Bhaja Govindam lyrics in Sanskrit & English, with meaning
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Refrain#
भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं
गोविन्दं भज मूढमते ।
सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले
नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृञ्करणे ॥bhaja govindaṃ bhaja govindaṃ
govindaṃ bhaja mūḍhamate |
samprāpte sannihite kāle
nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukṛñkaraṇe ||गोविन्द को भजो, गोविन्द को भजो, हे मूढ़ मन, गोविन्द को भजो! जब मृत्यु का समय निकट आएगा, तब व्याकरण के सूत्र ("डुकृञ् करणे") तुम्हारी रक्षा नहीं करेंगे, बिल्कुल नहीं।
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, O foolish mind! When the appointed time (of death) comes, the rules of grammar ("dukrin karane") will not save you, not at all.
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Shloka 2#
मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णां
कुरु सद्बुद्धिं मनसि वितृष्णाम् ।
यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तं
वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम् ॥mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgamatṛṣṇāṃ
kuru sadbuddhiṃ manasi vitṛṣṇām |
yallabhase nijakarmopāttaṃ
vittaṃ tena vinodaya cittam ||हे मूढ़, धन जुटाने की तृष्णा छोड़ दो। मन में तृष्णा-रहित सद्बुद्धि जगाओ। अपने कर्म से जो धन मिले, उसी से मन को सन्तुष्ट रखो।
O fool, give up your thirst to amass wealth. Turn your mind to good thoughts, free of craving. Be content with whatever wealth you gain by your own work.
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Shloka 3#
नारीस्तनभरनाभीदेशं
दृष्ट्वा मा गा मोहावेशम् ।
एतन्मांसवसादिविकारं
मनसि विचिन्तय वारं वारम् ॥nārīstanabharanābhīdeśaṃ
dṛṣṭvā mā gā mohāveśam |
etanmāṃsavasādivikāraṃ
manasi vicintaya vāraṃ vāram ||स्त्री के शरीर को देखकर मोह के आवेश में मत पड़ो। यह मांस, चर्बी आदि का ही विकार है — इस पर मन में बार-बार विचार करो।
Do not be overcome by infatuation at the sight of a woman's body. It is only a form of flesh and fat — reflect on this again and again.
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Shloka 4#
नलिनीदलगतजलमतितरलं
तद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम् ।
विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं
लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् ॥nalinīdalagatajalamatitaralaṃ
tadvajjīvitamatiśayacapalam |
viddhi vyādhyabhimānagrastaṃ
lokaṃ śokahataṃ ca samastam ||कमल के पत्ते पर पड़ी पानी की बूँद अत्यन्त चंचल होती है; वैसे ही जीवन भी अत्यन्त अस्थिर है। जान लो कि सारा संसार रोग और अभिमान से ग्रस्त है और शोक से पीड़ित है।
A drop of water on a lotus leaf is very unsteady; so is life, exceedingly fickle. Know that the whole world is seized by disease and pride, and struck by grief.
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Shloka 5#
यावद्वित्तोपार्जनसक्त-
स्तावन्निजपरिवारो रक्तः ।
पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जरदेहे
वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे ॥yāvadvittopārjanasakta-
stāvannijaparivāro raktaḥ |
paścājjīvati jarjaradehe
vārtāṃ ko'pi na pṛcchati gehe ||जब तक तुम धन कमाने में लगे हो, तब तक तुम्हारा परिवार तुमसे प्रेम करता है। बाद में जब जर्जर शरीर में जीते हो, तब घर में कोई तुम्हारा हाल भी नहीं पूछता।
As long as you can earn money, your family is fond of you. Later, when you live on in a worn-out body, no one at home even asks how you are.
