Bhaja Govindam – Sloka 28: Sukhataḥ Kriyate Rāmābhogaḥ
Why do we continue to pursue temporary pleasures even when we know their consequences?
In this episode of Hari Kavi Explains, we reflect on the twenty-eighth sloka of Bhaja Govindam, where Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya draws attention to a familiar contradiction in human life—the pursuit of sensual pleasure without sufficient awareness of its consequences.
What initially appears pleasurable may eventually bring suffering to the body and mind. Even though we know that life is impermanent and that death is inevitable, this knowledge alone does not always prevent us from continuing habits and actions that lead us away from wisdom.
Shankaracharya is not rejecting happiness or enjoyment. Rather, he asks us to examine whether pleasure has become attachment, whether desire is controlling our choices, and whether awareness of life's impermanence is actually changing the way we live.
The verse reminds us that intellectual knowledge of mortality is not enough. Wisdom begins when that understanding transforms our actions, priorities, and relationship with desire.
In this episode:
- Original Sanskrit recitation
- Meaning and reflection on Sloka 28
- Understanding the relationship between pleasure and its consequences
- Why awareness of mortality does not automatically change our behavior
- The difference between enjoyment and attachment
- Practical insights for cultivating self-awareness and wise choices
Host: Hari Kavi
Listen to the full Sloka (Music): https://youtu.be/vdVL5O3p0eM
Learn more: https://shikshakdp.com