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भज गोविन्दम् (मोह मुद्गारः)
Vedānta · stotra · 31 verses
Adi Shankaracharya (and twelve disciples — the Dvadasha Manjarika)
Adi Shankaracharya — Moha Mudgara; Chinmaya Mission commentary
Bhaja Govindam — also called the Moha Mudgara (Hammer of Delusion) — is a 31-verse exhortation composed by Adi Shankaracharya, with verses contributed by his twelve principal disciples. Its refrain, 'bhaja govindaṃ mūḍha-mate' (Worship Govinda, O foolish mind!), is among the most famous in all of Sanskrit literature. The first twelve verses by Shankara himself alternate between withering social observation and Vedantic instruction, teaching that worldly learning, wealth, and relationships are all impermanent — only devotion to Govinda and the company of the wise (satsanga) lead to liberation.
Composed in Kashi, after Shankara saw an old grammarian rote-learning Panini's rules on his deathbed and understood the futility of mere book-learning without spiritual practice.
Key verses shown (13 of 31 total). Full verse text to be added.
भज गोविन्दं भज गोविन्दं गोविन्दं भज मूढमते।
सम्प्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृञ्करणे॥
bhaja govindaṃ bhaja govindaṃ govindaṃ bhaja mūḍha-mate।
samprāpte sannihite kāle nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṇe॥
Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, O foolish mind! When death's hour comes near, the rules of grammar will not save you.
मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णां कुरु सद्बुद्धिं मनसि वितृष्णाम्।
यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तं वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम्॥
mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgama-tṛṣṇāṃ kuru sad-buddhiṃ manasi vitṛṣṇām।
yal-labhase nija-karmopāttaṃ vittaṃ tena vinodaya cittam॥
O fool! Renounce the thirst for wealth; cultivate good intelligence and dispassion in your mind. With whatever wealth comes through your own karma, be content.
नारीस्तनभरनाभीदेशं दृष्ट्वा मा गा मोहावेशम्।
एतन्मांसवसादिविकारं मनसि विचिन्तय वारं वारम्॥
nārī-stana-bhara-nābhī-deśaṃ dṛṣṭvā mā gā mohāveśam।
etan-māṃsa-vasādi-vikāraṃ manasi vicintaya vāraṃ vāram॥
Seeing a woman's body, do not fall into delusion. This is but a transformation of flesh and fat — reflect on this again and again in your mind.
नलिनीदलगतजलमतितरलं तद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम्।
विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम्॥
nalinī-dala-gata-jalam-ati-taralaṃ tad-vaj-jīvitam-atiśaya-capalam।
viddhi vyādhy-abhimāna-grastaṃ lokaṃ śoka-hataṃ ca samastam॥
As fragile as a water-drop on a lotus leaf is human life. Know the whole world to be afflicted by disease and pride, struck by sorrow.
यावद्वित्तोपार्जनसक्तस्तावन्निजपरिवारो रक्तः।
पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जरदेहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे॥
yāvad-vittopārjana-saktas-tāvan-nija-parivāro raktaḥ।
paścāj-jīvati jarjara-dehe vārtāṃ ko'pi na pṛcchati gehe॥
As long as one is able to earn, family clings affectionately. Later, in old age and a frail body, no one even asks how he is.
यावत्पवनो निवसति देहे तावत्पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे।
गतवति वायौ देहापाये भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन्काये॥
yāvat-pavano nivasati dehe tāvat-pṛcchati kuśalaṃ gehe।
gatavati vāyau dehāpāye bhāryā bibhyati tasmin-kāye॥
As long as breath remains in the body, family inquires about welfare. When the breath has departed and the body fails, even the wife is afraid of the corpse.
बालस्तावत्क्रीडासक्तस्तरुणस्तावत्तरुणीसक्तः।
वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्तः परमे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः॥
bālas-tāvat-krīḍāsaktas-taruṇas-tāvat-taruṇī-saktaḥ।
vṛddhas-tāvac-cintā-saktaḥ parame brahmaṇi ko'pi na saktaḥ॥
A child is engrossed in play, a youth in a young woman, an old man in worries — but no one is engrossed in the supreme Brahman.
का ते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्रः संसारोऽयमतीव विचित्रः।
कस्य त्वं कः कुत आयातस्तत्त्वं चिन्तय तदिह भ्रातः॥
kā te kāntā kas-te putraḥ saṃsāro'yam-atīva vicitraḥ।
kasya tvaṃ kaḥ kuta āyātas-tat-tvaṃ cintaya tad-iha bhrātaḥ॥
Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange indeed is this samsara. To whom do you belong? Who are you? Where have you come from? O brother, contemplate this Truth here and now.
सत्सङ्गत्वे निःसङ्गत्वं निःसङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम्।
निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः॥
sat-saṅgatve niḥsaṅgatvaṃ niḥsaṅgatve nirmohatvam।
nirmohatve niścala-tattvaṃ niścala-tattve jīvan-muktiḥ॥
From satsang comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, from freedom from delusion comes the steady Truth, and from the steady Truth comes liberation in life.
वयसि गते कः कामविकारः शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः।
क्षीणे वित्ते कः परिवारो ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः॥
vayasi gate kaḥ kāma-vikāraḥ śuṣke nīre kaḥ kāsāraḥ।
kṣīṇe vitte kaḥ parivāro jñāte tattve kaḥ saṃsāraḥ॥
When age has passed, what is desire? When the water has dried, what is the lake? When wealth is gone, what family? When Truth is known, what samsara?
मा कुरु धनजनयौवनगर्वं हरति निमेषात्कालः सर्वम्।
मायामयमिदमखिलं हित्वा ब्रह्मपदं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा॥
mā kuru dhana-jana-yauvana-garvaṃ harati nimeṣāt-kālaḥ sarvam।
māyāmayam-idam-akhilaṃ hitvā brahma-padaṃ tvaṃ praviśa viditvā॥
Take no pride in wealth, friends, youth — Time snatches them all in a moment. Renouncing this whole world made of maya, knowing the Truth, enter the state of Brahman.
दिनयामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः शिशिरवसन्तौ पुनरायातः।
कालः क्रीडति गच्छत्यायुस्तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशावायुः॥
dina-yāminyau sāyaṃ prātaḥ śiśira-vasantau punar-āyātaḥ।
kālaḥ krīḍati gacchaty-āyus-tad-api na muñcaty-āśā-vāyuḥ॥
Day and night, dawn and dusk, winter and spring come and go again. Time plays on, life ebbs away — and still the wind of desire does not leave.
गुरुचरणाम्बुजनिर्भरभक्तः संसारादचिराद्भव मुक्तः।
सेन्द्रियमानसनियमादेवं द्रक्ष्यसि निजहृदयस्थं देवम्॥
guru-caraṇāmbuja-nirbhara-bhaktaḥ saṃsārād-acirād-bhava muktaḥ।
sendriya-mānasa-niyamād-evaṃ drakṣyasi nija-hṛdaya-sthaṃ devam॥
With unshakeable devotion to the lotus feet of the Guru, soon become free from samsara. By restraining the senses and the mind in this way, you shall behold the Lord seated in your own heart.
Sources: Adi Shankaracharya — Moha Mudgara; Chinmaya Mission commentary. Awaiting scholar verification.