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Shloka 6#
यावत्पवनो निवसति देहे
तावत्पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे ।
गतवति वायौ देहापाये
भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन्काये ॥yāvatpavano nivasati dehe
tāvatpṛcchati kuśalaṃ gehe |
gatavati vāyau dehāpāye
bhāryā bibhyati tasminkāye ||जब तक शरीर में प्राण रहते हैं, तब तक घर में लोग कुशल पूछते हैं। प्राण निकल जाने पर, शरीर के नष्ट होने पर, पत्नी भी उस शरीर से डरती है।
As long as breath remains in the body, people at home ask after your welfare. When the breath leaves and the body falls, even your wife fears that corpse.
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Shloka 7#
बालस्तावत्क्रीडासक्त-
स्तरुणस्तावत्तरुणीसक्तः ।
वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तामग्नः
परे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः ॥bālastāvatkrīḍāsakta-
staruṇastāvattaruṇīsaktaḥ |
vṛddhastāvaccintāmagnaḥ
pare brahmaṇi ko'pi na saktaḥ ||बालक खेल में लगा रहता है, युवा युवतियों में आसक्त रहता है, वृद्ध चिन्ताओं में डूबा रहता है — पर परब्रह्म में कोई भी नहीं लगता।
The child is absorbed in play, the youth in young women, the old man sunk in worries — but no one is devoted to the supreme Brahman.
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Shloka 8#
का ते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्रः
संसारोऽयमतीव विचित्रः ।
कस्य त्वं कः कुत आयात-
स्तत्त्वं चिन्तय तदिह भ्रातः ॥kā te kāntā kaste putraḥ
saṃsāro'yamatīva vicitraḥ |
kasya tvaṃ kaḥ kuta āyāta-
stattvaṃ cintaya tadiha bhrātaḥ ||कौन तुम्हारी पत्नी है? कौन तुम्हारा पुत्र है? यह संसार अत्यन्त विचित्र है। तुम किसके हो? कौन हो? कहाँ से आए हो? हे भाई, इस तत्त्व पर यहीं विचार करो।
Who is your wife? Who is your son? This world is very strange. Whose are you? Who are you? Where have you come from? Brother, think about this truth here and now.
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Shloka 9#
सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं
निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् ।
निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं
निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥satsaṅgatve nissaṅgatvaṃ
nissaṅgatve nirmohatvam |
nirmohatve niścalatattvaṃ
niścalatattve jīvanmuktiḥ ||सत्संग से निःसंगता (अनासक्ति) आती है; निःसंगता से मोह दूर होता है; मोह दूर होने से अचल तत्त्व का बोध होता है; और अचल तत्त्व से जीवन्मुक्ति मिलती है।
From the company of the good comes detachment; from detachment, freedom from delusion; from freedom from delusion, the unchanging truth; and from the unchanging truth, liberation while still living.
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Shloka 10#
वयसि गते कः कामविकारः
शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः ।
क्षीणे वित्ते कः परिवारो
ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः ॥vayasi gate kaḥ kāmavikāraḥ
śuṣke nīre kaḥ kāsāraḥ |
kṣīṇe vitte kaḥ parivāro
jñāte tattve kaḥ saṃsāraḥ ||आयु ढल जाने पर काम-विकार कहाँ? जल सूख जाने पर तालाब कहाँ? धन समाप्त होने पर परिवार (आश्रित) कहाँ? तत्त्व जान लेने पर संसार कहाँ?
When youth is gone, where is lust? When the water has dried up, where is the lake? When wealth is spent, where is the retinue? When the truth is known, where is worldly bondage?
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Shloka 11#
मा कुरु धनजनयौवनगर्वं
हरति निमेषात्कालः सर्वम् ।
मायामयमिदमखिलं हित्वा
ब्रह्मपदं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा ॥mā kuru dhanajanayauvanagarvaṃ
harati nimeṣātkālaḥ sarvam |
māyāmayamidamakhilaṃ hitvā
brahmapadaṃ tvaṃ praviśa viditvā ||धन, जन और यौवन का घमण्ड मत करो; काल पल भर में सब छीन लेता है। इस मायामय सब कुछ को छोड़कर, ब्रह्म को जानकर, ब्रह्मपद में प्रवेश करो।
Do not be proud of wealth, people or youth; time takes them all away in a moment. Give up this whole world of illusion, know Brahman, and enter into it.
