Bhaj Govindam 

In the first 4 verses, Guru Shankaracharya urged everyone to turn towards God. Sadly, the ones who are on the path also get entangled in mundane details and forget to revere the Lord. (Verse 1) 

Others are so immersed in Wealth (Verse 2) and Lust (verse 3) - Kanchan and Kamini that the thought of God is a distant dream. A dream that has no space in his make belief immortal world, where death knocks only at the door of others (verse 4).

The above imposters are dangerous, but ‘affection’, is one that deludes the most. It gradually, empties and robs us in front of our own eyes, without our knowing and by the time we awaken, it is too late.

Verse 5

यावद्वित्तोपार्जन सक्तः स्तावन्निज परिवारो रक्तः |

पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे |

Yāvadvittopārjana saktaḥ stāvannija parivāro raktaḥ,

paścājjīvati jarjara dehe vārtāṁ ko’pi na pṛcchati gehe. 

The fifth verse said to me - Sruti says 🌷

Keep this in your mind, this is true for all and is inevitable;

One gets the affection/respect of the family/friends only till one is of utility to them. But, with age and/or time as the utility diminishes, the affections also dwindles and the same family has no time to speak a word to the same individual. 

———————

I have consciously used the word ‘Affection’ and not ‘Attachment’. Attachment is many a times mistaken for love, for instance when a mother is attached to the child, she feels she loves the child. However, the truth is, had the child not been her own born, she would probably not have even looked at him with the same feeling;

I am attached to my mother, because she is my mother.

I am attached to my father, because he is my father.

I am attached to my sister, because she is my sister.

I am attached to my son, because he is my son.

So on and so forth, for husband, wife, other bodily relations.

The thing that is common in all these is ‘My’. When you are attached to someone, you don’t necessarily have an affectionate approach. Your way of showing your feelings could be curt, but the underlying mine-ness could still be there.

However, affection, can be shown without any feelings in our heart, but for the utility or benefit derived from the individual. In other words, where you like that person or not, you would be respectful and show affection, cause you are deriving benefit from him/her.

We have time and again heard that true love is hard to find. I would say love is hard to find. What we see around us is attachment to the bodily relation or affection for what we derive from the person.

Example: One lady had two children, she is attached to both, as they are both her blood. However, she is affectionate toward the child who get her thing and takes care of her. However, the treatment of the child who does not have a job and is unable to provide is very derogatory. 

This is not an uncommon example. The higher the benefit or gain, the higher the show of affection and respect. Not only do we confuse, attachment for love, we also mistake affection for love. 

Example: When a child is a baby, his mother means the world to him, however, as he grows up his attention shifts to friends and later his wife and family. Where, before a moment without the mother was not possible, later we see many of them sitting in old age homes/ or even if at home, they are lonely and desperate for even a word from the family. The opinion which were ones asked, become unwanted rambles of grumpy person.

Why, because the affection was not towards the person, but the utility, as the utility diminishes so does the affection. When the person was strong and able out of fear also, he/she was able to demand the show of affection and respect. 

Note: Had it been love, there would have been no change in ones behaviour. These kind of relations are also prevalent but rare.

The foolish man spends his whole life mistaking this affection for love. Totally blinded, he trades the eternal divine love of God, for this momentary fleeting affection, which many a times is just a pretence. Many a time the person who show it also does not know about how real the affection is. 

So, one might say, yes this reality of the transient nature of all relation and the momentary show of affection and respect is known to all, then how does one get trapped in this dark pit? 

It is a delusion, it is Maya’s, sweet sugar coated pill, which is very sweet to start with, and bitter when we go deeper. But, the sweetness is so mesmerising that in the spell of the moment, we forget everything.

So, again one might ask, if one knows this how should one act in this world? Should one abandon the world and relations? No,

‘Na Jaag chodo,

Na Hari bhoolo,

Karam Kar jindagani mai.

Jiyo duniya mai yo jese,

Kamal rehta hai pani mai.’

If we are in Samsar, we have to fulfil our responsibilities and duties toward all. However, we should stay detached from the world and attached to God at all time. Everyone should be but a reflection of the Lord. When we see God in all, inspite of being detached - we would be able love.

Keeping in mind the momentary nature of all relations and emotions, today’s affection can be forgotten in a moment, so if the expectation is set aside, and ego, not in play, One can function in this world without any dismay.

The two songs attached also echo what Shankaracharya ji is saying, his hammer like words, hard hitting as they are, are meant to shake us out of our slumber.

‘A man was walking, and suddenly he was pushed, and he got hurt badly. However, had he not been pushed, he would have been crushed under the train and died. 

So, which push is better?

It is for us to decide.

Hari Om🙏