Bhaja Govindam — Lyrics with Meaning

Verse 1

Bhaja Govindam bhaja Govindam Govindam bhaja mudhamate | Samprapte sannihite kale nahi nahi rakshati dukrin-karane || 1 ||

O foolish mind, worship Govinda, worship Govinda. When the hour of death draws near, rules of grammar (like "dukrin karane") will never save you.

Verse 2

Mudha jahihi dhanagama-trishnam kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrishnam | Yallabhase nija-karmopattam vittam tena vinodaya chittam || 2 ||

O fool, give up the thirst to pile up wealth; bring good thoughts and contentment into your mind. Be happy with whatever your own honest work brings you.

Verse 3

Nari-stanabhara-nabhidesham drishtva maga mohavesham | Etan mamsa-vasadi-vikaram manasi vichintaya varam varam || 3 ||

Do not be swept into infatuation by the beauty of the body. Reflect again and again that it is only a form of flesh and fat.

Verse 4

Nalini-dala-gata-jalam atitaralam tadvaj jivitam atishaya-chapalam | Viddhi vyadhy-abhimana-grastam lokam shokahatam cha samastam || 4 ||

Like a drop of water trembling on a lotus leaf, life is very unsteady. Know that the whole world is gripped by disease, ego and sorrow.

Verse 5

Yavad vittoparjana-saktas tavan nija-parivaro raktah | Pashchaj jivati jarjara-dehe vartam ko'pi na prichchhati gehe || 5 ||

As long as you earn, your family stays attached to you. Later, when the body grows old and frail, no one at home even asks how you are.

Verse 6

Yavat pavano nivasati dehe tavat prichchhati kushalam gehe | Gatavati vayau dehapaye bharya bibhyati tasmin kaye || 6 ||

As long as breath dwells in the body, people at home ask after your welfare. Once the breath departs, even your wife is afraid of that same body.

Verse 7

Balas tavat kridasaktah tarunas tavat tarunisaktah | Vriddhas tavach chintasaktah parame brahmani ko'pi na saktah || 7 ||

Childhood is spent in play, youth in attraction, and old age in worry. No one fixes the mind on the Supreme.

Verse 8

Ka te kanta kas te putrah samsaro'yam ativa vichitrah | Kasya tvam kah kuta ayatah tattvam chintaya tad iha bhratah || 8 ||

Who is your wife, who is your son? This world is very strange. Brother, reflect here and now on the truth: whose are you, who are you, where have you come from?

Verse 9

Satsangatve nissangatvam nissangatve nirmohatvam | Nirmohatve nishchala-tattvam nishchala-tattve jivanmuktih || 9 ||

Good company leads to detachment; detachment leads to freedom from delusion. Freedom from delusion brings a mind steady in truth, and that steadiness brings liberation while still alive.

Verse 10

Vayasi gate kah kama-vikarah shushke nire kah kasarah | Kshine vitte kah parivarah jnate tattve kah samsarah || 10 ||

When youth is gone, where is lust? When the water dries up, where is the lake? When wealth is gone, where is the crowd of family? When truth is known, where is worldly bondage?

Verse 11

Ma kuru dhana-jana-yauvana-garvam harati nimeshat kalah sarvam | Mayamayam idam akhilam hitva brahmapadam tvam pravisha viditva || 11 ||

Do not be proud of wealth, followers or youth; time takes everything away in a blink. Let go of this world of illusion, know the truth and enter the state of Brahman.

Verse 12

Dina-yaminyau sayam pratah shishira-vasantau punar ayatah | Kalah kridati gachchhaty ayuh tad api na munchaty asha-vayuh || 12 ||

Day and night, evening and morning, winter and spring come again and again. Time plays, life ebbs away, and still the wind of desire does not let go.

Verse 13

Dvadasha-manjarikabhir asheshah kathito vaiyakaranasyaishah | Upadesho'bhud vidya-nipunaih shrimach-Chhankara-bhagavach-charanaih ||

This whole teaching, a bouquet of twelve verses, was given to a student of grammar by the revered and learned Shri Shankara Bhagavatpada.

Verse 14

Ka te kanta dhanagata-chinta vatula kim tava nasti niyanta | Trijagati sajjana-sangatir eka bhavati bhavarnava-tarane nauka || 13 ||

O crazed one, why so much worry about wife and wealth? Have you no one to guide you? In all three worlds, only the company of good people is the boat that carries you across the ocean of life.

Verse 15

Jatilo mundi lunchhita-keshah kashayambara-bahukrita-veshah | Pashyann api cha na pashyati mudho hy udara-nimittam bahukrita-veshah || 14 ||

One wears matted locks, one shaves his head, one plucks out his hair, one dresses in ochre robes. Such a fool sees yet does not see; all these disguises are only to fill the stomach.

Verse 16

Angam galitam palitam mundam dashana-vihinam jatam tundam | Vriddho yati grihitva dandam tad api na munchaty asha-pindam || 15 ||

The body has withered, the hair has turned grey, the mouth has lost its teeth. The old man walks leaning on a stick, yet still he does not let go of his bundle of desires.