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Shloka 12#
दिनयामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः
शिशिरवसन्तौ पुनरायातः ।
कालः क्रीडति गच्छत्यायु-
स्तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशावायुः ॥dinayāminyau sāyaṃ prātaḥ
śiśiravasantau punarāyātaḥ |
kālaḥ krīḍati gacchatyāyu-
stadapi na muñcatyāśāvāyuḥ ||दिन और रात, सन्ध्या और प्रातः, शिशिर और वसन्त बार-बार आते हैं। काल खेलता है, आयु बीत जाती है — फिर भी आशा की वायु पीछा नहीं छोड़ती।
Day and night, evening and morning, winter and spring come again and again. Time plays, life ebbs away — and still the wind of desire does not let go.
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Shloka 13#
का ते कान्ताधनगतचिन्ता
वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता ।
त्रिजगति सज्जनसङ्गतिरेका
भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका ॥kā te kāntādhanagatacintā
vātula kiṃ tava nāsti niyantā |
trijagati sajjanasaṅgatirekā
bhavati bhavārṇavataraṇe naukā ||पत्नी और धन की इतनी चिन्ता क्यों, हे बावले? क्या तुम्हारा कोई नियन्ता नहीं? तीनों लोकों में केवल सज्जनों की संगति ही भवसागर पार करने की नौका है।
Why worry about wife and wealth, you crazy one? Is there no one who governs you? In all three worlds, only the company of good people is a boat for crossing the ocean of worldly life.
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Shloka 14#
जटिलो मुण्डी लुञ्छितकेशः
काषायाम्बरबहुकृतवेषः ।
पश्यन्नपि च न पश्यति मूढो
ह्युदरनिमित्तं बहुकृतवेषः ॥jaṭilo muṇḍī luñchitakeśaḥ
kāṣāyāmbarabahukṛtaveṣaḥ |
paśyannapi ca na paśyati mūḍho
hyudaranimittaṃ bahukṛtaveṣaḥ ||कोई जटाधारी है, कोई सिर मुँडाए है, किसी ने बाल नोच डाले हैं, कोई गेरुआ वस्त्र पहने अनेक वेष बनाए है। मूढ़ देखकर भी नहीं देखता कि ये अनेक वेष केवल पेट भरने के लिए हैं।
One has matted locks, another a shaven head, another has plucked out his hair; one wears ochre robes — many disguises. The fool sees, yet does not see: all these disguises are only for filling the belly.
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Shloka 15#
अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं
दशनविहीनं जातं तुण्डम् ।
वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापिण्डम् ॥aṅgaṃ galitaṃ palitaṃ muṇḍaṃ
daśanavihīnaṃ jātaṃ tuṇḍam |
vṛddho yāti gṛhītvā daṇḍaṃ
tadapi na muñcatyāśāpiṇḍam ||अंग शिथिल हो गए, सिर के बाल सफ़ेद हो गए, मुँह दाँतों से रहित हो गया; बूढ़ा लाठी लेकर चलता है — फिर भी आशाओं की गठरी नहीं छोड़ता।
The body has withered, the head has turned grey, the mouth has become toothless; the old man walks leaning on a stick — and still he does not let go of his bundle of desires.
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Shloka 16#
अग्रे वह्निः पृष्ठे भानू
रात्रौ चुबुकसमर्पितजानुः ।
करतलभिक्षस्तरुतलवास-
स्तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापाशः ॥agre vahniḥ pṛṣṭhe bhānū
rātrau cubukasamarpitajānuḥ |
karatalabhikṣastarutalavāsa-
stadapi na muñcatyāśāpāśaḥ ||आगे आग, पीछे सूरज; रात में घुटनों को ठुड्डी से लगाकर बैठता है; हथेली में भिक्षा लेता है, पेड़ के नीचे रहता है — फिर भी आशा का फन्दा उसे नहीं छोड़ता।
Fire in front, the sun behind; at night he sits with his knees drawn up to his chin; he takes alms in his palm and lives under a tree — and still the noose of desire does not let him go.
