Bhaj Govindam Verse 2
Bhaj Govindam
Verse 2
Mudha jahihi dhanagama trshna
Kuru sadhbuddhim manasivi trshnam I
Yallabhase nijakarmopattam
Vittam tena vinodaya chittam I
The second verse said to me - Sruti says🌷
Oh fool, move beyond the flood of desire for wealth and become desire-less.
Rejoice in whatever comes your way (Good or Bad) as the fruit of Karma.
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Would like to work backward on this verse. Will start from the second sentence and move to the first.
- In Ramcharitra Manas, it is written;
Sunahu bharat bhavi prabal bilakhi kaheu muninath,
hani labhu jivanu maranu jasu apajasu bidhi hath I
With a heavy heart, Muni tell Bharat, that the power of destiny is immense.
Lose, gain, life, death, fame and defame are all in the hands of destiny.
2) Honi hokar rehti taale nahin talti..
Whatever has to happen will happen, no one can avoid or stop it.
3) Awaken, life is but a dream, let the vision cease.
If you can’t, devote your life to selfless love and service free.
Here, even the concept of destiny or the divine will have been refuted. To say, it is all a dream.
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1 and 2 talk about the Karma Philosophy:
We have taken multiple births, in various lokas and donned various bodies, appearing in various species. In every birth, where we consider ourselves as the ‘Doers- Karta and Bhokta’, there are consequences. Based on that, we get our next birth, and all that surrounds us in terms of people, things, situations etc.
To put it simply, what we get is the cumulative sub total of our Karma. This karma philosophy is also very complicated. With each Marg having its own explanation, which we are not getting into here.
To put it simply, ‘As we sow so shall we reap’.
So, Shankrachayaji, says with joy and glee embrace all that comes your way. You are getting what you deserve nothing less and nothing more. It is all as per your doing-karma. So, why complain when we have less and why rejoice when we have more.
If we take what he is indicating a little further, we will understand that he is saying, that you are not the Doer, when you consider yourself the doer, that is when, Karma comes in play. The one who is desperate to find a reason for what is happening to him/her, is in a state of ‘Ego - I am’, hence, for my existence and happening in my life there is a reason.
Therefore, the 3 rd point says that all is nothing but a dream. Think - How much control do we have on our dream. We are a part of God’s dream. The one who has understood, that I am not, there is no reason, there is no Karma, it just is. Is able to be in a state of Anand no matter what.
For, he does not run after reasons and justifications. He accepts all as the divine play, a divine Leela. When life becomes a directed play, the character does not lament or rejoice. That which is not real, does not upheaval ones emotions.
‘Upar wala paasa faike neeche chalte daav,
Kabhi dhup tau kabhi chav.’
Lord roles the dice and accordingly the moves happen,
sometimes there is sunshine, sometimes shade.’
There is no reason, move beyond Karma and be in glee. The world will see you as eccentric, but, you enjoy the show.
This understanding, helps one become desire-less, dispassionate, a Vairagi.
Hence, he says, when this Saad Buddhi, the truth, the right knowledge, the realisation dawns, all desires take leave.
For, it is only a Fool, who unaware of this play, desires for wealth. The fool, chases wealth and spends all his life amassing it and later protecting it.
The awakened, knows, that wealth is also part of the whole drama, if the script demands for it to come, it will, if it meant to stay it will, if it is meant go it will.
What has to happen will happen.
Just be.
Hari Om 🙏
