Bhaja Govindam - Sloka 9

Important Sloka

9.

Satsangatve – from the Satsanga (discussion on the Truth)

Nissangatvam – one gains dispassion

Nissangatve – from dispassion

Nirmohatvam – one becomes free from the delusion

Nirmohatve – from the delusion free state

Nishcalatatvam – one becomes established in the Truth

Nishcalatatve – from the steadfast establishment in the Truth

Jivanmukti – one becomes realized / released from bondage, here and now, while alive.

From the Satsanga (discussion on the Truth) one gains dispassion. From dispassion, one becomes free from the delusion. From the delusion free state, one becomes established in the Truth. From the steadfast establishment in the Truth, one becomes realized / released from bondage, here and now, while alive.

Each word is suffixed with the ending Tva. This is normally used according to “samana kartruke poorvakale” sutra od Sri Panini, if the doer is same, then with the previously done work tva suffix is added. This shows, that we are talking about the same person from the beginning to the end. And not that, one person is involved in satsangha and another finally gains release.

Or, we can accept the Tva suffix, through the sutra “tasya bhava tvatalor” and this tva Is used in the sense of Bhava – the ness. In this interpretation, we will have the satsanganess. Like, in gotva – cowness, which is a class which cannot generally be accepted for a single entity. Here also, we accept by satsanganess, one who is in the constant company of the people who do Satsanga. This ness is used in all the other places in this Stanza too.

What is this Satsanga? The discussion on the Sat, generally translated as existence. But here it should be seen as the Self. The discussion about Self by the people, one who knows that the Self extists or that I am the Self. The Upanishad also says this :

“asti brahmeticed veda, tasmad santam tad viduriti” – if one knows the Brahman exitst the knowledgible proclaim that he knows That.

“atmanamcet vijaniyat aham asmi iti purusha, kim ichchan kasya kamaya shariram anusanjwaret” – if one knows the Self as I am, that person, desiring what will he serve the body.

From this group, discussing about the Self, one should gain the knowledge of the Self and not from the books etc. by self study. By this Acharya points to the Shravana - Listening to the shastra from a qualified teacher (one who has gained the knowledge from a Guru like his own Guru).

After gaining the necessary knowledge for the inquiry, one should desire to stay alone. Removing oneself from the the crowd, shows the dispassion one needs to gain. “charama vairagyo moksha lakshanam” – the ultimate dispassion is the mark for realization, as Acharya points out in his Bhashya.

Because of this dispassion, one stays alone and starts to put in use the knowledge he has gained in the Satsanga, by doing the manana. By Nissanga this manana is what is said. Manana means reflection or contemplation. Reflecting on the passages of the scriptures, with logic not contrary to the Scriptures but supportive to it.

From this reflection nissanga one becomes Nirmoha, free from delusion. When can one be free from delusion ? only when one is free from the clutches of ignorance, the root cause of the samsara. So, this manana leads to the nirmoha, which is, the nidhidhyasana – clarity or insight of the Truth.

When one is thorough in the nidhidhyasana one gains Nishchaltatva - Abidance in the Self. When no amount of karma can shake him into the grasp of samsara. And the culmination of this is nirmoha is the Sakshatkara – direct cognizance of the Self. This is what is called as Akhandakaravrtti – the thought (so to say) which shines as Self, as a I thought. This I thought is though a common thought for any experience, like, I know, I eat, I am this, iam short etc, here it is without any adjective, with reference to this or that.

This when takes place, is called Jivanmukthi, liberated while alive.

The next three stanzas are like phala shruti, extolling or prasing the greatness of the vidya. Nothing can replace the knowledge of Self. And it should be gained only from a qualified Acharya / Guru.