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Shloka 17#
कुरुते गङ्गासागरगमनं
व्रतपरिपालनमथवा दानम् ।
ज्ञानविहीनः सर्वमतेन
मुक्तिं न भजति जन्मशतेन ॥kurute gaṅgāsāgaragamanaṃ
vrataparipālanamathavā dānam |
jñānavihīnaḥ sarvamatena
muktiṃ na bhajati janmaśatena ||कोई गंगासागर की यात्रा करे, व्रतों का पालन करे या दान दे; पर ज्ञान के बिना, सब मतों के अनुसार, सौ जन्मों में भी उसे मुक्ति नहीं मिलती।
One may go on pilgrimage to where the Ganga meets the sea, keep vows, or give in charity; but without knowledge, say all the schools, he will not gain liberation even in a hundred births.
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Shloka 18#
सुरमन्दिरतरुमूलनिवासः
शय्या भूतलमजिनं वासः ।
सर्वपरिग्रहभोगत्यागः
कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः ॥suramandiratarumūlanivāsaḥ
śayyā bhūtalamajinaṃ vāsaḥ |
sarvaparigrahabhogatyāgaḥ
kasya sukhaṃ na karoti virāgaḥ ||देवमन्दिर में या पेड़ के नीचे निवास, धरती पर सोना, मृगचर्म पहनना, सब संग्रह और भोगों का त्याग — ऐसा वैराग्य किसे सुखी नहीं करता?
Living in a temple or at the foot of a tree, sleeping on the ground, wearing a deer skin, giving up all possessions and pleasures — whom does such dispassion not make happy?
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Shloka 19#
योगरतो वा भोगरतो वा
सङ्गरतो वा सङ्गविहीनः ।
यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तं
नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव ॥yogarato vā bhogarato vā
saṅgarato vā saṅgavihīnaḥ |
yasya brahmaṇi ramate cittaṃ
nandati nandati nandatyeva ||चाहे योग में लगा हो या भोग में, चाहे लोगों के बीच हो या अकेला — जिसका मन ब्रह्म में रमता है, वह आनन्दित होता है, आनन्दित होता है, निश्चय ही आनन्दित होता है।
Whether devoted to yoga or to enjoyment, whether in company or alone — one whose mind delights in Brahman rejoices, rejoices, truly rejoices.
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Shloka 20#
भगवद्गीता किञ्चिदधीता
गङ्गाजललवकणिका पीता ।
सकृदपि येन मुरारिसमर्चा
क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा ॥bhagavadgītā kiñcidadhītā
gaṅgājalalavakaṇikā pītā |
sakṛdapi yena murārisamarcā
kriyate tasya yamena na carcā ||जिसने भगवद्गीता का थोड़ा-सा भी अध्ययन किया है, गंगाजल की एक बूँद भी पी है, और एक बार भी मुरारि की पूजा की है — यमराज उससे कोई विवाद नहीं करते।
One who has studied even a little of the Bhagavad Gita, drunk even a drop of Ganga water, and worshipped Murari even once — Yama has no quarrel with him.
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Shloka 21#
पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं
पुनरपि जननीजठरे शयनम् ।
इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे
कृपयापारे पाहि मुरारे ॥punarapi jananaṃ punarapi maraṇaṃ
punarapi jananījaṭhare śayanam |
iha saṃsāre bahudustāre
kṛpayāpāre pāhi murāre ||फिर जन्म, फिर मृत्यु, फिर माता के गर्भ में शयन — यह संसार बड़ा दुस्तर और अपार है। हे मुरारि, कृपा करके मेरी रक्षा करो।
Born again, dying again, lying again in a mother's womb — this world is so hard to cross, so endless. O Murari, in your mercy, save me.
