Do's, Don'ts & Final Blessings

Bhaja Govindham 10

Verse 27

Geyam gita nama sahasram dhyeyam sripati rupamajasramI

Neyam sajjana sange cittam deyam dinajanaya ca vittam II

Study regularly the Bhagavad Gita; and chant the Lord’s thousand names (sahasranama); always meditate on the form of Lord Narayana (Ishta Devata); associate always with the company of good (and holy); Distribute your wealth to the poor and the needy

As simple and direct advice to spiritual seekers, the following five sadhanas are  prescribed for spiritual seekers in this verse:

1)    Study regularly with understanding  Bhagavad Gita

2)    Chant regularly the Sahasranama of one’s Ishta Devata

3)    Meditate regularly on the form of one’s Ishta Devata

4)    Associate always with Satsangh

5)    Share your wealth with the poor and needy

These will lead to purification of mind that will facilitate the assimilation of Sriptural teachings and attain Brahma Jnanam.

Bhagavad Gita contains the essence of all Upanishads.  If Upanishads can be compared to a cow, Gita is its milk affectionately drawn by the divine cowherd Sri Krishna.  This explains lucidly the paths of four Yogas; Karma, Bhakti, Upasana and Jnana that lead to God realization. So Gita teaches one a vision of life and also a way of life. So serious study of Gita not only tells one what the goal is, but also tells one of the path that leads to it.  The reciting of thousand names of one’s Ishta Devata like Lord Vishnu, has a purifying effect on the mind and at the same time, strengthens one’s resolve to reach the spiritual goal by invoking devotion that is there in the heart.  As the environment has an influencing effect on one, keeping the company of good and holy people helps one in the spiritual path by inspiring one to have good moral values and follow them scrupulously in life.  Wealth stands not only for monetary wealth but also wealth in terms of mind like one’s knowledge. The act of sharing one’s fortune and privileges with the poor and needy with concern and compassion helps in attaining the spiritual goal by tuning up his heart and mind in the spiritual path. Here in this verse five simple things are given which a spiritual seeker can easily do and get going on the spiritual path with strength.  With this verse Chathurdasa Manjarika stotram, the verses by disciples, ends. 

Verse 28

Sukhatah kriyate ramabhogah pascaddhanta sarire rogahI

yadyapi loke maranam saranam tadapi na muncati papacaranam.II

Very readily one indulges in sensual pleasures; afterwards come diseases of the body. In spite of the knowledge that this leads only to (untimely) death, man does not give up his sinful ways.

The last four verses 28 to 31 are sung by Sri Sankaracharya concluding this work and in this he brings out the essence of the advice; in the first two spelling out the enemies to spiritual progress and in the next two showing the sadhanas for spiritual progress.  In this verse he is warning about yielding control to senses and losing oneself in sense pleasures.  The lust for pleasure saps one’s energy and renders one incapable of leading a spiritual life. Indulgence in carnal pleasures brings about diseases that are debilitating and incurable.  Sensuality makes one do shameful, sinful things and leads to one’s moral downfall.  One cannot free oneself easily from the addiction to sense pleasures, even if one wants to, after giving free rein to senses for some time.  As Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says ““Sense pleasures are like itching eczema. There is pleasure in violently scratching it; but the disease gets aggravated thereby. By yielding to sense pleasures mind gets more entangled in them."

Verse 29

Arthamanartham bhavaya nityam nastitatah sukhalesah satyamI

putradapi dhana bhajam bhitih sarvatraisa vihita ritih. II

Bear in mind always that wealth could mean disaster. The truth is that one cannot derive even a little happiness from it. Rich persons fear even their sons; everywhere this is the way of wealth.

In this verse Acharya speaks of another subject, Artha, which one must keep under one’s control and not be under its control for his spiritual progress.  Artha means wealth and it also includes other things like power, possessions etc., that go with the wealth. Money brings about greed; it brings about anxiety, it brings about jealousy, and it brings about fear.  For preserving wealth is a great exercise breeding fear and anxiety and it does not create a sense of satisfaction breeding greed and jealousy.  Further there is always the pain and exertion involved in amassing wealth.  These always act as a barrier for one engaging in serious spiritual sadhana.  So Acharya is here warning serious sadhakas against money itself pointing out that even close family members will turn against one for getting hold of one’s money. He advises one to bear in mind constantly the negative aspects associated with wealth and also that it cannot buy mental peace, love and happiness and its purchasing power is limited to material possessions only that by themselves do not give peace, love and happiness.

Verse 30

Pranayamam pratyaharam nityanitya vivekavicaram I

japyasameta samadhividhanam kurvavadhanam mahadavadhanam II

Perform Pranayama and Pratyahara; discriminate between real and unreal and fix the mind on the Real; Make japa while meditating; perform all these with extreme care and steadfastness.

Earlier the practice of external sadhanas was advised. They are study of Bhagavad Gita, chanting of God’s thousand names, meditating on His form, staying in the company of good and holy people, sharing one’s wealth with the poor and needy, giving up the thirst for hoarding wealth.  Now in this verse the practice of internal sadhanas are advised.  They are:

1)    Pranayama – Pranayama is not control of breadth alone. It is the control of all our faculties, which implies exercising control over our sense enjoyments. So Pranayama here really means the control of all the sense organs of perception, and organs of action.

2)    Prathyahara – Prathyahara is the withdrawal of the senses. It is the conscious withdrawal of the mind from its external preoccupations and focusing it upon the Self

3)    Nitya anitya viveka vicharam - .Discrimination between the Nitya and anitya. Engaging the intellect in the deliberate discrimination between what is eternal and permanent and what is temporary and transient, to enable the mind to concentrate on the eternal and permanent

4)    Japa – Repeated chanting of a holy name, name of the Ishta devata or mantra connected with it. It purifies the mind and deepens devotion freeing the mind from its constant chatter.

5)    Samadhi – Abidance of mind in the Self. It enables absorption in meditation to experience the qualities emanating from one’s Self i.e. peace, love and bliss 

While advising the practice of internal sadhanas he also cautions that these cannot be achieved in a hurry and so advises them to engage in these sadhanas with care and that too great care (avadhanam mahadavadhanam)

Verse 31

Gurucaranambuja nirbhara bhaktah samsaradaciradbhava muktah I

sendriyamanasa niyamdevam draksyasi nija hrdayastham devam II

Oh! devotee of the lotus feet of the Guru! May you become liberated soon from the Samsara through the discipline of the sense organs and the mind and come to experience the Lord that dwells in your own heart.

In this last verse Sri Sankara blesses his beloved disciples and also all the serious spiritual seekers to attain their goal of Liberation and become Jivan Mukthas.  And for this he talks of one other requirement besides scriptural knowledge and God’s Grace.  That is the grace of the Guru who has guided him in his scriptural study.  Grace of Guru comes to one with devotion to Guru.   Devotion to Guru implies devotion to what Guru stands for as well.  Guru stands for Scriptural Knowledge, tradition and devotion to God.  Devotion involves love with respect and reverence and without devotion nothing can be achieved.  So through this Sri Sankara says in his final blessings“.  Besides Self-control and mind control have devotion for Guru; have devotion for scriptures; have devotion for the knowledge of Self; have devotion for tradition; have devotion for God,; and be blessed with Brahma Jnanam”  

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