Bhaj Govindam Verse 20

Bhaj Govindam 

Nirantar swasth chintan ho, yehi sabse bada jaap hai.

Na utra aacharn mai to, samucha gyan gapshap hai.

Rahe bhukhe magar phir bhi na khae paap ki Roti 

Bache buri aadatose, yehi is yug ka saab se bada tap hai.

To have pure and healthy thoughts is the most important chant,

If we have not been able to implement our learning in our day to day lives,

the entire ocean of knowledge is but an other source of gossip or a way to fill our empty hours.

It should be acceptable for one to starve, rather than eat from sinful income,

To avoid bad habits, is the biggest penance of this yuga.

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Akhandanandaji in his discourse, said he ones knew a man who had Geeta memorised. He could recite the Geeta, backward, forward and if asked from anywhere in the middle he would continue or mention the shloka number and chapter. However, as he grew older, he slowly forgot what he had memorised and by the time of his death, he remembered nothing at all. Instead, of the superficial memorising exercise, if he would have spent that much time, internalising and implementing even one of the verses in his life, it would have helped him cross the ocean of mundane existence and find a place at the feet of God.

Kabir Dasji says, what the 20th verse which has been written by Anandgiri ji is trying to tell us; 

Potha padh pad jag muah,

pandit bhaya na koi.

Dhai aakhar prem ke,

paade sau pandit hoye.

Just by reading endless scriptures, 

One does not become a knower of God.

The one who is able to experience universal love,

Is the realised one.

Note: The word pandit has been used in Geeta also, it refers to the self realised one, who is the knower of self and the divine wisdom. A Viveki, Gyani and Vigyani. (Not to be mistaken with how we use the word pandit today)

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Verse 20

भगवद् गीता किञ्चिदधीता, 

गङ्गा जललव कणिकापीता। 

सकृदपि येन मुरारि समर्चा, 

क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा॥

bhagavadgītā kiñchidadhītā

gaṅgā jalalava kaṇikā pītā |

sakṛdapi yena murārī samarchā

kriyate tasya yamena na charchā ‖ 

जिन्होंने भगवदगीता का थोडा सा भी अध्ययन किया है,

भक्ति रूपी गंगा जल का कण भर भी पिया है, 

भगवान कृष्ण की एक बार भी समुचित प्रकार से पूजा की है, 

यम के द्वारा उनकी चर्चा नहीं की जाती है

The Twentieth verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

Those who internalised and experienced even a little of Bhagwat Gita, 

Those who have drunk even a drop of water from the holy Ganga with faith in being freed from sin, 

Those who have surrendered to and worshipped Lord Krishna even ones with true divine love, 

Yama, the God of death has no need to reach out to them. (As they have crossed the ocean of mundane existence and are free from the game of maya)

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Yatha Drishti Thatha Shrithi

Everything written in our scriptures has various meaning, hence, what the author of the verse meant, what we or others interpret could be very different. Hence, read, feel, experience and listen, the verse will speak to you, then interpret - what does your vision say. Ramji before the battle was resting and at that time an insightful discussion on what is the black spot on the moon followed. Sugrive, Vibhishan, Hanuman, Angad and Laxman all answered based on their life experiences and depth

• Shadow of the earth on the moon
• The demon Rahuls struck the moon
• A part of moon was taken to make the face of Rati
• Moon has the lord itched in his heart which appears like a black hole (as the lord is dark in color) etc

To me the verse highlights;

• The importance of even a little - Good Company, Effort and Name
• The importance of Faith

The Power of Little - Company 

एक घड़ी आधी घड़ी, आधी में पुनि आध। तुलसी संगत साधु की, हरे कोटि अपराध।।

24 minutes, 12 minute or even less 6 minutes. Tulisdasji says that the company of a sage, helps us remove all our sins.

A bit of Geeta, a drop of Ganga and a moment with God - when experienced liberates us. All it takes is less then a second and it can happen now and here.

Even a touch is enough for some and years of sangh has no affect on many.