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Shloka 22#
रथ्याकर्पटविरचितकन्थः
पुण्यापुण्यविवर्जितपन्थः ।
योगी योगनियोजितचित्तो
रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव ॥rathyākarpaṭaviracitakanthaḥ
puṇyāpuṇyavivarjitapanthaḥ |
yogī yoganiyojitacitto
ramate bālonmattavadeva ||गली के चिथड़ों से बनी गुदड़ी पहने, पुण्य-पाप से परे मार्ग पर चलने वाला, योग में मन लगाए हुए योगी बालक या उन्मत्त की तरह आनन्द में रमता है।
Wearing a quilt made of rags picked from the street, walking a path beyond merit and sin, the yogi, his mind joined in yoga, delights like a child or a madman.
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Shloka 23#
कस्त्वं कोऽहं कुत आयातः
का मे जननी को मे तातः ।
इति परिभावय सर्वमसारं
विश्वं त्यक्त्वा स्वप्नविचारम् ॥kastvaṃ ko'haṃ kuta āyātaḥ
kā me jananī ko me tātaḥ |
iti paribhāvaya sarvamasāraṃ
viśvaṃ tyaktvā svapnavicāram ||तुम कौन हो? मैं कौन हूँ? कहाँ से आया हूँ? कौन मेरी माता है, कौन मेरा पिता? इस प्रकार सबको असार समझकर, विश्व को स्वप्न जानकर छोड़ दो।
Who are you? Who am I? Where have I come from? Who is my mother, who is my father? Reflect on all this as without substance; let go of the world as a dream.
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Shloka 24#
त्वयि मयि चान्यत्रैको विष्णु-
र्व्यर्थं कुप्यसि मय्यसहिष्णुः ।
सर्वस्मिन्नपि पश्यात्मानं
सर्वत्रोत्सृज भेदाज्ञानम् ॥tvayi mayi cānyatraiko viṣṇu-
rvyarthaṃ kupyasi mayyasahiṣṇuḥ |
sarvasminnapi paśyātmānaṃ
sarvatrotsṛja bhedājñānam ||तुममें, मुझमें और सब जगह एक ही विष्णु हैं। तुम व्यर्थ ही असहिष्णु होकर मुझ पर क्रोध करते हो। सबमें आत्मा को देखो, और सर्वत्र भेद के अज्ञान को छोड़ दो।
In you, in me and everywhere else there is one Vishnu. In vain you lose patience and get angry with me. See the Self in everyone; give up the ignorance that sees difference everywhere.
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Shloka 25#
शत्रौ मित्रे पुत्रे बन्धौ
मा कुरु यत्नं विग्रहसन्धौ ।
भव समचित्तः सर्वत्र त्वं
वाञ्छस्यचिराद्यदि विष्णुत्वम् ॥śatrau mitre putre bandhau
mā kuru yatnaṃ vigrahasandhau |
bhava samacittaḥ sarvatra tvaṃ
vāñchasyacirādyadi viṣṇutvam ||शत्रु, मित्र, पुत्र और बन्धु से लड़ने या मेल करने का यत्न मत करो। यदि शीघ्र ही विष्णुत्व पाना चाहते हो, तो सर्वत्र समचित्त रहो।
Do not strive to fight with or make up with enemy, friend, son or relative. Be even-minded towards all, if you want soon to attain the state of Vishnu.
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Shloka 26#
कामं क्रोधं लोभं मोहं
त्यक्त्वात्मानं भावय कोऽहम् ।
आत्मज्ञानविहीना मूढा-
स्ते पच्यन्ते नरकनिगूढाः ॥kāmaṃ krodhaṃ lobhaṃ mohaṃ
tyaktvātmānaṃ bhāvaya ko'ham |
ātmajñānavihīnā mūḍhā-
ste pacyante narakanigūḍhāḥ ||काम, क्रोध, लोभ और मोह को छोड़कर अपने बारे में विचार करो — "मैं कौन हूँ?" आत्मज्ञान से रहित मूढ़ नरक में फँसकर कष्ट पाते हैं।
Give up desire, anger, greed and delusion, and reflect on your Self: "Who am I?" Fools without self-knowledge are trapped and tormented as if in hell.
