Bhajagovindam (part 17)

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Bhajagovindam (part 17) commentary by Gopi Krishna

 

Sloka 12

 

Dinayaminyau Saayam Praatah

Sisiravasantau Punaraayaatah

Kaalah Kreedati Gachchhatyaayuh

Tadapi Na Munchatyaasaavaayuh

 

.... Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam

 

Meaning:

 

Dinayaminyau - day and night, Saayam - dusk, Praatah - dawn, Sisira

vasantau - winter and spring, Punah - again, Aayaatah - come (and depart),

Kaalah - time, Kreedati - sports, Gachchhati - ebbs away (goes away),

Aayuh - life (breath), Tat api - and yet, Na - not, Munchati - leaves, Aasaa

vaayuh - the gust of desire.

 

 

Substance:

 

Day and night, dawn and dusk, winter and spring come and depart

again and again. Time thus frolics and plays and life ebbs away.

Yet, one does not give up the storm of desires.

 

Commentary:

 

Both pleasure and pain must be borne with equanimity. A person

leading a dharmic life must also submit to sorrows as willingly as

one accepts pleasures. Following the words of Sri Adi Sankaracharya

sincerely, one shall acquire the courage to bear the sorrows of life

unperturbed. In the silent march of the wheel of time, days and nights

and with it the age slips unnoticed and unrealised. One may escape

any or all other hardships, but death and the parting of ways are

inevitable. Time will never stop for any person and under any circumstances.

Present will become past and the future will become present. While

the past disturbs, the future worries the present. It is true with almost

all human beings that when the luck is not in favour, any amount of

maneuvers, will not yield desired results and all plans get defeated

and routed. One must acquire the true knowledge to bear

these vicissitudes of time and life with fortitude. That is what Sri Adi

Sankaracharya is teaching and preaching.

 

Nachiketa's exchange of words with Yamaraja (Lord Death),

rejecting all gifts that He offers to him for learning the same true

knowledge, which Sri Adi Sankaracharya is preaching, will bear

the true testimony.

 

Time cuts off the days of life and the death snatches away the life. The

jiva will ultimately departs with painful bundles of vasanaas acquired in

one's desire-ridden selfish life. The mind makes one to believe that all

objects of glitter with an illusory beauty will give happiness, but time

proves it otherwise. Life steadily ebbs away, but the desires are only grow

due to sense gratifications. Although with the age, human being becomes

infirm from disease ridden body, desires and sense-enjoyments, worries and

anxieties still haunt one.

 

It is not too late to realise the truth and follow the path shown by Sri Adi

Sankaracharya to reap the benefits in this birth and in the forthcoming

ones.

 

(commentary by Gopi Krishna)