Verse 17

Agre vahnih prishthe bhanuh ratrau chubuka-samarpita-januh | Karatala-bhikshas tarutala-vasah tad api na munchaty asha-pashah || 16 ||

Fire in front, the sun on his back, at night sitting with chin on knees, begging food in his palm and living under a tree — still the noose of desire does not loosen.

Verse 18

Kurute gangasagara-gamanam vrata-paripalanam athava danam | Jnana-vihinah sarvamatena muktim na bhajati janmashatena || 17 ||

One may go on pilgrimage to Gangasagar, keep vows or give charity, but without self-knowledge, all schools agree, liberation is not reached even in a hundred births.

Verse 19

Suramandira-tarumula-nivasah shayya bhutalam ajinam vasah | Sarva-parigraha-bhoga-tyagah kasya sukham na karoti viragah || 18 ||

Living in a temple or under a tree, sleeping on the bare ground, wearing a deerskin, giving up all possessions and pleasures — whom does such detachment not make happy?

Verse 20

Yogarato va bhogarato va sangarato va sangavihinah | Yasya brahmani ramate chittam nandati nandati nandaty eva || 19 ||

Whether one delights in yoga or in pleasure, in company or in solitude — the one whose mind rests in Brahman rejoices, rejoices, truly rejoices.

Verse 21

Bhagavad-gita kinchid adhita ganga-jala-lava-kanika pita | Sakrid api yena murari-samarcha kriyate tasya yamena na charcha || 20 ||

One who has studied even a little of the Bhagavad Gita, drunk even a drop of Ganga water, and worshipped Murari (Krishna) even once, has no quarrel with Yama, says Shankaracharya.

Verse 22

Punar api jananam punar api maranam punar api janani-jathare shayanam | Iha samsare bahu-dustare kripaya'pare pahi murare || 21 ||

Birth again, death again, lying in a mother's womb again — this world is so hard to cross. O Murari, in your boundless mercy, protect me.

Verse 23

Rathya-charpata-virachita-kanthah punyapunya-vivarjita-panthah | Yogi yoga-niyojita-chitto ramate balonmattavad eva || 22 ||

Wrapped in a quilt of rags from the road, walking a path beyond merit and sin, the yogi whose mind is joined in yoga delights like a child or one carefree.

Verse 24

Kas tvam ko'ham kuta ayatah ka me janani ko me tatah | Iti paribhavaya sarvam asaram vishvam tyaktva svapna-vicharam || 23 ||

Who are you, who am I, where have I come from, who is my mother, who is my father? Reflect on this, and let go of the world as hollow, like a dream.

Verse 25

Tvayi mayi chanyatraiko vishnuh vyartham kupyasi mayy asahishnuh | Bhava samachittah sarvatra tvam vanchhasy achirad yadi vishnutvam || 24 ||

In you, in me and everywhere else there is one Vishnu; you grow impatient and angry with me for nothing. If you wish to soon attain the state of Vishnu, keep an equal mind towards everything.

Verse 26

Shatrau mitre putre bandhau ma kuru yatnam vigraha-sandhau | Sarvasminn api pashyatmanam sarvatrotsrija bhedajnanam || 25 ||

Do not strain yourself over quarrels or alliances with enemy, friend, son or relative. See the one Self in everyone, and give up the ignorance that sees division everywhere.

Verse 27

Kamam krodham lobham moham tyaktvatmanam bhavaya ko'ham | Atma-jnana-vihina mudhah te pachyante naraka-nigudhah || 26 ||

Leave lust, anger, greed and delusion, and turn within to ask, "Who am I?" Fools without self-knowledge stay trapped in hell-like suffering, burning there.

Verse 28

Geyam gita-nama-sahasram dhyeyam shripati-rupam ajasram | Neyam sajjana-sange chittam deyam dinajanaya cha vittam || 27 ||

Sing the Gita and the thousand names of Vishnu, meditate always on the form of Lakshmi's Lord. Lead your mind to the company of the good, and give your wealth to those in need.

Verse 29

Sukhatah kriyate ramabhogah pashchad dhanta sharire rogah | Yadyapi loke maranam sharanam tad api na munchati papacharanam || 28 ||

People lightly give themselves to sensual pleasure, but later, alas, disease comes to the body. Though death is the final end in this world, still they do not give up wrong conduct.

Verse 30

Artham anartham bhavaya nityam nasti tatah sukhaleshah satyam | Putrad api dhanabhajam bhitih sarvatraisha vihita ritih || 29 ||

Always see wealth as a source of trouble; truly, not a trace of lasting happiness comes from it. The rich fear even their own sons — this is how it is everywhere.

Verse 31

Pranayamam pratyaharam nityanitya-viveka-vicharam | Japya-sameta-samadhi-vidhanam kurv avadhanam mahad avadhanam || 30 ||

Breath control, drawing the senses inward, discerning the eternal from the passing, and meditation joined with japa — practise these with care, with great care.

Verse 32

Guru-charanambuja-nirbhara-bhaktah samsarad achirad bhava muktah | Sendriya-manasa-niyamad evam drakshyasi nija-hridayastham devam || 31 ||

Become wholly devoted to the lotus feet of the Guru and be free of worldly bondage soon. By disciplining the senses and mind, you will see the Lord who dwells in your own heart.