Bhaja Govindham ~ Shlokham 4 - Uncertain Life
Nalineedalagata jalamatitaralam
Tadvajjeevitamatisaya chapalam
Viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam
... Lokam sokahatam cha samastam
Meaning
nalineedalagata jalam – the water (drop) playing on a lotus petal or leaf, ati – extremely, taralam – uncertain (existence), tadvat – so, jeevitam – life, atisaya – ever (greatly), chapalam – unstable, viddhi – understand, vyaadhi abhimana grastam – consumed by desease and conceit (vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam), lokam – the world, soka – with pangs, hatam – is (riddled) beset, cha – and, samastam – whole.
Substance
The water drop on the lotus-leaf is very unsteady and has extremely uncertain existence, so also is life. understand that the world is equally unstable and it will be swallowed by disease and conceit. Life is ultimately nothing but worry, misery and grief.
Commentary
After giving a stern warning in the first three slokas against the arrogance of knowledge, the lure of wealth and the lust for sex, Sri Sankaracharya speaks of the nature of life in this sloka.
It is a natural phenomenon in the world with all the intelligent creatures that they wish to possess more and more to enjoy, thinking that one gets relieved from the sense of insecurity by having wealth. Even the richest man in the world is not really happy with his earnings, as his wants are more.
The imaginary mansions one builds around oneself with money or wealth will not stand to protect one when the death knocks at the door. The more the number of possessions one accumulates, the more one has to feel insecure and fear, as one day one may lose them, perhaps, when one is not careful and cautious in one’s dealings, but definitely at the time of death.
Nalineedalagata jalamatitaralam
Tadvajjeevitamatisaya chapalam
Viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam
... Lokam sokahatam cha samastam
Meaning
nalineedalagata jalam – the water (drop) playing on a lotus petal or leaf, ati – extremely, taralam – uncertain (existence), tadvat – so, jeevitam – life, atisaya – ever (greatly), chapalam – unstable, viddhi – understand, vyaadhi abhimana grastam – consumed by desease and conceit (vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam), lokam – the world, soka – with pangs, hatam – is (riddled) beset, cha – and, samastam – whole.
Substance
The water drop on the lotus-leaf is very unsteady and has extremely uncertain existence, so also is life. understand that the world is equally unstable and it will be swallowed by disease and conceit. Life is ultimately nothing but worry, misery and grief.
Commentary
After giving a stern warning in the first three slokas against the arrogance of knowledge, the lure of wealth and the lust for sex, Sri Sankaracharya speaks of the nature of life in this sloka.
It is a natural phenomenon in the world with all the intelligent creatures that they wish to possess more and more to enjoy, thinking that one gets relieved from the sense of insecurity by having wealth. Even the richest man in the world is not really happy with his earnings, as his wants are more.
The imaginary mansions one builds around oneself with money or wealth will not stand to protect one when the death knocks at the door. The more the number of possessions one accumulates, the more one has to feel insecure and fear, as one day one may lose them, perhaps, when one is not careful and cautious in one’s dealings, but definitely at the time of death.
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