2401:4900:1B22:5972:6CB5:C666:BBAF:EBC5 at 11:04, 20 June 2021

2021-06-20T11:04:14Z

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{{short description|Sanskrit stotra composed by Adi Shankara}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}

[[File:Raja Ravi Varma - Sankaracharya.jpg|right|thumb|300px|[[Adi Shankaracharya]] with his disciples.]]

'''Bhaja Govindam''' (Praise/Seek [[Vishnu|Govinda]]) also known as '''Moha Mudgara''' (Destroyer of illusion) is a popular 8th century<ref>[http://www.sivananda.org/publications/yogalife/fall2003/pdfs/page18-bhaja-govindam.pdf Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206022022/http://sivananda.org/publications/yogalife/fall2003/pdfs/page18-bhaja-govindam.pdf |date=6 February 2009 }} Yogalife, sivananda.org, 2003.</ref> Hindu devotional composition in [[Sanskrit]] composed by [[Adi Shankara]]. This [[Works of Adi Shankara|work of Adi Shankara]] underscores the view that devotion ([[Bhakti]]) to God, Govinda, is a vastly important part of general spirituality, as emphasised by [[Bhakti Yoga]] and the [[Bhakti movement]].<ref>''Bhaja Govindam'', by Sankarācārya, [[Chinmayananda]], Translated by Brahmacharini Sharada. Published by Chinmaya Publications Trust, 1967. ''Page5-7''.</ref> This work is generally considered a summary of Adi Shankara's [[Advaita Vedanta]] philosophy.<ref>Swami Chinmayananda, ''Adi Sankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam''. Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, 2005.{{ISBN|817597107X}}.</ref> A popular rendition sung by M. S. Subbulakshmi begins with the shloka । स्थापकाय च धर्मस्य सर्वधर्म-स्वरूपिणे । ।। अवतार-वरिष्ठाय रामकृष्णाय ते नमः ॥ meaning "(Salutations) to the establisher of Dharma who is of the essence of all of nature; salutations to that great incarnation of the form of Ram and Krishna."

==Sanskrit Text==

The first stanza of the composition, featuring the eponymous line "Bhaja Govindam", reads as follows: <ref>{{cite web |url=http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_vishhnu/bhajagovindam.html|title= Bhaja Govindam |translator-last=Giridhar |translator-first=M. |date=22 November 2016 |website=Sanskrit Documents Site |access-date=30 December 2016}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 90%;"
|-
! [[Devanagari]]
! [[IAST]] Transliteration
! Translation
|-
|
<poem>
भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं
गोविन्दं भज मूढमते ।
सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले
नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृङ्करणे ॥
</poem>
|
<poem>
bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ
govindaṁ bhaja mūḍha-mate |
samprāpte sannihite kāle
nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukṛṅkaraṇe ||
</poem>
|
<poem>
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda,
Worship Govinda, oh deluded mind!
At the time of your death,
Rules of grammar will not save you.
</poem>
|}

==Story==

There is a story related to the composition of this Hymn. It is said that Shri Adi Shankaracharya, accompanied by his disciples, was walking along a street in [[Varanasi]] one day when he came across an old aged scholar reciting the rules of Sanskrit grammar of [[Pāṇini|Panini]] repeatedly on the street. Taking pity on him, Adi Shankara went up to the scholar and advised him not to waste his time on grammar at his age but to turn his mind to God in worship and adoration, which would only save him from this vicious cycle of life and death. The hymn "Bhaja Govindam" is said to have been composed on this occasion.<ref>''The Hymns of Sankaracharya'', by Śankaracarya, Telliyavaram Mahadevan Ponnambalam Mahadevan, Totakācārya, Sureśvarācārya. Published by Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2002. {{ISBN|81-208-0097-4}}. ''Page 33''.</ref>

