The Bhaja Govindam literally means ‘Sing the Names of the Divine’.
It is a classical Sanskrit text ascribed to the sage Shankaracharya, which combines Advaita (Non-Dualism) with Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of the Heart). The text consists of thirty verses plus the chorus and can be paraphrased as ‘let insight take us deeper into realisation of Reality’.
Tutor(s): Rajesh and Swami Nischalananda
It is said that early one morning, the sage Shankaracharya was walking along the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi with his disciples. He saw an old man, evidently close to death, diligently studying the rules of Sanskrit grammar. Shankaracharya was so shocked at what he considered a futile waste of time for a man of such an age, that he spontaneously erupted into song. Each of his disciples, one after the other, also burst into song. This is the Bhaja Govindam.
This is not an exhortation exclusively to elderly people, but to all of us. Time is so short. Even if we have too many things to do, we should try to dedicate some of our time and attention to looking deeper, to realise the very source of our Being. Why wait until we are old and worn out? Life is short. We should start investigating now.
Further information
This retreat offers a unique opportunity to explore this text from two perspectives: Swamiji will share his insight and understanding by giving commentaries on the text and Rajesh will introduce the musical beauty through singing and encouraging group participation.
