Baja Govindam

Advaitha Vedanta and Adi Sankara

Adi Sankara is the spiritual Philosopher who reconciled the vedanta doctrines and showed to the world that one could attain mukti (Absolute freedom ) and reach God with Advaitha Principles.

There are lot to be explored in vedanta principles. It provides all answers to the creation of the universe and why all of us are living a life and guide as in leading a efficient and happy life amidst miseries.

My first exploration begins here. With

Baja Govindam

Adi sankara composed this song when he sees an old man learning rules of grammar of sanskrit language.It contains the essence of Vedanta and implores the man to think,

Why am I here in this life ?
Why am I amassing wealth, family, but have no peace ?
What is the Truth ?
What is the purpose of life ?

The person thus awakened gets set on a path to the inner road back to the God principle


Let me start with the last stanza of the song.

Sanskrit

गुरुचरणाम्बुजनिर्भरभक्तः
संसारादचिराद्भव मुक्तः ।
सेन्द्रियमानस नियमादेवं
द्रक्ष्यसि निजहृदयस्थं देवम् ॥ ३१॥ 

Transliteration

gurucharaNaambuja nirbhara bhakataHsaMsaaraadachiraadbhava muktaH .sendriyamaanasa niyamaadevaMdrakshyasi nija hR^idayasthaM devam. .

 Before explaining the meaning of this stanza. I want to recall one of Upanyasam i have heard about Ramayana , where in this analogy is established,

Rama is the paramathama and Sita is the Jiva Atma and Lanka is the body. And it is explained that the Jiva Atma dwelling in the body needs to be freed and has to be reach paramatma with Guidance of Guru. Hanuman would act as Guru with whom guidance Sita could reach paramathma.

So, one can reach God by seeking Guru's Guidance and preaches and attain Mukti even as Samsari(one who engaged in worldly life as opposed to Sanyasi who renounced everything).

Now getting to the individual sentences ,

Meaning

Guru Charana Buja 

       - By being submitting ourselves to the feet of Guru

Nirbara baktah 

-  Dependent Baktha ( devotee).

Samsara 

   -     This worldly life

Achirad bava 

  - In no time (in a short while)

Mukta

-   Can be Freed .

Sendriya Manasa

   - Indriya (organs) , Manasa (Mind)

Niyama deva 

   -  Controlling regularly alone by practicing habits.
Niyama is one of the steps in Raja yoga following which one become successful yogi. There are

regular habits and observances one has to follow to get into spiritual life. The steps to pass through Niyama are 

1. Tapas.-austerity. Fasting, or in other ways controlling the body, is called physical Tapas.
2. Svâdhyâya - Study.contentment .Repeating the Vedas and other Mantras, by which the Sattva material in the body is purified, is called study 
3. Shauch - purity 
4. Ishvara-pranidhâna -worshipping God 

Drakhyasi 

 - Could able to see

Nija 

 - real truth

Hirdaya sath 

- dwelling in heart

Devam  

- God.

In summary :

       By Being submissive to the feet of Guru , a dependent Baktha can free him self from the worldly life and attain Mukti in no time .  By control of organs and mind regularly alone one can see the God who is dwelling in one's own heart.