[Advaita-l] Adi Sankara's Bhaja Govindam - 16

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Continued from previous post)
 
 
Verse 19
योगरतो वा भोगरतो वा, सङगरतो वा सङगविहीन: ।
यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तम् , नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव ॥
yōgaratō vā bhōgaratō vā, saṅagaratō vā saṅagavihīna: ।
yasya brahmaṇi ramatē cittam , nandati nandati nandatyēva ॥
 
Whether reveling in yoga (योगरतो) or reveling in pleasures (भोगरतो वा), whether reveling in the company of people (सङगरतो) or bereft of any company (सङगविहीन: वा), he whose mind (यस्य चित्तम्) 
revels in Brahman (ब्रह्मणि रमते), he is indeed happy (नन्दति एव).
 
There is no presumption of how or where a wise person may live. He may be in the company of many, or may be in utter solitude. He may be active, or be an austere person. What is important
is that he revels in Brahman, i.e. revels in the thought that he and everything else is none other than Brahman. Such a person is indeed happy, and happy always. The three fold repetition
of the word नन्दति to emphasize the happiness can also be interpreted as implying the happiness felt by such a person in all three states of being awake, asleep, or dreaming.
 
There are three levels of happiness: rati, santushti, and trpti. Contemplating something desirous, getting the desired thing or effect, and finally the contentment of having received the
desired are different grades of happiness represented by these. The one who identifies oneself with Brahman is simultaneously ātmarati, ātmasantushta: and ātmatrpta: says Bhagavat Gita.
Not only is he happy, but his happiness is entirely endogenous. Such happiness is pure and quite unlike all other types of happiness which are reflected happiness (प्रतिबिम्ब आनन्द्:) 
derived from other transient objects and experiences.
 
This same concept is expounded once again in Drk-Drsya-Viveka where the Acharya has noted
देहाभिमाने गलिते विज्ञाते परमात्मनि।
यत्र यत्र मनो याति तत्र तत्र समाधय: ॥
 
When the concern for the body has disappeared and the self is known to be Brahman, wherever the mind goes there occurs samādhi effortlessly. It is this state of ultimate happiness that
is enjoyed by the total renunciate with mind set in Brahman and Brahman alone. Vedanta affirms that the distinctions among the knower, knowledge and known are irrelevant to the ātma
(ज्ञातृ ज्ञान ज्ञेय भेद: परात्मनि न विद्यते). Swami Omkarananda suggests that similarly the distinctions among enjoyer, enjoyment and the enjoyed are irrelevant to the ātma (भोक्ता भोग भोग्य भेद: परात्मनिनविद्यते). 
The everlasting bliss of the true renunciate comes from the identification of oneself as ātma and that ātma as no different from Brahman.
 
Having laid out the transient nature of all things material and worldly and having noted the pain caused by attachments towards them, it is a natural sequel for the ācharya to highlight
the glory of a life of renunciation. Such a path of becoming a sanyāsin, a complete renunciate, may not be feasible for all and as we have noted earlier is not advocated either for all
to follow. The large multitude of us who may never become total renunciates should view these verses as affirming the value of developing a high level of dispassion towards material things
and various relationships as well as the importance of gaining true knowledge about the Self and its relationship to the eternal. The happiness coming from these is much more lasting than
the fleeting pleasures one enjoys through externalities and brings one closer to one’s real self as a manifestation of Brahman.
 
In the remainder of our discussions, we will concentrate on the do’s and don’ts advocated by Bhaja Govindam in evolving oneself towards the larger goals identified above.
 
 
(Continued in next post)