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Shloka 27#
गेयं गीतानामसहस्रं
ध्येयं श्रीपतिरूपमजस्रम् ।
नेयं सज्जनसङ्गे चित्तं
देयं दीनजनाय च वित्तम् ॥geyaṃ gītānāmasahasraṃ
dhyeyaṃ śrīpatirūpamajasram |
neyaṃ sajjanasaṅge cittaṃ
deyaṃ dīnajanāya ca vittam ||गीता और (विष्णु) सहस्रनाम का गान करो; लक्ष्मीपति के रूप का निरन्तर ध्यान करो; मन को सज्जनों की संगति में लगाओ; और दीन-दुखियों को धन दो।
Sing the Gita and the thousand names (Vishnu Sahasranama); meditate always on the form of the Lord of Lakshmi; lead the mind to the company of the good; and give your wealth to the needy.
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Shloka 28#
सुखतः क्रियते रामाभोगः
पश्चाद्धन्त शरीरे रोगः ।
यद्यपि लोके मरणं शरणं
तदपि न मुञ्चति पापाचरणम् ॥sukhataḥ kriyate rāmābhogaḥ
paścāddhanta śarīre rogaḥ |
yadyapi loke maraṇaṃ śaraṇaṃ
tadapi na muñcati pāpācaraṇam ||लोग सुख के लिए भोग करते हैं; पर हाय, बाद में शरीर में रोग होते हैं। यद्यपि संसार में मृत्यु ही अन्तिम ठिकाना है, फिर भी मनुष्य पाप करना नहीं छोड़ता।
People readily indulge in pleasure; alas, disease of the body follows. Though in this world death is the final end, still they do not give up wrongdoing.
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Shloka 29#
अर्थमनर्थं भावय नित्यं
नास्ति ततः सुखलेशः सत्यम् ।
पुत्रादपि धनभाजां भीतिः
सर्वत्रैषा विहिता रीतिः ॥arthamanarthaṃ bhāvaya nityaṃ
nāsti tataḥ sukhaleśaḥ satyam |
putrādapi dhanabhājāṃ bhītiḥ
sarvatraiṣā vihitā rītiḥ ||सदा याद रखो कि धन अनर्थ का कारण है; सच में उसमें सुख का लेश भी नहीं। धनवानों को अपने पुत्र से भी भय रहता है — यह सब जगह की रीति है।
Always remember that wealth brings trouble; truly, there is not a trace of happiness in it. The rich fear even their own sons — this is the way of things everywhere.
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Shloka 30#
प्राणायामं प्रत्याहारं
नित्यानित्यविवेकविचारम् ।
जाप्यसमेतसमाधिविधानं
कुर्ववधानं महदवधानम् ॥prāṇāyāmaṃ pratyāhāraṃ
nityānityavivekavicāram |
jāpyasametasamādhividhānaṃ
kurvavadhānaṃ mahadavadhānam ||प्राणायाम, प्रत्याहार, नित्य और अनित्य के विवेक का विचार, और जप सहित समाधि का अभ्यास — इन्हें सावधानी से, बड़ी सावधानी से करो।
Practise pranayama and the withdrawal of the senses; discriminate between the eternal and the passing; enter samadhi with japa — do these with care, with the greatest care.
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Shloka 31#
गुरुचरणाम्बुजनिर्भरभक्तः
संसारादचिराद्भव मुक्तः ।
सेन्द्रियमानसनियमादेवं
द्रक्ष्यसि निजहृदयस्थं देवम् ॥gurucaraṇāmbujanirbharabhaktaḥ
saṃsārādacirādbhava muktaḥ |
sendriyamānasaniyamādevaṃ
drakṣyasi nijahṛdayasthaṃ devam ||गुरु के चरणकमलों में पूर्ण भक्ति रखते हुए शीघ्र ही संसार से मुक्त हो जाओ। इन्द्रियों और मन के संयम से तुम अपने हृदय में स्थित देव के दर्शन करोगे।
Devoted wholly to the lotus feet of the guru, be free from worldly bondage soon. By controlling the senses and the mind, you will see the Lord who dwells in your own heart.
