tks
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There was a discussion about Bhakthi a while ago, wherein I commented about the first stanza of Baja Govindam as follows.
Reference: http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/showthread.php?t=32805&p=352955&posted=1#post352955>
"Baja Govindam is a sloka whose real meaning is profoundly vedantic. It is attributed to Sri Sankara and it might be anyone else in his lineage.
Regardless, the meaning given to the first stanza is:
"Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !
Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death."
Idea of this popular translation is about reciting the name Govinda . Not sure how it is supposed to help ward off death of a fool. There is even a seemingly concocted story that there was an old fellow studying grammar and Sri Sankara was addressing such people from getting caught up with grammar issues and instead say the name of the Lord - Govinda.
This is the common interpretation of 'Bhakthi for Mukthi' type people...
Govinda means one who is understood by Shabda (words) of Veda. It will make no sense to call anyone reading this as fools and then tell them to ignore grammar. How is that supposed to help one be saved from death. What does being saved mean anyway? Why pick on grammar of a language?
There are more profound and more fitting translation with particular emphasis of choice of words in the stanza including the use of डुकृञ्करणे"
The objective of this thread is to pick up where the above post left off, in order to examine if there is more to the meaning than a simple translation.
For someone given to a belief in Bhagavan, there is no need for further explanation.
The Go in Govinda can be taken as cow and one that protects the cows in general is Govinda which is another name for Sri Krishna. So asking people to worship Sri Krishna in order to have better after life, post death will make perfect sense for someone who is raised in a Hindu religious household. This is especially true if they equate the elusive Moksha with going to a place called Vaikunta after death in order to worship the Lord for eternity.
It is a beautiful Sloka (and one of my favorites) and if one is given to above set of beliefs, my suggestions is for one to continue reciting names of the Lord with the Bhava of Bhakthi.
On the other hand, if one wants to understand if there is a more profound meaning and message behind this popular sloka, the following posts in this thread may be of interest.
What I am sharing here is not from any particular source that can be Googled for. If there is a reference appropriate I will share it. Style of presentation is my own though my hope is that the meaning is what one would get when one studies Vedanta in a school devoted to proper sampradaya. One has to bear with what may appear to be my meanderings and shortcomings. I plan to open more questions than answers so as to generate interest in the topic area. I do not plan to respond to any comments (unless they are relevant or asking for clarifications) until the end of the thread.
The sloka starts with worship of Govinda.
So what is worship? Is that emotionalism one feels for a deity? Can someone who profess to study Vedanta capable of expression of Bhakthi? How does one worship Govinda?
Who does this Sloka address? In other words who is a fool (if that is the right translation).
What is the significance, if any, of the choice of the name of the Lord here?
Without doing deep dive into too much grammar, some comments are needed to understand the choice of this expression Dukrunjkarane. Is there a significance to using this phrase? If so what is being conveyed?
In what way worshiping Govinda connected to teachings of the Upanishad?
Why is the falling of the body, namely death emphasized here? If it is a Vedantic message, why is death even talked about since loosely speaking Atma is taught as immortal?
Time itself is an illusion as supported by today's science and of course Vedantic teaching. If so why call attention to time of death in this stanza,
If one were to look at each Stanza of this Bhaja Govindam verses one would find innumerable questions.
A religionist, given to a belief will say - "With all these questions, you are just doing what this stanza tell you not to do , oh fool - Like grammar rule, you are splitting hair asking all kinds of questions, Just get back to worship of Govinda"
I agree with such people and this thread is not for you,
I also agree that worship of Govinda is indeed a wonderful thing. Whenever I find time and ability to log into this site I will post (I am not able to login most often) . Until then let us enjoy this sloka as sung by MS Subbulakshmi whose expression of Bhakthi has no peers.
Bhaja Govindam song By MS Subbulakshmi
Reference: http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/showthread.php?t=32805&p=352955&posted=1#post352955>
"Baja Govindam is a sloka whose real meaning is profoundly vedantic. It is attributed to Sri Sankara and it might be anyone else in his lineage.
Regardless, the meaning given to the first stanza is:
"Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !
Rules of grammar will not save you at the time of your death."
Idea of this popular translation is about reciting the name Govinda . Not sure how it is supposed to help ward off death of a fool. There is even a seemingly concocted story that there was an old fellow studying grammar and Sri Sankara was addressing such people from getting caught up with grammar issues and instead say the name of the Lord - Govinda.
This is the common interpretation of 'Bhakthi for Mukthi' type people...
Govinda means one who is understood by Shabda (words) of Veda. It will make no sense to call anyone reading this as fools and then tell them to ignore grammar. How is that supposed to help one be saved from death. What does being saved mean anyway? Why pick on grammar of a language?
There are more profound and more fitting translation with particular emphasis of choice of words in the stanza including the use of डुकृञ्करणे"
The objective of this thread is to pick up where the above post left off, in order to examine if there is more to the meaning than a simple translation.
For someone given to a belief in Bhagavan, there is no need for further explanation.
The Go in Govinda can be taken as cow and one that protects the cows in general is Govinda which is another name for Sri Krishna. So asking people to worship Sri Krishna in order to have better after life, post death will make perfect sense for someone who is raised in a Hindu religious household. This is especially true if they equate the elusive Moksha with going to a place called Vaikunta after death in order to worship the Lord for eternity.
It is a beautiful Sloka (and one of my favorites) and if one is given to above set of beliefs, my suggestions is for one to continue reciting names of the Lord with the Bhava of Bhakthi.
On the other hand, if one wants to understand if there is a more profound meaning and message behind this popular sloka, the following posts in this thread may be of interest.
What I am sharing here is not from any particular source that can be Googled for. If there is a reference appropriate I will share it. Style of presentation is my own though my hope is that the meaning is what one would get when one studies Vedanta in a school devoted to proper sampradaya. One has to bear with what may appear to be my meanderings and shortcomings. I plan to open more questions than answers so as to generate interest in the topic area. I do not plan to respond to any comments (unless they are relevant or asking for clarifications) until the end of the thread.
The sloka starts with worship of Govinda.
So what is worship? Is that emotionalism one feels for a deity? Can someone who profess to study Vedanta capable of expression of Bhakthi? How does one worship Govinda?
Who does this Sloka address? In other words who is a fool (if that is the right translation).
What is the significance, if any, of the choice of the name of the Lord here?
Without doing deep dive into too much grammar, some comments are needed to understand the choice of this expression Dukrunjkarane. Is there a significance to using this phrase? If so what is being conveyed?
In what way worshiping Govinda connected to teachings of the Upanishad?
Why is the falling of the body, namely death emphasized here? If it is a Vedantic message, why is death even talked about since loosely speaking Atma is taught as immortal?
Time itself is an illusion as supported by today's science and of course Vedantic teaching. If so why call attention to time of death in this stanza,
If one were to look at each Stanza of this Bhaja Govindam verses one would find innumerable questions.
A religionist, given to a belief will say - "With all these questions, you are just doing what this stanza tell you not to do , oh fool - Like grammar rule, you are splitting hair asking all kinds of questions, Just get back to worship of Govinda"
I agree with such people and this thread is not for you,
I also agree that worship of Govinda is indeed a wonderful thing. Whenever I find time and ability to log into this site I will post (I am not able to login most often) . Until then let us enjoy this sloka as sung by MS Subbulakshmi whose expression of Bhakthi has no peers.
Bhaja Govindam song By MS Subbulakshmi