Bhajagovindam Part 28

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Bhajagovindam of Adi Shankara

(part 28 commentary by Gopi Krishna)

 

Sloka 23 (Attributed to Surendra)

 

Kastvam Ko'ham Kuta Aayaatah

Kaa Me Jananee Ko Me Taatah

Iti Paribhaavaya Sarvamasaaram

Visvam Tyaktvaa Svapnavichaaram

 

.... Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam

 

Meaning:

 

Kah - who, Tvam - (are) you, Kah - who, Aham - am I, Kutah - from where,

Aayaatah - did I come, Ka - who (is), Me - my, Jananee - mother, Kah - who

(is), Me - my, Taatah - Father, Iti - thus, Paribhaavaya - enquire, Sarvam -

all, Asaaram - essenceless, Visvam - the entire world of experience,

Tyaktvaa - leaving aside, Svapnavichaaram - a mere dreamland (born of

imaginatin).

 

Substance:

 

Who are you? Who am I? From where did I come? Who is my mother? Who is my

father? Thus enquire, and you will realise that the entire world of

experience -- all the worries and problems -- is but a dream, born out of

imagination and delusion.

 

Commentary:

 

The distinction of 'You' and 'I' subsist only so long as there is the body.

Before one's birth, there is no such relationship as 'father' and 'mother',

but once the body came into existence, we have relations. Who were we

previously? Who were our parents, brothers, sisters, friends, uncles,

aunts, grand-parents, cousins, etc., earlier. What are these illusory

forms? What is this Maya? One has to wake up from this dream, open one's

eyes and try to see the Reality. If one succeeds in seeing that One Reality

behind all the creation, then the problem is solved once and for all. The

mirage will disappear and one finds liberation.

 

One has to understand and aware oneself vis-a-vis one's relationship with

the other individual and at the same the Maya that is binding both of them.

It does not mean that one should not have such bonds, but one should

understand the fragility and its limitations, as most of such relations

related to body rather than soul. Soul mate does not at all refer to

wife-and-husband relation, but any soul which gets enriched by the

experience and relation to the other soul in spirituality is a soul mate. It

is, therefore, important to know oneself before forging any relationship

with the other individual.

 

While making use of the rational intellect by asking such questions as to

whence and whither have we come from and who are our parents, etc., we

should root out our misconceptions and reach to the roots of Reality. It is

definitely a difficult task to overcome this state of mind at the moment,

but through consistent sadhana and rational approach, one develops the

ability to look within oneself totally to get freedom from these bonds.

 

Having successfully dismissing all the sense-passions from one's mind, turn

the mind inwards for a close and critical observation of oneself to find out

answers to the above questions, one would understand the hollowness of the

world of names and forms and the enchantments of the objects and their

vanities around us.