The Power of Little - Ram Setu

In this verse the power of quality and not quantity has been emphasised. Let’s try to understand this with a story from the Ramayan. When Shri Ram had to cross the ocean to reach Lanka, Nala and Neal along with other made a bridge. Now, the bridge was ready and it was time to set out. At that time, Sugrive came to Ramji, a little dejected. He said, yes, we have been able to build a bridge, however, the bridge is so narrow, it will take years for the entire army to cross over.

At this Ramji smiled and said could you please take me to the bridge. When they reached Ramji went and stood on the bridge, no sooner that he set his foot on the bridge, all the sea creatures surfaced to have Darshan (see) of the divine Lord. They were uncountable and many were humongous in size. In no time the entire ocean was covered, there was no sight of water anywhere. 

To this Sugrive said, “If this was possible, why did you make us put so much of effort in building this bridge?”

Ramji answered, “Sugrive, had you not build this bridge, where would I come and stand, it was essential.”

Sugrive had another doubt, “What if our army starts walking on them and midway the seas creatures decide to dive into the water, our Vanar Sena will drown!”

Ramji smiled, “Till I am standing on the bridge, not one will even blink its eye, rest assured. Now without fear, ask your army to march.”

One word of Gita and Internalised

One drop of Ganga and Purified

One minute with Krishna and self nullified

In that heart stands Shri Hari himself now. A word, a drop, a minute it might have been, but the tiny bridge made with sincerity, is guarded by purity.

There was ones a sage, he knocked at the door and the voice from inside asked, who is it.

The sage said, ‘I am there, it is me.’

The door did not open. 

The sage went away and felt he must have said something wrong and so intensified his penence. After a long duration he went back and knocked, and the voice inside asked, who is it.

The sage replied, ‘It is me, I am here.’

The door did not open yet again.

The sage went back and delved deeper with in and after ages came back and knocked. A voice as always asked, who is it.

The sage this time said, ‘It is all you, there is nothing but you, there is no one but you, only you exist only one.’

The door opened.

Till there is Ego, there is me and there is you. The day there is no Ego, there is no me and there is no you.

Mera mujhe mai kuch nahin jo kuch hai woh tera. 

Tera tujhe ko saup du to kya jata hai mera.

When there is no ME left who will Yama come to, who will Yama talk about in his court, who will Yama Judge

It just takes a moment to liberate, for the free to become free, is just a moments matter.

The power of Little - Ajamil 

The story Shrimad Bhagwat comes in Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran. There was a Learned Brahmin named Ajamila, a very pious person and belonged to a very pious family. He had a young devoted wife. He and his family lived an exemplary life. 

One day he was walking past a jungle when he saw some people doing horrible things and were looking very happy. He understood that this was wrong and this was nothing but an attack by his senses and mind. Yet, he was unable to reason himself out of this bad desire.

He forced himself home, but the next day, visited the jungle and met them and soon he started spending more time with them and also married one evil woman. He forgot about his parent and his pious wife. He left them all and started living with her. He would do everything to make her happy and fulfilled her unending demands. To the extent that this learned Brahmin became a thief, a dacoit and later a murder. Such horrendous became his life, that no one would every come near their house.

Time went by, he had 10 sons and even at the age of 88 he was not free from the clutches of greedy desires. One day when he had gone out to fend for his family, a sage came and saw his son playing and asked the boy his name, to this, the boy’s mother, the evil wife of Ajamila answered that they had not named him yet. The sage asked her to call him Narayan.

Ajamila was very attached to Narayan, he would not eat, drink or sleep without his beloved son. He would go around calling out for Narayan every minute. Soon the time for his death arrived, as he laid on his bed, he saw some hideous looking creatures come down and they were trying to tear his soul from his body. 

He shouted out for his son, Narayan come to me, Oh Narayan come to me. The minute the servants of Lord Narayan heard his name and someone calling for him, they immediately descended. When they saw the messengers of Yamaraj, pulling Ajamila’s soul. They stopped them saying they had no right over his soul. 

Poor Ajamila could see and hear, the dialogue between the 4 servants of Narayan and the 4 Servants of Yamaraj, as to who would take his soul. There followed a long dialogue, which started with the servants of Narayan asking, Yama’s servant;

• What is the true characteristics of Dharma?
• How is the punishment given and to whom?
• Are all doers subject to punishment or only some?

