Bhaja Govindam, Sai Tirumala Printers, Hyderabad,
K.V Bhima Rao, K.Venkata Rao,Kalluri Satya Rama Prasad,
March 2011,64 pages , Price Rs 120/- $ 10/-

Jagat Guru Adi Sankara‘s Bhaja Govindam is an extraordinary poetic-devotional composition which is an extremely worshipped piece of divine literature. This is a composition of the divine lord nearly fifteen hundred years ago. In an introduction called Our Humble Submission the trio – artist Kharidehal Bhima Rao, Commentator Kharidehal Venkata Rao and the translator of the slokas Kalluri Satya Rama Prasad averred that the work drew the blessings of the pontiff of Sri Shaiva Mahapeetham, Sri Sivananda Murty, who also wrote that this is a unique attempt.

This admirable produced holy book is meant for those who still do not know about Adi Sankara and His Bhaja Govindam. Millions in this wide country Bharat, right from Kasmir to Kanyakumari, know Adi Sankara’s magnum opus, Bhaja Gvindam., a pious set of compact, holy utterances. This is a compendium of many things for those who do not know much about divinity and the right attitudes of life and living. Through prolonged deep contemplation and pious repetition the meaning of these declarations sinks into the studious reader’s mind.

The trio who worked on this book are highly educated. They served in high offices and did this as a work of devotion for obtaining His blessings. Venkata Rao wrote a brief foreword explaining how the book came up.

Adi Sankara while going round in the streets of the abode of Lord Shiva’s Kashi, saw an old man rote learning some rules in Sanskrit grammar. He was stricken with mercy for the Pandit’s toil. It is absolutely true that when death is at hand, no knowledge of grammar would be of any avail. Without doubt what would be of avail is devotion to God and knowledge of the futility of everything else.

There are twelve slokas where the Holy Seer felt describing the urgency of divine worship, the quickest and most certain way of realizing God. Venkata Rao explains that these paeans at the beginning came to be known as the twelve rousing the human mind from the slumber of ignorance in darkness. Then there are fourteen and at the end five with blessings, in all thirty one in all.

Understanding the declarations impress the right minded thinking people. The wise called the book/work moha mudgara the slayer of moha attraction in total ignorance.

Such people are called moodha mathe, the nit-witted.

The book elevates the readers into knowingness. The paintings of Bhima Rao, produced on art paper, are thrilling. He obtained the blessings of the world renowned

Bapu, who also guided Bhima Rao too. The quintessence of the book in the wordsi

the duo is this: Vedic literature aids and contributes to earning jnaana, knowledge coupled with wisdom. Bhaja Govindam shows and explains how human beings can cleanse, improve and excel in their living patterns. The pictures per se transform the viewers.

There is no need to say anything about the ultimate and absolute truths the divine Adi Sankara postulated with utmost honesty and profound wisdom.