and he has to warm himself before a fire or in the sun. Tree
   is his only shelter; he lives by begging and by the crumbs thrown 
   into his palms by others; in the night he sleeps by holding his chin
   on his knee ( because the back is bent and he cannot stretch himself
   and lie down). Yet, he does not let and allow the grip of desires on 
   him loosen even a bit.
   
   Verse 17:
   ~~~~~~~
   KURUTE GANGAASAAGARAGAMANAM
     VRATAPARIPAALANAMATHAVAA DAANAM
   JNANAVIHEENAH SARVAMATENA
     MUKTIM NA BHAJATI JANMASATENA
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   One may have bathed in the holy Ganges or even in the Ganga Sagar;
   he may have performed many charities and observed many vows; yet
   unless one has glimpsed the Truth ( God), he will not gain 
   release even after a hundred lives. (note: this is the warning of 
   all the religions)
   
   Verse 18:
   ~~~~~~~
   SURAMANDIRA TARUMOOLA NIVAASAH
     SAIYAA BHOOTALAMAJINAM VAASAH
   SARVAPARIGRAHA BHOGATYAAGAH
     KASYA SUKHAM NA KAROTI VIRAAGAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Who can disturb the peace and happiness of a man if he has the true
   spirit of renunciation and has controlled his desires, even if he be
   the poorest, sleeping only in the temple halls and choultries or under
   trees or on the bare ground and just with a deer skin to cover.
   
   Verse 19:
   ~~~~~~~
   YOGARATO VAA BHOGARATO VAA
     SANGARATO VAA SANGAVIHEENAH
   YASYA BRAHMANI RAMATE CHITHAM
     NANDATI NANDATI NANDATYEVA
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Whether one is immersed in yoga or is revelling in bhoga ( i.e, outward
   enjoyment), whether he is enjoying himself in social company or has
   retired into solitude, true happiness certainly cannot be his; but who
   alone is revelling inwardly in Brahman, (wherever he be), he alone
   will be truly happy and will verily enjoy.
   
   Verse 20:
   ~~~~~~~
   BHAGAVADGEETA KINCHIDADHEETAA
     GANGAAJALALAVAKANIKAA PEETAA
   SAKRIDAPI YENA MURARISAMARCHAA
     KRIYATE TASYA YAMENA NA CHARCHA
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Even a little study and understanding of the Bhagawad Gita, or 
   sipping of even a tiny drop of the waters of the holy Ganges or
   even a little worship of Murari -- these will surely save one 
   from confrontation with death !
   
   Verse 21:
   ~~~~~~~
   PUNARAPI JANANAM PUNARAPI MARANAM
     PUNARAPI JANANEE JATARE SAYANAM
   IHA SAMSAARE BAHUDUSTAARE 
     KRIPAYAA(A)PAARE PAAHI MURARE
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Undergoing the pangs of birth again and again, passing through the
   throes of death again and again, lying in the mother's womb over 
   and over again, this process of samsara is hard to cross over.
   Save me from it, Oh merciful Lord !
   
   Verse 22:
   ~~~~~~~
   RATHYAACHARPATA VIRACHITAKANTHAH
    PUNYAAPUNYA VIVARJITAPANTHAH
   YOGEE YOGANIYOJITACHITHO
     RAMATE BAALONMATTAVADEVA
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Clad in stray rags, treading the path beyond good and evil, caring for 
   neither earning merit by taking to good deeds nor stooping to do any 
   evil, and lost in meditation the yogi revels in the Supreme always,
   lost to all outward norms and decorum -- his behaviour may look
   prankish like that of a child or may be even queer like that of a
   lunatic. 
   
   Verse 23:
   ~~~~~~~
   KASTWAM KOHAM KUTA AAYAATAH
     KAA ME JANANEE KO ME TAATAH
   ITI PARIBHAVAYA SARVAMASAARAM
     VISWAM TYAKTWAA SWAPNAVICHAARAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Who are you ? Who am I ? From Where did I come ? Who is my mother, who is
   my father ? -- enquire thus and you will, then realise that the entire
   world of experience, all the worries and problems are but a dream, a
   mere hallucination, born of imagination and delusion. With such a
   realisation, you will be freed from the delusions of the world.
   
   Verse 24:
   ~~~~~~~
   TWAYI MAYI CHAANYATRAIKO VISHNUH
     VYARTHAM KUPYASI MAYYASAHISHNUH
   BHAVA SAMACHITTAH SARVATRA TWAM
     VANCHHASYASHIRAADYADI VISHNUTWAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   In you, in me and everywhere, there is but the one Vishnu, Mistakenly
   viewing me with a sense of difference, you are ill-disposed towards me.
   Try to see in all beings only the Vishnu who is your own self. Give up
   your false and egoistic sense of separateness from other beings.
   Cultivate a sense of kinship, unity and oneness with all.
   
