Bhaja Govindam Verse- 4

नलिनीदलगत जलमतितरलं

                       तद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम् ।

                       विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं

लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् ॥ ४॥

naliniidalagata jalamatitaralaM
tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam .
viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastaM
lokaM shokahataM cha samastam .. (4)

(naliniidalagata = nalinI + dala + gata = lotus + petal + reached / gone; jalaM = water (drop); atitaralaM = ati + taralam, very + unstable; tadvat.h = like that; jiivitaM = life; atishaya = wonderful; chapalaM = fickle-minded; viddhi = know for sure; vyaadhi = disease; abhimaana = egoism; grastaM = having been caught / seized; lokaM = world; people; shokahataM = attacked (hata) by grief (shoka); cha = and; samastaM = entire.)

 (naliniidalagata jalamatitaralaM = The water drop trapped in a lotus petal is susceptible; tadvat.h = likewise; jiivitaM atishaya chapalaM = life is also wonderful and uncertain; samastaM lokaM, vyaadhyabhimaanagrastaM shokahataM cha viddhi = know that the whole world is seized by diseases and pride and devastated by grief)

The great poet in Sri Sankara here compares life with a drop of water trembling on a lotus petal. It is so uncertain and unstable. The water drop trapped on a lotus petal is shaky and may fall any time. Our life is no different. It may come to end anytime. Death comes without any forewarning. Man should understand this truth and turn his attention to God.

Life is not only unstable, but it is infected with the maladies like diseases and pride. Pride or egoism is also considered a disease here. Jnana (knowledge) and mukti (salvation) cannot be had as long as egoism persists. Birth and death also do not come to an end to him who is given to egoism. Hence it is really sorrowful. There is more pain here than pleasure. More trouble than fun. This is the nature of life.

 There must also be a hidden meaning to this shloka. Lotus grows in water. Hence the water drop which falls into the water again joins its original source; i.e, water. If we think of the infinite Brahman as water and the Jeevatma as the water drop, the matter is clear. From Brahman we come. We remain in the lotus petal of life for a short while and then again merge in our original state. While in this apparent state of isolation from the original place, like the water drop trapped in the lotus petal, our life is full of uncertainties. Slightest wind will mean the downfall of the drop. In life also, slightest mishap can mean disaster. Hence the Acharya urges us to turn to God.