Dina Yaminyau Sayam Pratah — Word-by-Word Meaning
दिनयामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
दिनयामिन्यौ
Dina-yaminyau
Day and night
सायं प्रातः
Sayam pratah
Evening and morning, dusk and dawn
शिशिरवसन्तौ
Shishira-vasantau
Winter and spring (the seasons)
पुनरायातः
Punar-ayatah
Come again and again, return repeatedly
कालः
Kalah
Time
क्रीडति
Kridati
Plays, sports, frolics
गच्छति
Gachchhati
Goes away, passes, slips by
आयुः
Ayuh
Life, lifespan
तदपि
Tadapi
Even then, yet, still
न मुञ्चति
Na munchati
Does not let go, does not release
आशावायुः
Asha-vayuh
The wind/gale of desire and hope
Complete Translation
Day and night, dusk and dawn, winter and spring come round again and again; Time sports on and life ebbs away — yet even then the gale of desire never lets go.
Origin & History
Source: Bhaja Govindam (Moha Mudgara), verse on the play of Time
Author: Adi Shankaracharya
Period: 8th century CE (circa 788-820)
This verse belongs to Adi Shankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam, the hymn composed in Varanasi to awaken the worldly soul. Amid its teachings on impermanence, this shloka paints Time as a player who sports through the cycles of day, night, and the seasons, all the while carrying our life away. Shankaracharya's insight is that despite this constant reminder of mortality, the 'wind of desire' continues to drive the human heart — and only by releasing that craving can one find rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'Dina Yaminyau Sayam Pratah' mean?▼
It means 'Day and night, evening and morning' — naming the endless cycles of time, along with the seasons of winter and spring, which return again and again while our lifespan quietly passes away.
What is the 'Asha-vayu' in this verse?▼
'Asha-vayu' means 'the wind (or gale) of desire and hope.' Shankaracharya observes that even as Time carries life away, this restless wind of craving never loosens its hold on the human heart — and freeing oneself from it is the path to peace.
What is the message of this verse?▼
It teaches the impermanence of life and the relentlessness of desire. Time plays on and our years slip by, yet we keep clinging to hopes and cravings. The verse urges us to wake up, recognize this, and turn toward what is eternal.
Where does this verse come from?▼
It is from Bhaja Govindam (Moha Mudgara) by Adi Shankaracharya, composed in the 8th century CE — one of the hymn's most poetic reflections on time and desire.
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