Health and Happiness -Dr Dwarakanath
The basic purpose of
human existence is to realize the Self. Soul is considered as the representative
of God in the human body, which is made of Pancha Tanmatras- five senses, i.e.,
sound, touch, visual, taste and fragrance. These are represented in our body by
Pancha Jnanedriyas, five sensory organs, i.e., Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue and
Skin. If these gross aspects are properly used for the service of others with
Nishkama Bhavana- non attachment and for self-advancement spiritually, then one
can overcome the innate sense-habits of body-identification and develop
intuitive perception and discrimination. Discrimination is distorted by the
limitations of sense impressions. The only way out of getting entrapped in this
quagmire or quicksand is to raise oneself above the body-consciousness. There
are several ways for it. Of them, the most important are Bhakti, Jnana and
Karma Yogas. Yoga means to unite; to unite one with the chosen God or Goddess
following one of the three paths identified above, depending upon one's
temperament and taste. One of the minor compositions "Bhajagovindham"
of Shankara shows the way to achieve this.
Sankara brought
about a moral, religious and spiritual harmony, integration, renaissance and
awakening in the Hindu religion and society. The impact of His teachings is so
strong and deep that the roots of His Advaita Vedanta or philosophy are firmly
established as long as human race exists. Bhajagovindam is a small or minor
composition of Sankara compared to His other monumental works such as
"Bhasyas", but it contains the essence of Vedanta and awakens the man
to think on such questions as "What is the purpose of this life?",
"What is the Truth?", "Where does one get peace of mind?",
etc. Such questions are many and may appear simple but the answers are very
difficult.
Shankara attacks
Moha- desire- maya at its roots through this composition, which was initially
known as Moha Mudgara, but later on popularized as Bhajagovindham, so as to
dispel illusions and delusions and show where the remedy lies for the misery.
In 31 simple, sweet and lucid Slokas, giving easy and homely analogies and illustrations
for easy understanding, Sri Sankaracharya dissects the human psyche by
explaining the fallacy and futility of the human life, if one does not take
shelter under Dharma or Truth or God. It contains fundamentals of Vedanta,
which are taught in simple and musical verses so that, even from childhood one
can grow up amidst the melody of Advaita. With each sloka He removes the veils
of ignorance, dispels Maya, explains the reasons for illusion and delusion and
also prescribes remedy for the misery. He exhorts each one of us, through these
Slokas, to develop discerning and discriminating faculty, which is dormant in
us, due to our complete surrender to Moha and worldly attractions, in order to
distinguish between the permanent and the transitory, the real and the unreal
and to practice dispassion (or Vairagya). All this is possible only by
cultivating devotion for realizing God, the abiding Truth and making a
concerted effort to get released from the bondage of this phenomenal existence.
I think it is useful
to reproduce what Late Sri Rajagopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji said
about Bhajagovindham. "Sankara crossed the ocean of Maya as easily as one
steps over a small irrigation channel in the field. He wrote a number of
Vedantic works for imparting the knowledge of the Self. He composed a number of
hymns to foster the sense of devotion in the hearts of men and this I consider
to be his greatest service. One of these hymns is the famous Bhajagovindham.
Some immature
critics of Indian philosophy believe and say that the way of devotion is
different from the way of knowledge. The learned employ this distinction to
emphasize a particular thesis on which they discourse in different contexts. I
think we should not get confused by this and fail to understand the truth. When
intelligence matures and lodges securely in the heart, it becomes wisdom. When
that wisdom is integrated with life and issues out in action, it becomes
devotion. Knowledge which has become mature is spoken of as devotion. If it
does not get transformed into devotion, such knowledge is useless tinsel. To
hold and to say that Jnana and Bhakti, knowledge and devotion, are as different
from each other as gold is from baser metal is to expose one's ignorance."
Thus spoke Rajaji!
Bhajagovindham,
While reciting, it sounds like a prayer or devotional song rather than a group
of few Sanskrit Slokas and expounds the art of realization with a deeper
diagnosis for human unhappiness. (Contd.)
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