bhaja govindam bhaja govindam
bhaja govindam müãhamate,
samprápte sannihite kále
na hi na hi rakúati dukøòkaraïe.(1)
Adore the Lord, adore the Lord, adore the Lord, O fool! when the appointed time (for departure) comes, the repetition of grammatical rules will not, indeed, save you.
kastvam ko’ham kuta áyátaç
ká me jananè ko me tátaç,
iti paribhávaya sarvam asáram
viùvam tyaktvá svapnavicáram.(23)
Who are you? Whom am I? Whence have I come? Who is my mother? Who, my father? Thus enquire, leaving aside the entire world which is comparable to a dream, and is essenceless.
Ùatrau mitre putre bandhau
má kuru yatnam vigrahasandhau,
bhava samacittaç sarvatra tvam
vánchasyacirád yadi viúïutvam.(25)
Make no effort to be either at war with, or in league with, enemy, friend, son, or relative. If you want to attain the status of Viúïu (Godhood) soon, be equal-minded towards all things.
My notes:
Adi Shankaracharya was a monist. He transformed Hinduism for ever. In him we see the best ideals of contemplation in action. While he was a confirmed Advaitist, he wrote poetry to help lesser people to reach the Supreme through dualism.
To see a movie on the life of Adi Shankaracharya in Sanskrit with English dubbing, click here.
Images: I thank Columbia Edu, Geocities’ Sridhar& Srigant for the amazing pics. Thanks!
Vikram R Ambilkar
June 14, 2008 at 9:25 am
May the great eternal spring of grace, Mother Sharadamba and her matchless son- eternity embodied in flesh and blood as grosser specimens perceive Him, shower their choicest grace on humanity to reach its loftiest heights of wisdom and civilization in the true sense- not to be mistaken with the vulgar trends and craze of sophistications of technologies inflicted and trampled on the deluded minds of mankind.