   Verse 25:
   ~~~~~~~
   SATROU MITRE PUTRE BANDHOU 
     MAA KURU YATNAM VIGRAHASANDHOU
   SARVASMINNAPI PASYAATMAANAM
     SARVATROTSRIJA BHEDAAJNYANAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Do not look at anybody in terms of friend or foe, brother or cousin; do
   not fritter away your mental energies in thoughts of friendship or
   enemity. Seeking the Self everywhere, be amiable and equal-minded
   towards all, treating all alike.
   
   Verse 26:
   ~~~~~~~
   KAAMAM KRODHAM LOBHAM MOHAM
     TYAKTWAA(a)TMAANAM PASHYATI SOHAM
   AATMAJNANA VIHEENAA MUDAAH
     TE PASYANTE NARAKANIGOODAAH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Free yourself from lust, anger, greed and delusion. Contemplate on 'who
   you are'. Enquire within yourself, who am I ? The fools who fail to
   apprehend the Self are caught in hell-fire even here and now itself and
   suffer torture.
   
   Verse 27:
   ~~~~~~~
   GEYAM GEETAANAAMASAHASRAM
     DHYEYAM SHREEPATIROOPAMAJASRAM
   NEYAM SAJJANASANGE CHITTAM
     DEYAM DEENAJANAAYA CHA VITTAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Recite the Gita; chant the thousand Names of the lord (Vishnu
   Sahasranama), meditate ceaselessly on the Consort and Lord of Lakshmi,
   lead the mind towards association with the good. Give away your wealth
   in charity to those in need and who are poor.
   
   Verse 28:
   ~~~~~~~
   SUKHATAH KRIYATE RAAMAABHOGAH
     PASCHADDHANTA SHAREERE ROGAH
   YADYAPI LOKE MARANAM SARANAM
     TADAPI NA MUNJCHATI PAAPAACHARANAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   As readily as one takes to indulging in carnal pleasures, with the same
   readiness alas! he is taken over by disease too. Even seeing death as
   the inevitable and only end of all, man does not refrain from sinful ways.
   
   Verse 29:
   ~~~~~~~
   ARTHAMANARTHAM BHAAVAYA NITHYAM
     NAASTI TATAH SUKHALESAH SATHYAM
   PUTHRAADAPI DHANABHAAJAAM BHEETIH
     SARVATRAISHA VIHITA REETIH
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   It is wealth only that causes all harm and brings about one's ruin.
   Bear this truth in mind always. Know that the pursuit of wealth does
   not lead one to happiness at all. The rich fear and are even afraid of their
   own sons. This is the outcome of riches anywhere and ever.
   
   Verse 30:
   ~~~~~~~
   PRAANAAYAAMAM PRATYAAHAARAM 
     NITYAANITYA VIVEKAVICHAARAM
   JAAPYASAMETA SAMAADHIVIDHAANAM
     KURVAVADHAANAM MAHADAVADHAANAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Regulated breathing and sense control, discrimination between the
   Enduring and the fleeting, the eternal and the transient, Japa and
   meditation, and submerging of the bodily and mental consciousness in
   the Consciousness of the Spirit, merging oneself into the total Inner
   Silence -- one must practice these with unrelenting fervour.
   
   Verse 31:
   ~~~~~~~
   GURUCHARANAAMBUJA NIRBHARABHAKTHAH
     SAMSAARAADACHIRAADHAVA MUKTHAH
   SENDRIYA MAANASA NIYAMAADEVAM
     DRAKSHYASI NIJAHRIDAYASTHAM DEVAM
   	(BHAJA GOVINDAM, BHAJA GOVINDAM........)
   
   Surrender yourself to the Lotus Feet of the Teacher; with your senses
   and mind disciplined, and freed from the shackles of Samsara you will
   behold the Lord who is seated in your heart.