Sri Shankaracarya's devotion to Bhagavan Krishna

Adi Shankaracarya is believed to have composed the Bhajagovindam during his famous pilgrimage to Kashi (Benares). The fourteen disciples are said to have accompanied him. The story goes that when he was walking along the streets of Kashi, he was pained to observe an elderly man trying hard to learn Sanskrit grammar. At his advanced age, the remaining valuable little time of his life should have been used for worshipping the God, instead of wasting on learning a language.

This prompted Sri Shankaracarya to burst out this composition, a sort of rebuke to foolish way of living. The Acharya urges the man to turn towards God and sing His glory instead of trying to learn a language. A censure is implied when the Acharya calls the man a fool (Moodhamathe). It may be added here that the tone of Bhajagovindam is not at all soft, but somewhat striking, in spite of its exotic poetic beauty and perfection of composition. This is no wonder, because such a treatment is required to wake up man from his slumber. A milder approach would delay the matter. 

The matter is urgent, as the Acharya explains in the next verse, for, when the hour of death approaches without any forewarning, the hard-learned verses of grammar are not going to save the poor soul. Hence the song rightly starts without any preamble:

 bhajagovindaM bhajagovindaM

govindaM bhajamuuDhamate .

saMpraapte sannihite kaale

nahi nahi rakshati DukRiJNkaraNe .. (1)

Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda. Oh fool! Rules of Grammar will not save you at the time of your death.

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Bhagavad Gita Kinchitha Theerthaa Gangaa Jalalapi Kanikaa Peetha

Sakruthapi Yaena Muraari Samarchaa Kriyathe Thasya Yamenana Charcha

"If a person reads a little from Bhagavad Geeta, Drinks a sip of water from Ganges. Worships Murari (Krishna) for a little moment, for them there is no arguments with Yama, [the lord of death]".

Shankaracarya externally came to cover up Buddhism with a layer of Vedic knowledge. Internally he is Lord Shiva who is a devotee of Vishnu. “Vaishnavanams yatha Shambu – Lord Shiva is the greatest devotee of Lord Vishnu.” Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Sambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction.

ksiram yatha dadhi vikara-visesa-yogat

sanjayate na hi tatah prthag asti hetoh

yah sambhutam api tatha samupaiti karyad

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

Padma Purana 25.7 says:

mayavadam asacchastram pracchannam bauddhamuchyate

maya iva vihitam devi kalau brahmana murttina

In different sections of Padma Purana, Kurma Purana and in many other puranas this is mentioned. In the Padma Purana mayavadism is unequivocally declared non-Vedic, and in this connection Lord Siva delivers a clear-cut declaration in the Padma Purana:

vedarthavan mahasastram mayavadam avaidikam

maya eva kathitam devi jagatam nasakaranat

Srinivas Kheam, Assistant Director at a High school in Seattle says

 If a person understands Bhaja Govindam and implements what has been said by Adi Shanakaracharya, it solves many problems of the world. Every word that Adi Shankaracharya said is true now and future. The beauty of Sanathana Dharma is that our poorva acharyas have already predicted what the life would be in future. Jai Sanathana Dharma!

Sung by MS Subbalakshmi