MOHA
MUDGARA
In day to day life, we see several beautiful objects and we
wish to possess them. One desire arises and when it is fulfilled, another
arises, for example, if a boy wants to marry a beautiful girl and if his desire
is fulfilled, his next desire will be to beget children. Desire never leaves
him. Even in old age, when there is no strength: his head becomes bald: his
gums become toothless and leaning on crutches; even then the attachment is
strong and he clings firmly to fruitless desires.
He spends his
whole life in fulfilling his desires. At last the inevitable death comes, he
leaves his body with desires in mind and to fulfill them he again takes birth
and he will never be freed from this cycle of birth and death. He will be
liberated from this cycle only by knowing the Supreme Brahman.
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. Brahman alone is real, and ignorance as
well as the entire material phenomena of
the world which are its products are only superimpositions upon Brahman.
Sankaracharya advises us to discriminate and cultivate the knowledge to learn the difference between the real and the unreal. To emphasize, he concludes that all knowledge other than the self- knowledge is useless. Sankara makes the person realize how foolish he is in the conduct and behavior through the verses of Bhaja Govindam, and shows the purpose of our worldly existence, which is to seek Govinda and attain Him.
The background of Bhaja Govindam is worth
examining. During his stay in Kashi, Adi Sankara noticed that a very old man
teaching the rules of Sanskrit grammar by Panini. Sankara was touched with pity
at seeing the plight of the old man spending his time at a mere intellectual
accomplishment while he would be better off praying and spending time to
control his mind.
Sankara understood that the majority of the world was also
engaged in mere intellectual, sensual pleasures and not in the divine
contemplation. Seeing this, he burst forth with the verses of Bhaja Govindam .
In 31 verses, he explains our fallacies, our wrong outlook for life and dispels
our ignorance and delusions. Thus, Bhaja Govindam was originally known as MOHA
MUDGARA, The remover of delusions.
The life of a person is as uncertain as rain drops trembling
on a lotus leaf. The whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief. So
long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see what 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.
Shankara says: BALASTAVAD KREEDA SAKTAH
TARUNASTAVATTARUNEESAKTAH
VRUDDHASTAVACHCHINTA
MAGNAH PARE BRAHMANI KOAPI NA SAKTAH
The childhood is lost by attachment to playfulness. The
youth by attachment to women . Old age passes away by thinking over many
things. But there is hardly anyone who wants to be lost in Parabrahman. Who is
your wife? Who is your son? From where have you come? Ponder over these truths.
In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu(Brahman)
dwells. Your anger and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the
status of Vishnu , have samabhava, equanimity , always.
Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of
these are destroyed within a minute by time. Free yourself from the illusion of
the world of Maya and attain the timeless Truth. Give up lust, anger,
infatuation and greed. Ponder over your real nature. Wealth is not welfare,
truly there is no joy in it. A rich man fears even his own son. This is the way
of wealth everywhere.
Regulate the Pranas, life forces, remain unaffected by
external influences and discriminate between the real and fleeting. Thus a
silly grammarian lost in rules of grammar and shown the light by Shankara’s
apostles.
BHAJA GOVINDAM BHAJA GOVINDAM GOVINDAM BHAJA MOODHAMATE
NAMASMARANADANYAMUPAYAH NAHI PASHYAMO BHAVATARANE
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