Constant chanting liberates you

Moha Mudgara, popularly called Bhaja Govindam, by Sri Adi Shankaracharya was so far spelling out several ‘don’ts’ of life if our aim was to achieve the highest potential of our mind—liberation.

Moha Mudgara, popularly called Bhaja Govindam, by Sri Adi Shankaracharya was so far spelling out several ‘don’ts’ of life if our aim was to achieve the highest potential of our mind—liberation.
From the 27th verse onward, the Master gives us the list of things to do, or practices to undertake if we need to achieve that state of fullness. Chant, says the author, the Bhagavad Gita and the 1,000 names of Vishnu.

Both these texts, interestingly, are taken from the Mahabharata—an epic poem of one lakh verses. The Gita is a book of knowledge and yogic practices to experience a liberated state of mind. It was given by Sri Krishna to Arjuna. The Vishnu Sahasranamam contains 1,000 different names by which the preserving force of this whole cosmos—Sri Maha Vishnu—is addressed. This was a gift of Bhishma from his bed of arrows to Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandava brothers.

The Acharya says that these two texts be continuously chanted. This is a practice for our sense organ of speech. This organ is very tricky as it can be easily misled into talking frivolities which will eventually lead the mind astray along with the words which precede actions. The third practice, the Master suggests, is for the mind. Constantly think about the form of Vishnu, the husband of Sri Lakshmi. Lakshmi and Vishnu—the pair—represent two powerful forces of consciousness. Lakshmi is that mind which is totally focused and goal-oriented. Meditation at the feet of her lord is always on her mind. When the mind meditates on this form, it naturally becomes quiet and is drawn within that silence.

These three activities of chanting the Gita and the Vishnu Sahasranamamand meditating on the form of Vishnu can be done by one individually. However, man is not a creature given to a life of aloneness. He interacts with society and mingles with people all the time. In this context, what is the suggestion for the mind? Lead your mind, says the Acharya, where satsangas take place. Earlier, too, in the Bhaja Govindam, the power of satsanga to liberate the mind has been stressed as the only means. Satsanga is an association of people gathered in the name of the reality of existence. In such a congregation, the mind naturally draws within to contemplate on the truth.

The last piece of advice is to purify the mind by giving our wealth—in terms of money or knowledge to those who are deena (less privileged).

brni.sharanyachaitanya@gmail.com

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