Bhaja Govindam - Post 15

Verse 14

जटिलो मुण्डी लुञ्छितकेशः काषायाम्बरबहुकृतवेषः ।

पश्यन्नपि च न पश्यति मूढो ह्युदरनिमित्तं बहुकृतवेषः ॥ १४॥

Jaṭilo muṇḍī luñchitakeśaḥ kāṣāyāmbarabahukṛtaveṣaḥ,

paśyannapi cana paśyati mūḍhaḥ udaranimittaṁ bahukṛtaveṣaḥ

(One ascetic with matted hair, one with shaved head, one with hair plucked out one by one, one in ochre robes – all these are distracted ones who, though seeing, do not see. These are different disguises are only for their living.)

Here, Sankara describes a person who is apparently on the spiritual path, one who is following the spiritual practices externally but is still into worldly pursuits. Even after entering into the spiritual path fully, if one gets entangled in mundane worldly requirements, it is but a tragedy.

It is relatively easier to correct / bring someone who is not in spiritual path but if one is already into spiritual path and believes that he is on right track, then it is difficult to transform him.

The description of such a perverted being is vivid. An ascetic with matted hair or head shaven, with his material quest disguised in ochre robes, he does all this only for the ‘belly'. Belly signifies physical comfort, emotional satisfaction and intellectual delight. He does not see the possibility of anything beyond just his personal fulfillment.

Sankara calls such a person a fool because he is so near to the Truth yet totally blinded. The most difficult part of the spiritual path is to avoid getting tied down by petty, selfish considerations. 

Once this hurdle is overcome, the practices themselves become effortless. Whatever we do, the thought of ‘I, me and myself' does not leave us. We follow the spiritual exercises but we fail to address this crucial element. This, in fact, is the central point of the spiritual journey. 

Selflessness is a measure of spiritual growth. So it is no use doing everything else if we are unwilling to rid ourselves of selfish, self-centered interests. 

As a result we end up as hypocrites, professing the higher but pursuing the lower. We lose touch with basic human feelings. We fail to lift off. 

Hence we miss the power and ease, the grandeur and magnificence, of a life of dedication and surrender. All of us need to watch out for this pitfall. 

Selfishness creeps in without our knowing it, in spite of our best efforts. The intellect must be alert at all times.

An important point to make regarding a verse such as this is that the attack is on the egoism and hypocrisy of insincere men; this is not an attack on the symbols themselves. 

Sankara has described a sanyasi and the description used by Sankara is for a Hindu apparently.

However, the essence of this verse has to be taken for an insincere human being who boosts of being in spiritual path but his behavior and inner attitude is not befitting the path he has taken up.

This is not restricted only to spiritual Gurus in any religion but it applies to each one of us in the society.

We should not get stuck up in the description given in the verse. We should rise beyond the appearance of a sanyasi described and introspect ourselves whether we are a true spiritual seeker, whether our thoughts, words and actions are synchronized and we practice whatever we learn in our spiritual path, no matter what religion we belong to.

As far as a Spiritual Preceptor is concerned, it becomes the duty of a spiritual teacher of worth to train his disciples in such a way that they do not use their outer symbols to buy privileges from society. This is best done by instilling a deep spirit of service in them. 

Love.