“Adi Shankaracharya was an unbounded flow of revolutionary energy, a Ganges rushing towards the ocean. He cannot be channeled like a canal.”
– Nowhere To Go But In, Chapter #3
Adi Shankaracharya, the first shankaracharya, who established four temples — the four seats of shankaracharyas for all the four directions. Perhaps in the whole world, he is the most famous of those philosophers who are trying to establish that everything is illusory. Without doubt he was a great logician, because he went on conquering other philosophers; he moved all over the country and defeated all other schools of philosophy. He established his philosophy as the only right vision, the only right perspective: that all is maya, illusion.
– The Great Zen Master Ta Hui, Chapter #9
This is the book I have always wanted to talk about; it is even scheduled for my morning talks in English. I have already spoken on it in Hindi and it can also be translated. The book is by Shankaracharya — not the present fool, but Adi Shankaracharya, the original one.
The book is one thousand years old, and is nothing but a small song: “BHAJ GOVINDAM MOODH MATE — O Idiot….” Now, Devageet, listen carefully: I’m not talking to you, that is the title of the book. BHAJ GOVINDAM — sing the song of the Lord — MOODH MATE, O Idiot. O Idiot, sing the song of the Lord.
But idiots don’t listen. They never listen to anybody, they are deaf. Even if they listen they don’t understand. They are imbeciles. Even if they can understand, they don’t follow; and unless you follow, understanding is meaningless. Understanding is understanding only when it is proved by your following.
Shankaracharya has written many books but none of them is so beautiful as this song: BHAJ GOVINDAM MOODH MATE. I have spoken much on these three or four words, almost three hundred pages. But you know how I love to sing songs; if I have the opportunity I will go on endlessly. But here I wanted to at least mention the book.
– Books I Have Loved, Chapter #15
No comments:
Post a Comment