Adi Guru Shankaracharya and Advaita

"Brahman alone is real, the world is appearance, the Self is nothing but brahman." … Sri Adiguru Shankaracharya (788-820)

The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion defines Advaita as "a state that can be ascribed as unity to Brahman or the Absolute one. Where distinction of me and thou get dissolved. It is not accessible to reason, for the ego-bound mind in the waking condition cannot step out of the duality of subject-object relationship."

Composed by the great sage Sri Adi Shankaracharya, Bhaja Govindam is one of the most lucid yet insightful works of Vedanta. He combined his scientific knowledge of the subject with deep devotion to produce brilliant compositions.

In 31 simple, sweet and lucid Shlokas, giving easy and homely analogies and illustrations for easy understanding, Sri Sankaracharya dissects the human psyche by explaining the fallacy and futility of the human life, if one does not take shelter under Dharma or Truth or God. Its style is simple and its melody makes it appealing to people of all ages. Each one of its 31 verses is a pearl of wisdom that is directly relevant to our lives.

Sri Sankaracharya attacks Moha - attachment at its roots through this composition, which was initially known as Moha Mudgara, but later on popularized as Bhaja Govindam, so as to dispel illusions and delusions and show where the remedy lies for the misery. It contains fundamentals of Vedanta, which are taught in simple and musical verses so that, even from childhood one can grow up amidst the melody of Advaita. The Bhaja Govindam can be appreciated in many ways. It can be appreciated merely by listening to the melodious chanting of the verses. Those who understand the meaning of the verses gain useful instructions on life. However, those who truly enjoy the Bhaja Govindam are those who absorb its message. Those who analyse and reflect upon the matter in the verses. Those who live the philosophy and use it to rise spiritually.

The Bhaja Govindam deals with our twin lusts in life; kanchana, acquisition of wealth, and kamini- women and enjoyment of it. By the first, we accumulate wealth for refuge against sorrow. And by the second motivation, we indulge in carnal pleasure. Together with wealth and women one wishes to relish life. The adiguru, in the Bhaja Govindam, highlights the futility of materialistic pursuit and says no matter how much we seek whatever we seek outside, the truth is, it will always be within.

One must exercise extreme caution when interpreting the Bhaja Govindam, it is important we understand the spirit of the guru’s message. There may be times when we feel his chiding of the human nature is a bit harsh. But it is required that we feel the love that flows through his words. Like a parent to a child. Urging us to get over our obsession with the trivialities and get on to our real business in life, to begin our search for that Divine Self within. The adiguru reminds us that we are not human beings going through a spiritual experience but it is in reality that very Spirit going through a human experience. It is not easy grasp the nuances of this paradigm.

We all waste and while away our lives in unnecessary pursuits, worldly attachments, relegating to God as one of the objects that we require for our convenience. We eventually come to think that God can also be bought like other material commodities. As we aspire for material objects so also God, and the attachment for materialistic pleasures outweigh our desire for self-realization. Consequently, in our ignorance we forget the truth that if we succeed in realizing God, acquisition of all other material objects will turn out to be meaningless. God is the only goal to be achieved to get release from the bondage of Maya. Sri Sankaracharya, out of compassion for man's plight and folly, bursts forth into the Bhaja Govindam stanzas. He preaches man to spend his time in contemplation of the Lord rather than wasting away life in futile pursuits of acquiring mundane pleasures and groveling in the mire of earthly attachments, forgetting what is the purpose and goal of Human Birth.

There is an unfounded criticism that Advaita accords no place to God in its scheme.

Advaita is a truth that can be intellectually ascertained but remains remote till it is emotionally realized. It is self identification with one and all. Advaita is inaccessible to speech, it is a relationship felt at heart and observed in behaviour rather than defined or described in words. It is beyond the realm of logic, …of ego, …of material sensory experience.

Advaita is a feeling - an inward feeling. It is in the inner region of the heart and not in the region of the brain that Advaita blooms. Advaita is an integrated view of life and of the world. Both entities exist in unison. They are body and soul, the physical and the spiritual, two seemingly different things, both together making one integrated whole.