Bhaja Govindam - Sri Shankaracharya

Adi Shankaracharya is widely known for his teachings on Vedanta. Shankaracharya was born in the village of Kaladi, in South India, about 2500 years ago to his Brahmin parents, Sivaguru and Aryamba.
He composed the Bhaja Govindam prayers that evokes the mood of devotion to Lord Govinda, Krishna. It is in this prayer that he emphasizes above all else the importance for developing devotion for Lord Krishna, which is the principle means for attaining the Grace for the Supreme, and the freedom from further rounds of reincarnating in material existence. It is this prayer that leaves us no doubt that his final instruction was to give up our egotistical differences and surrender to Lord Krishna. It also encapsulates the sum and substance of all Vedantic thought in whatever other works that he had written.
There is a story attached to the composition of this Hymn. It is said that Shankara was walking along a street in Varanasi one day, accompanied by his disciples. He heard an old scholar teaching his grammatical rules. Taking pity on him, he went up and advised him not to waste his time on grammar at his age but to turn his mind to God in worship and adoration. The Hymn to Govinda was composed on this occasion. Besides the refrain of the song beginning with the words "Bhaja Govindam", Shankara is said to have sung twelve verses, hence the hymn bears the title "Dvadasamanjarika-Stotra" (A hymn which is a bunch of twelve verse-blossoms). The fourteen disciples who were with the Master then are believed to have added one verse each. These fourteen verses are together called "Chaturdasa-manjarika-Stotra" (A hymn which is a bunch of fourteen verse-blossoms).

bhajagovindam bhajagovindam
govindam bhajamuudhamate
sampraapte sannihite kaale
nahi nahi rakshati dukrijnkarane
Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda.
Oh unwise! Rules of Grammar will not save you at the time of your death.
mudha jahiihi dhanaagamatrishhnaam
kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrishhnaam
yallabhase nijakarmopaattam
vittam tena vinodaya chittam
Oh unwise! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind
to thoughts to the Real. Be content with what comes through
actions already performed in the past.
naariistanabhara naabhiidesham
drishhtvaa maagaamohaavesham
etanmaamsaavasaadi vikaaram
manasi vichintaya vaaram vaaram
Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild
with passions and lust by seeing a woman's navel and chest.
Bodies are flesh, fat and blood. Do not fail to remember this again
and again in your mind.
naliniidalagata jalamatitaralam
tadvajjiivitamatishayachapalam
viddhi vyaadhyabhimaanagrastam
lokam shokahatam cha samastam
Uncertain is the life of man as rain drops on a lotus leaf.
Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief.
yaavadvittopaarjana saktah
staavannija parivaaro raktah
pashchaajjiivati jarjara dehe
vaartaam koapi na prichchhati gehe
So long as a man is fit and able to support his family,
see the affection all those around him show.
But no one at home cares to even have a word
with him when his body totters due to old age.
yaavatpavano nivasati dehe
taavatprichchhati kushalam gehe
gatavati vaayau dehaapaaye
bhaaryaa bibhyati tasminkaaye
When one is alive, his family members enquire kindly about his
welfare. But when the soul departs from the body,
even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse.
baalastaavatkriidaasaktah
tarunastaavattaruniisaktah
vriddhastaavachchintaasaktah
pare brahmani koapi na saktah
Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost by attachment to woman.
Old age passes away by thinking over many past things.
Alas! Hardly is there anyone who yearns to be lost in Parabrahman.
kaate kaantaa kaste putrah
samsaaro.ayamatiiva vichitrah
kasya tvam kah kuta aayaatah
tattvam chintaya tadiha bhraatah
Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this samsara.
Of whom are you? Where have you come from?
Brother, ponder over these truths.
satsangatve nissngatvam
nissangatve nirmohatvam
nirmohatve nishchalatattvam
nishcalatattve jiivanmuktih
From Satsanga (knowledge of the Truth) comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness.
From self-settledness comes Jivan Mukti (liberation).