To which Yama’s messengers answered;

• Dharma is that which is enjoined by the Veda and that which is forbidden by the Veda is Adharma. Vedas are Bhagwan Narayan himself.

This Ajamila they said, has violated the scripts, acted according to his own will, led a sinful life and lived for a long time in an impure state, he is a sinner, who has done no atonement for his sins, we will take him to Yama and he will throw him into the hell which will punish him for his hideous acts.

To which Bhagwan Narayan’s messengers answered;

This man has done atonement for all his sins, he said the name of Narayan in full, it wipes out the sins even when uttered in parts. He uttered it when he was about to die and there was no chance of another thought, word or action to be done. So after uttering the Lords name he could not commit another sin in thought, word and deed. 

Not only this, this kind of a perfect timing, of taking the lords name precisely at the time of death is not possible without the Lords will. 

Moreover, the Lords name, uttered for the Lord or for calling anyone else, uttered with love or hatred or with any emotion, with respect or disrespect, voluntarily or involuntarily, knowingly or unknowingly, destroys all sins instantly. 

Hence, he is free from all sins he has done so far and hence, can not be taken to Yama, who cannot send him to Hell. 

Hearing this, the messengers of Yama, let loose the soul of Ajamila and went back to Yama, reported everything that had conspired and asked for help in understanding what had just happened. Ajmila now loose from the noose of death fell at the feet of the messengers of God.

He promised that he will mend his ways and never do anything horrible and evil again. He got a second chance to atone for his sins and he was very grateful to God. He left everything and started wondering around and spent a lot of time in the company of pious holy sages. Soon he was also fully purified and did lot of prayer and Tapa and went to Vaikuth Dham.

Power of Faith

They say Faith can move mountains. It can;

• Faith in Geeta (scriptures), as the truth
• Faith in Ganga (Tiraths) as the purifier 
• Faith in Krisna (God) and his existence
• Faith in our eternal nature

When we have faith in Geeta, Ganga and God, we move beyond the clutches of maya, then the laws of the universe don’t apply to us any more - we are not in Yama’s jurisdiction. He is Dharm Raj, when there is a realisation that I am that eternal, we have moved beyond Tamas, Rajas and Sattva. In the Gunateeth avastha there is no karma bandana, nothing to be judged on anymore as there is no karta or bhogta, that is the doer of the action nor the benefiter of the fruit of the action. 

Mano tau saab kuch hai, aur nahin mau tau kuch bui nahin.

If we believe then all is, if we don’t believe nothing is.

The sooner we understand this, the sooner we will understand, it is not the power of Gita, Ganga or God, it is the power of our Faith in Gita, Ganga and God that empowers them. It might sound a bit radical, but the power is within us. The name of that power is faith, a firm belief that it will happen.

It all starts from belief - our belief. There is this song that goes;

I believe I can fly,

I believe I can touch the sky,

I think about it every night and day,

Flap my wings and fly away.

Yes, Karma devi, the cobbler and many more such narration are trying to tell us just this, it is your faith, that makes things happen. It is like a magic spell that opens the door to our eternal self. 

Karma Devi - Her father left for some work and asked her to offer food to God before eating, and she believed that God ate. God not only ate but also spoke to her.

‘Sachi preeti prabhu se ho tau, murat bole kath ki.’

If there is true love and faith in God, the the vigraha made of wood will also talk.

Cobbler - His belief in the act of God

The cobbler said, 

‘Yes I totally do believe. God can do anything. Look at this ‘Date Seed’ and look at this big Date tree. If God can put this big date tree in this tiny little seed. If God can put this numerous date trees in this one seed. Why can’t he put an elephant though a needle head. God can do anything, it is we who are unable to comprehend his doing with our limited ability to understand his magnificence. Not for a moment do I doubt what you said Narad Muni.’

When chanted with faith even Mara becomes Ram. This verse tells us that nothing more than that is needed. 

After all,

God does not chose the qualified, 

he qualifies the called.

he qualified the called.

Hari Om