Bhaja Govindam Verse 10

वयसिगते कः कामविकारः

शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः ।

क्षीणेवित्ते कः परिवारः

ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः ॥ १०॥

vayasigate kaH kaamavikaaraH

shushhke niire kaH kaasaaraH .

 kshiiNevitte kaH parivaaraH

GYaate tattve kaH saMsaaraH (10)

(vayasigate = vayasi + gate, when age has advanced / gone; kaH = who / what use (in the sense of kva?(where)); kaamavikaaraH = sensual / sexual feeling; shushhke = in the drying up of; niire = water; ka = what (use) is the; kaasaaraH = lake; kshiiNe = spent-up / weakened state of; vitte = wealth; kaH = what (use) for; parivaaraH = family (is there?); GYaate = in the realized state; tattve = truth; kaH = what (use) is; sa.nsaaraH = world / family bond.)

(vayasigate = when advanced in age; kaH kaamavikaaraH = what is (the use of) sensual feelings ? ; shushhke niire = when dry; ka kaasaaraH = what (use) is a lake ?; kshiiNe vitte = when wealth is depleted; kaH parivaaraH = what (use) is the family ? GYaate tattve = known the Truth; kaH sa.nsaaraH = what (use) is worldly life ?)

Without the cause, the effect has no existence. Sri Sankara presents this fact here with four examples. There is no place for carnal feelings as we advance in age; The lake is no lake if the water in it dries up; There are no relatives if we run out of wealth. In the same manner, there is no samsaara (worldly life) for the person who has understood the Eternal Principle.

The cause of sexual feelings is youth. Health and vigour gradually shrink as we age. The body loses the earlier potential to perform. There is no escape from this transformation. Lake, once dried up, is no longer called by that name. Relatives, family members, all of them surround a person only when he has money. As soon as his wealth is gone, the people desert him or may even try to harm if possible. People surrounded him only due to his wealth and position, unconsciously hoping for a share of his fortune. When the person is no longer giving them this hope, people find no use for his company and go after somebody else.

As soon as we know the cause of our Existence, the delusion of the world goes away from our eyes. The world holds no charm for the person who has experienced the principle of spirituality: God alone is Truth and the world is a delusion; He is the eternal principle behind the ever-changing world drama.

The driving force in life is the worldy desire. When a spiritual aspirant succeeds in curtailing this, when he is able to dry out the lake of desires, where is the Samsara for him ? The material world and its attractions fail to charm the aspirant: he has found more durable thing. When the darkness of ignorance vanishes with the light of Knowledge of the Self, mundane things won’t interest his mind.

What remains in the man from whose mind lust and greed are entirely eliminated? The Bliss of Brahman beams in him.