Ka Te Kanta Kaste Putrah — Word-by-Word Meaning
का ते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्रः
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
का
Ka
Who (is)
ते
Te
Your
कान्ता
Kanta
Wife, beloved
कस्ते पुत्रः
Kaste putrah
Who is your son?
संसारः अयम्
Samsarah ayam
This worldly existence
अतीव विचित्रः
Ativa vichitrah
Exceedingly strange and wondrous
कस्य त्वं
Kasya tvam
Whose are you?
कः
Kah
Who (are you)?
कुत आयातः
Kuta ayatah
From where have you come?
तत्त्वं
Tattvam
The truth, the essential reality
चिन्तय
Chintaya
Reflect upon, contemplate
तदिह
Tad-iha
That, here (in this very life)
भ्रातः
Bhratah
O brother!
Complete Translation
Who is your wife? Who is your son? Utterly strange and wondrous is this samsara. Whose are you? Who are you? From where have you come? O brother, reflect upon that truth here and now.
Origin & History
Source: Bhaja Govindam (Moha Mudgara), verse on self-inquiry
Author: Adi Shankaracharya
Period: 8th century CE (circa 788-820)
This verse forms part of Adi Shankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam, sung in Varanasi to rouse the soul from worldly delusion. Having shown how fleeting wealth, body, and relationships are, Shankaracharya here turns the seeker's attention inward with the timeless questions of Vedanta — Who are you? Whose are you? Whence have you come? — inviting contemplation of the Self that underlies the strange spectacle of samsara.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'Ka Te Kanta Kaste Putrah' mean?▼
It means 'Who is your wife? Who is your son?' Adi Shankaracharya uses these questions to show that our relationships are not our true identity, and to provoke inquiry into who we really are and where we have come from.
What is the teaching of this verse?▼
It is a call to self-inquiry (atma-vichara). By questioning our attachments and asking 'Who am I? Whence have I come?', the verse points beyond the body and family to the eternal Self, urging us to contemplate this truth in our present life.
Why does the verse call the listener 'bhratah' (brother)?▼
Shankaracharya addresses the seeker affectionately as 'brother' to show that this teaching is given out of compassion, not judgment. It is the loving counsel of a guru wishing to awaken a fellow being to the truth.
Where is this verse from?▼
It is from Bhaja Govindam (Moha Mudgara), composed by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century CE. It is among the hymn's most quoted verses on self-inquiry and detachment.
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