Bhagavadgeeta kincidadheetaa
gangaajalalava kanikaa peetaa
sakrdapi yena muraari samarcaa
kriyate tasya yamena na carcaa
At least a few shlokas of Bhagavadgita should be studied daily. Adhita - means that the shlokas are not only to be learnt by heart, but their essential spirit and internal meanings should be imprinted in the mind. a little - means even a few stanzas can be studied daily, which can rivet our mind to the Lord. It could be the Sthitapragna Lakshana - of the II chapter, or the Bhaktiyoga sara - from the XII chapter or the Vishwaroopa Darshana - of the XI chapter.
Even a single shloka like Sarvadharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja aham tvaa sarvapaapebhyo mokshayishyaami maa shucaha or even the quarter parts of the stanzas like yogaha karmasu koushalyamu etc., should be studied daily and deeply.
The river Ganga is - originated from the feet of Lord Vishnu, - the one adoring the Jata of Lord Shiva, - the daughter of the rishi Jahnu, - river of knowledge and is the most sacred of the Bharatiya rivers. This sacred river has created many pilgrimage centers all along its route from Gangothri till she joins the ocean at Bay of Bengal. It washes out all the bad deeds - and cleans the person who takes bath in her, of all the dirt, either internal or external to the body. If a small quantity or even a few drops of Ganga water is sipped with belief & devotion - shraddha and bhakti, all our saptadhatus - get sanctified and engulfed in divinity.
The great Jnanis sanctify the Thirthani - the sacred water of bath, but they themselves get their sanctifying capacity replenished by dipping in the sacred Ganga. When Sri Krishna declares in Bhagavadgita that he will happily receive even the leaves, flowers, fruits, and water offered by his devotee, the water he means is as pure as Ganga.
Such Vishnu Bhaktas - the devotees of Vishnu - will not have fear of death. They welcome death as their friend. Yama - the god of death - warns his assistants to be far away from the Vishnu Bhakatas. Upanishad says that Death himself is like the pickles for the Lord Narayana. This is the main reason that the Devotees will never have to argue with Yama - to fear the death. Bhakta Ambarisha, Sati Savithri and Nachiketa demonstrated a fearlessness like this towards death.
Bhakta Ambarisha spent most of his time in meditating upon Lord Narayana. He was performing all worldly and kingly activities regularly. The fire of anger of the great Rishi Durvasa became ineffective and even could not touch Ambarisha.
Ajamila who was originally a virtuous person had turned out as a sinner. When he was about to die, due to fear of detah, he called out the name Narayana, which was the name of his son also. That was sufficient for escaping the noose of the Yamadootas - the servants of yama. Subsequently, he cleansed himself by dipping in the nectar of meditation on Narayana, and get engrossed in the divinity. All these things happened only as a result of the singing of the Lord’s name.
Spend, as far as possible, all your time in deep devotion and surrender at the feet of Lord. At least once in away, indulge in the pooja of Murari. The word Archana includes remembering, indulging, deeply thinking and meditation.
Only the continuous thinking of Lord Narayana can liberate us, since he is the kindest and he is the only Lord, who can grant Moksha, the liberation. He is such a Lord devoid of pride and ego, that he describes himself to be “the servant of the servant of the servants.”
Sri Purandara dasa exaults thus: “Is there the fear of this worldly life? & to those who drink the essence of Bhagavadgeeta daily, along with sipping of the sacred water of Ganga, and engrossed in the devotion to Lord Narayana ?” Such devotees will be merged in divinity even during this very life; After death, they proceed to Vaikunta and will be under the grace of Narayana.
This is the very reason that the devotees confidently declare:
Tvatpaadakamalaadanyat na me janmaantareshvapi
nimittam kushalasyaasti yena gacchaami sadgatim
Kaamaye vaishnavattvam tu sarvajanmasu kevalam.
Meaning “for my welfare and salvation, I don’t find any sure means other than your lotus feet“, “let there be any number or type of birth, but I want to be a person having deep devotion to Vishnu, and nothing else”.
Purandara dasa has sung the greatness of singing the name of Lord in his devaranamas :
“Kallu sakkare kolliro…Krishna Namavemba,”
“Smarane onde salade, Govindana Nama onde Salade,”
“Onde koogalathe Vaikunta.”
This article has been taken from the book A Torchlight in the Path of Salvation, Bhaja Govindam- Pray to Govinda by K V Varadaraja Iyengar
