BHAJA GOVINDAM - 14. Swami Adi Sri Sankaracharya.

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Tuesday, March 07, 2023. 06:00. 

Stotram - 14 : The Abuse of Outward Symbols

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Chaturdasha Manjarika Stotram

PART III – Slokas : 14-27

“Where Is Happiness?”

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Swami Chinmayananda

Dispassion will develop only when one finds that objects no more gives any joy. Let us burn our dependency on objects this Holi and fill our lives with the color of contentment. HAPPY HOLI!

- Swami Chinmayananda

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HERE WE BEGIN the 14 Stotrams that are attributed to the 14 disciples who were 

accompanying Shankaracharya on that day when he met the old Samskrit Acharya. The 

literary qualities of the Master have found their way to the disciples with natural ease.

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SANATANA DHARMAM

Stotram - 14 : The Abuse of Outward Symbols   (with translation)

1."Jatilo Mundi Luncitakesah  =  An ascetic with matted locks; with shaven 

head; with hairs pulled out one by one;

2. Kasayambarabahuketavesah.  =  another parading in his ochre robes –

3. Pasyannapi Ca Na Pasyati Mudho  =  these fools, though seeing, do not see.

4. Hyudaranimittam Bahukrtavesah."  =  Indeed, as different disguises or apparels, 

they are only for their belly’s sake.

(Bhajs Govidam Bhaja Govindam ...)

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Bhashyam (Vyakyanam) : 

These words may appear to some to be brimming with cynicism. If a scholar had 

written them, that may be a plausible indictment. But we must remember we are dealing 

with the work of a great Master, a realized sage. His words have to be taken to heart. 

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1-2 In the period of Shankaracharyaji, the externals counted for everything that one 

stood for. Here three typical symbols are expressly mentioned, but there are many more. 

Not much needs to be said about the actual details of these symbols; for they are cultural, 

and vary from one period to another as well as one place to another, and more broadly 

even from one country to another. The principle that is more important to grasp. 

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3-4 Religion had become an outward show. It was a low point in the history of 

religious practice in India. Shankaracharya’s great contribution was to reform this situation 

which threatened to engulf our tradition. In any culture, when the spirit is lost and only the 

outward form remains, that culture dies a natural death. Shankaracharyaji had devoted his 

life to ensure that this situation was corrected. Passages like these, attributed to his 

disciples, show what a reforming spirit drove the Master. Let religion never degenerate to an 

outward show for the sake of filling one’s stomach. That is the message to take.

The True Significance of Religious Symbols :

An important point to make regarding a verse such as this is that the attack is on the 

egoism and hypocrisy of insincere men; this is not an attack on the symbols themselves.

This is now being explained:

One’s identity to a role is largely determined by the uniform which that role is 

dressed in. A policeman on duty (in his uniform) is a braver person than when he is off-duty 

(without his uniform). Sadhus are “on duty” for 24 hours a day! They have to carry their 

uniform at all times. But they are also human, and can come down to lower consciousness 

at times. This is where the problems begin.

The Sadhu world is also “infiltrated” by those who only enter it for the sake of 

making an easy livelihood from it, without meeting the standards demanded by it. No one 

can stop this happening. Strong poems like Bhaja Govindam may help to make people 

aware of these dangers by bringing them out into the open for public debate. 

Such dangers would always be there in any system. Every system is open to abuse.

There are many in police uniforms, too, who fall prey to bribes, etc, and lower the name of 

the Police Force. This does not become a valid reason to discontinue the Police Force. In the 

same way, the abuse of religious symbols does not constitute a valid reason for 

discontinuing them. What is really intended by this verse is a periodical self-introspective 

purging by each member of a particular system.

It becomes the duty of a spiritual teacher of worth to train his disciples in such a way 

that they do not use their outer symbols to buy privileges from society. This is best done by 

instilling a deep spirit of service in them. This was the approach used by the great modern 

saint, Sri Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. He drummed into the minds of his disciples the 

dangers of overdoing any practice of austerity. He made service the cornerstone of Sadhana 

for his disciples. And many of them excelled throughout the world as proof of the greatness 

of the system of Sannyas.

In short, symbols are intended to uphold a basically very good system. Service and 

sincerity are strong antidotes against their abuse.

Acharyaji gave some very good examples. Among them was that of Ravana. When he 

wanted to kidnap Sita, what better garb could he resort to than that of a Brahmin Sadhu! He 

did not stop to think of the consequences of misusing the garb to satisfy his lust. He did not 

think of how his act would reflect badly on the entire spiritual community.

Thus we should never be a cause for a stain on the spiritual life of society. Society 

does its best to uphold its spiritual seekers. And spiritual seekers have to reciprocate.

The next three verses show that conquest of Desire is no easy matter…

*****

Next
Stotram  - 15 : Fooled by Desire

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