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What Bhaja Govindam means
Bhaja Govindam is Shankaracharya's most direct teaching. In plain, rhyming verses it asks what we really gain from chasing money, pleasure, status and learning for its own sake, when life is as unsteady as a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Its answer: turn to Govinda, keep good company, give to the needy, be even-minded towards all, and seek the Self within.
Its other name, Moha Mudgara, means "a hammer for delusion". Verse 9 traces the whole path in four steps: good company leads to detachment, detachment to freedom from delusion, that to the unchanging truth, and that to liberation in this life.
How to chant Bhaja Govindam
- WhenAnytime; often sung in satsang, on Ekadashi, and as evening reflection
- TimeAbout 10 minutes for all 31 verses
- StyleUsually sung, with the refrain "bhaja govindam" repeated after each verse
- Sing the refrain first. Everyone joins in "Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam govindam bhaja mudhamate".
- Recite each verse, then the refrain. The rhymes make the verses easy to remember.
- Pick one verse to keep. Many people choose one verse — such as "punarapi jananam" or "satsangatve" — to reflect on through the day.
M.S. Subbulakshmi's 1960s recording made Bhaja Govindam famous; it is usually sung in a shortened selection.
Where Bhaja Govindam comes from
Tradition says that in Varanasi Shankaracharya saw an old scholar memorising grammar rules ("dukrin karane" is a rule from Panini's Dhatupatha) and was moved to sing the first verse: grammar will not save you when death comes. His fourteen disciples are said to have each added a verse (the "Chaturdasha Manjarika"), and the hymn grew to its present length. The order and number of verses vary between editions.
About Bhaja Govindam
Bhaja govindam mudhamate — "Worship Govinda, O foolish mind!" Shankaracharya's "hammer for delusion" (Moha Mudgara): simple, rhyming verses on the shortness of life, the emptiness of chasing wealth and pleasure, and the need for devotion, good company and self-knowledge. It was composed by Adi Shankaracharya, 8th century CE. The text is in Sanskrit.
Sanskrit text: Sanskrit Wikisource. Transliteration and meanings by The Hindu Book.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Bhaja Govindam?
Bhaja Govindam was composed by Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE).
Where can I read Bhaja Govindam lyrics in English?
This page has the full Bhaja Govindam in Sanskrit (Devanagari) with the English transliteration under every verse, and the meaning of each verse in Hindi and English. Use the Chant and Meaning buttons above the verses to show only what you need.
भज गोविन्दम् (मोहमुद्गरः) का अर्थ क्या है?
इस पेज पर भज गोविन्दम् (मोहमुद्गरः) के हर पद के नीचे उसका सरल हिंदी अर्थ और अंग्रेज़ी अर्थ दिया गया है।
How many verses are there in Bhaja Govindam?
Bhaja Govindam has 31 verses as given on this page.
In which language is Bhaja Govindam?
Bhaja Govindam is in Sanskrit. This page gives the original text in Devanagari with Roman transliteration and meaning in Hindi and English.
How long does it take to recite Bhaja Govindam?
A full recitation takes about 10 min.
To whom is Bhaja Govindam dedicated?
Bhaja Govindam is dedicated to Krishna. Bhaja govindam mudhamate — "Worship Govinda, O foolish mind!" Shankaracharya's "hammer for delusion" (Moha Mudgara): simple, rhyming verses on the shortness of life, the emptiness of chasing wealth and pleasure, and the need for devotion, good company and self-knowledge.
What does "dukrin karane" mean?
It is a rule of Sanskrit grammar (the root kri, "to do"). Shankara uses it to say that mere book-learning will not save you at death.
Who wrote Bhaja Govindam?
It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, with some verses ascribed by tradition to his disciples.
What is "Moha Mudgara"?
"The hammer that breaks delusion" — another name for Bhaja Govindam.










