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Fuss over "Bhaja Govindam"

From the Bhakti List Archives

Pradeep Janakiraman • February 13, 2003 


I've been following the thread over "Bhaja Govindam" for a while now. 
But to summarize my thoughts, I dont understand the fuss over why 
Sankara could not have practised Bhakti being an Advaiti. In my 
opinion they are not really opposed to each other. 

First of all, Sankara had composed more than just Bhaja Govindam, to 
display his inner sense of devotion to Krishna. In one of his works 
he describes the "ratha yatra" of Jagganath and he says that he 
sees "Radha" and "Krishna" in it. Rukmini was a kshatriaya princess 
and she knows how to ride in a charriot, but Radha belonged to the 
cowherd clan and is scared of the huge charriot when it shakes etc. 

In that, she holds Krishna tightly out of fear, and Krishna feels 
happy that the Yatra is really "gratifying" because he got 
Radha "sparsham" and Sankara feels even more satisfied because he 
sees them together !!!

In another work of his, he says he would atleast like to be born as a 
Jackal in Brindavanam. Our sastras say that a jackal's birth is a 
very lowly one and is got only if one commits a lot of sins. But 
Sankara says that even that is okay, as long he can be born in 
Brindavanam. 

Such was his prema-bhakti. In some advaiti's works where does the 
question of prema, prakruti etc. figure ? When some of his works talk 
about the non-existence of anything like the Prakruti itself, where 
does Radha, Krishna, Ratha-Yatra, Brindavan etc appear ? 

So in my opinion Bhakti of an advaiti like Sankara is not to be 
dismissed easily. Though advaitam was their Siddantam (philosophy), 
in practise, they all practised Bhakti. Till date, when Sankaracharya 
of Kanchi signs something or writes a letter, at the end, he 
says "Naarayana Smrithi"

I can give actual references and quotes that contain the above 
narrations. I am typing from memory, so I need some time to clarify 
any questions regarding the authenticity of the above references. 

In another work of his, Sankara looks at the Godavari and says that 
the Godavari has been flowing since the times of Rama itself. And it 
is constantly flowing towards the ocean. But however, if it decided 
to stay at the source itself, then the source itself would have been 
as wide and big as a ocean. 

This he says is analogous to devotees seeking God in the outside and 
reaching the ocean, where as God is right inside and it is possible 
to merge with him right inside. 

Radhe Krishna

-- Pradeep 




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