==Significance==
{{Hindu scriptures}}

This composition is a reminder that [[Adi Shankaracharya]], who is often regarded as reviver of Hinduism ''[[Jnana]] Marga'' ([[Jnana Yoga]]) or the "Path of Knowledge" to attain [[Moksha|Mukti]], also was a proponent of ''[[Bhakti]] Marga'' ([[Bhakti Yoga]]) to attain the same goal,<ref>[http://www.sivananda.org/publications/yogalife/fall2003/pdfs/page18-bhaja-govindam.pdf Bhaja Govindam] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206022022/http://sivananda.org/publications/yogalife/fall2003/pdfs/page18-bhaja-govindam.pdf |date=6 February 2009 }} Ancient Wisdom, Yogalife, Fall 2003 Issue. [[Sivananda]].</ref> and as [[C. Rajagopalachari]] put in his commentary, "When intelligence (jnana) matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom (vignyana). When that wisdom (vignyana) is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes devotion (bhakti). Knowledge (jnana) which has become mature is spoken of as devotion (bhakti). If it does not get transformed into devotion (bhakti), such knowledge (jnana) is useless tinsel."<ref>[http://www.hindunet.org/bhajgovindam/index.htm Commentary on Bhaja Govindam] by [[C. Srinivas Kuchibhotla]].</ref>

In this prayer, Adi Shankaracharya emphasizes the importance of devotion for God as a means to spiritual development and to liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The prayer leaves one in no doubt that the renunciation of our egotistical differences and surrender to God makes for salvation. Many scholars hold that this composition encapsulates with both brevity and simplicity the substance of all [[Vedantic]] thought found in whatever other works that Adi Shankaracharya wrote:

The refrain ''"Bhaja Govindam"'' which defines the composition and gives it its name invokes the almighty in the aspect of [[Krishna|Shree Krishna]]; it is therefore very popular not only with Sri Adi Shankaracharya's immediate followers, the [[Smartha]]s, but also with [[Vaishnavas]] and others.

==Meter / [[Chandas]]==
The metre is moraic (मात्राछन्दस्). Apart from the first verse, all other verses have 16 [[matra]]s, which tend to fit the description of the padakulakam variety of matrasamaka [मात्रासमक] in [[vrtta-ratnakara]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{wikisourcelang|sa|भजगोविन्दम्|Bhajagovindam(Sanskrit Text)}}
{{wikisource}}
* [http://sites.google.com/site/vedicscripturesinc/home/srishankaracharya/bhajagovindam Bhaja Govindam] Side by side translation in Hindi and English
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090227142610/http://www.hindubooks.org/books_by_rajaji/bhaja_govindam/index.htm Bhaja Govindam] by [[C. Rajagopalachari]] (online book)
* [http://www.blurb.com/books/1253512 Bhaja Govindam] by K. P. Rathnakara Bhatta (online book)
* [http://vakilspublications.com/S002.asp Bhaja Govindam : Follow Your Heart] published by Vakils Feffer & Simons Pvt Ltd
* [https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_vishhnu/bhajagovindam.html Bhaja Govindam at sanskritdocuments.org]

==External links==
* [http://www.sankaracharya.org/bhaja_govindam.php Complete Works of Shankaracharya]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120426002324/http://subhalakshmikumar.com/video/ms-bhaja-govindam/ Bharatanatyam Rendition of Bhaja Govindam]
* [http://www.carnatic.com/karmasaya/index.php?Bhaja%20Govindam Talk by Rajaji at carnatic.com]
* [http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/movie/TD00017.html Listen to Bhaja Govidam at Raaga]
* [http://www.kamakoti.org/shlokas/kshlok19.htm Bhaja Govindam & its meaning at Kamakoti.org]
* [https://os.me/chant-the-holy-names-bhaj-govindam-16/ An insightful commentary on Bhaja Govindam in a six-episode series by Om Swami.]
* [https://www.amazon.in/dp/B07GZRT88M/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_glt_43FB3S7F4BWJTXCWF92G]

{{Indian Philosophy}}

[[Category:Hindu texts]]
[[Category:Sanskrit texts]]
[[Category:Bhakti movement]]
[[Category:Adi Shankara]]

Bhaja Govindam - Revision history

2401:4900:1B22:5972:6CB5:C666:BBAF:EBC5 at 11:04, 20 June 2021