Bhaja Govinda - Sloka 1

This a simple prakarana, a vedanta treatise, in 12 stanzas. The story goes like this, when Bhagavan Bhashyakara (Sri Shankaracharya) was travelling in Varanasi, he saw an old man trying to memorise the Sutra of Panini. Taking pity on the old man and others similar to him, out of compassion Acharya recited the first stanza. Once he completed it, in a flow he completed the other 11 stanzas which form the primary text. Then his disciples sang the next 14 stanza with the concluding final stanzas by Acharya again we have the text in present form. The first 12 stanzas are called Dwadashapanjarika and the following 14 stanza are called Chaturdashapanjarika or Charpatapanjarika. Normally this is taken as a Bhakti text. But we'll see it in its true form, like any other Acharya’s text this is also another which deals only with Vedanta.

Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam – Definetly worship Govinda (Krishna)

Govindam - Govinda

Bhaja - you worship

Moodamate - oh! You deluded fool

Samprapte - when the right time has come

Sannihite - at the close proximity

Kale - of death

Na hi Na hi - definitely will not

Rakshati - protect

Dukrn Karane - the other activities.

Oh! You deluded fool worship the Lord Govinda now, because when the right time for death has come in the close proximity then no other activity can protect / save you.

Bhaja means to worship, to serve, to adore, to praise, to benedict etc. One should have to worship. Worship whom ? The answer given is the name Govinda. Govinda is another name for Lord Krishna. Govinda means the one who is protector of the herds. The herds here mean the Jiva. Or it can mean, the protector / controller of the sense organs. In the first explanation, Govinda is the lord of all the jivas (Brahman). And in the second, Govinda is the indweller in the jiva, individual Self. Since the, Brahman and the individual self is not basically different, and is intrinsically one and the same.

The scriptures “Brahmaiva atma” (Brahman is atma), “Tattvamasi” (you are that Self) etc. explain the same.

This Govinda is the one we should have to worship. Why should he be worshipped? Because, when the right time has come for a departure from this world. The right time means, the end of our lifespan. When we are in the clutches of death. We cannot be protected by any other means.

Here normally, the word "Dukrn Karane" is translated as the grammatical rules. The word is a statement from the Paninis Dhatu pata, the text dealing with the root word. The Dukrn is the root and Karane is the meaning. That is, the root Dukrn means to do. It is just a pointer to the other activities. Whatever is achieved through some action is limited. And the unlimited, eternal Self cannot be gained through some action. Anything which is a part of action can be done, not done or done otherwise. But still being the inherent nature of the Being cannot be gained through an action. And the Vastu (Self) is Akarta and Aboktha (non-doer and non-experience).

To fill the meter Acharya could have used any other word like “vyakaranam” – the Sanskrit, or if he wanted to use only a root word, it could have been “dupachas pake – to cook or dukrin krayane – to buy” etc., but he uses this root word to point out to the ephemeral State of the action.

So this stanzas summary is, they have to worship the Lord who is none other than the Self instead of wasting our time in different forms of action. Since no action can make us attain the ever attained.

There is another version of this text with an extra 13th sloka, whick looks like an interpolation to prove the nature of thses stanzas to be a teaching meant for a Grammarian. Though, it can be argued in this light that, the old man was trying to memorize the Dhatu “Dukrn Karane” when Acharya went past him.

Since, any treatise starts with an invocation, this being one treatise, Acharya starts with an invocation on the Lord Govinda. This invocation is in the form of a remembering the Self, Vastu smaranatmaka.

Any Prakarana will have these four Anubandhas (characteristics) vishaya, prayojana, sambandha and adhikari.

Vishaya - the subject matter of the text is the knowledge of Self. In this case Knowledge of the Self. By the word “govinda” – Self. 

Prayojana - the usefulness of the text is to help the Jiva in attaining the self. In this case Knowledge of the Self. Knowledge of Govinda. 

Sambandha - The relationship is, the text being team means and the Jiva being the one who uses it to gain the knowledge.                 

Adhikari - A person who has understood the ephemeral state of the world. Here, “moodamati” who understands the “dukrn karane” will not help him.