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Nyasa Dashakam Meaning — Line by Line

न्यासदशकम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Nyasa Dashakam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. ahaṃ madrakṣaṇabharo madrakṣaṇaphalaṃ tathā |
  2. Verse 2. nyasyāmyakiñcanaḥ śrīmannanukūlo'nyavarjitaḥ |
  3. Verse 3. svāmī svaśeṣaṃ svavaśaṃ svabharatvena nirbharam |
  4. Verse 4. śrīmannabhīṣṭavarada tvāmasmi śaraṇaṃ gataḥ |
  5. Verse 5. tvaccheṣatve sthiradhiyaṃ tvatprāptyekaprayojanam |
  6. Verse 6. devībhūṣaṇahetyādijuṣṭasya bhagavaṃstava |
  7. Verse 7. māṃ madīyaṃ ca nikhilaṃ cetanācetanātmakam |
  8. Verse 8. tvameva rakṣako'si me tvameva karuṇākaraḥ |
  9. Verse 9. akṛtyānāṃ ca karaṇaṃ kṛtyānāṃ varjanaṃ ca me |
  10. Verse 10. śrīmanniyatapañcāṅgaṃ madrakṣaṇabharārpaṇam |
Verse 1#

ahaṃ madrakṣaṇabharo madrakṣaṇaphalaṃ tathā |

अहं मद्रक्षणभरो मद्रक्षणफलं तथा मम श्रीपतेरेवेत्यात्मानं निक्षिपेद् बुधः

ahaṃ madrakṣaṇabharo madrakṣaṇaphalaṃ tathā | na mama śrīpaterevetyātmānaṃ nikṣiped budhaḥ || 1 ||

MeaningLet the wise one surrender his self with the conviction: 'The burden of protecting me, and the fruit of that protection, are not mine; they belong to Sripati, the Lord of Lakshmi, alone.'

Verse 2#

nyasyāmyakiñcanaḥ śrīmannanukūlo'nyavarjitaḥ |

न्यस्याम्यकिञ्चनः श्रीमन्ननुकूलोऽन्यवर्जितः विश्वासप्रार्थनापूर्वमात्मरक्षाभरं त्वयि

nyasyāmyakiñcanaḥ śrīmannanukūlo'nyavarjitaḥ | viśvāsaprārthanāpūrvamātmarakṣābharaṃ tvayi || 2 ||

MeaningDestitute of any other means, favourable to You and having abandoned all else, with faith and earnest prayer I place upon You, O Lord of Sri, the entire burden of my own protection.

Verse 3#

svāmī svaśeṣaṃ svavaśaṃ svabharatvena nirbharam |

स्वामी स्वशेषं स्ववशं स्वभरत्वेन निर्भरम् स्वदत्तस्वधिया स्वार्थं स्वस्मिन् न्यस्यति मां स्वयम्

svāmī svaśeṣaṃ svavaśaṃ svabharatvena nirbharam | svadattasvadhiyā svārthaṃ svasmin nyasyati māṃ svayam || 3 ||

MeaningThe Master Himself, by the very understanding He has granted, places me — His own dependent, subject to Him, His own responsibility — wholly upon Himself, free of all burden.

Verse 4#

śrīmannabhīṣṭavarada tvāmasmi śaraṇaṃ gataḥ |

श्रीमन्नभीष्टवरद त्वामस्मि शरणं गतः एतद्देहावसाने मां त्वत्पादं प्रापय स्वयम्

śrīmannabhīṣṭavarada tvāmasmi śaraṇaṃ gataḥ | etaddehāvasāne māṃ tvatpādaṃ prāpaya svayam || 4 ||

MeaningO Lord of Sri, bestower of every desired boon, I have taken refuge in You. At the close of this body, lead me Yourself to Your feet.

Verse 5#

tvaccheṣatve sthiradhiyaṃ tvatprāptyekaprayojanam |

त्वच्छेषत्वे स्थिरधियं त्वत्प्राप्त्येकप्रयोजनम् निषिद्धकाम्यरहितं कुरु मां नित्यकिङ्करम्

tvaccheṣatve sthiradhiyaṃ tvatprāptyekaprayojanam | niṣiddhakāmyarahitaṃ kuru māṃ nityakiṅkaram || 5 ||

MeaningMake me firm in the conviction that I am wholly Yours, with union with You as my sole aim, free from forbidden and selfishly-motivated acts — make me Your eternal servant.

Verse 6#

devībhūṣaṇahetyādijuṣṭasya bhagavaṃstava |

देवीभूषणहेत्यादिजुष्टस्य भगवंस्तव नित्यं निरपराधेषु कैङ्कर्येषु नियुङ्क्ष्व माम्

devībhūṣaṇahetyādijuṣṭasya bhagavaṃstava | nityaṃ niraparādheṣu kaiṅkaryeṣu niyuṅkṣva mām || 6 ||

MeaningO Lord, adorned with Your Consort, Your ornaments and weapons, engage me forever in faultless services unto You.

Verse 7#

māṃ madīyaṃ ca nikhilaṃ cetanācetanātmakam |

मां मदीयं निखिलं चेतनाचेतनात्मकम् स्वकैङ्कर्योपकरणं वरद स्वीकुरु स्वयम्

māṃ madīyaṃ ca nikhilaṃ cetanācetanātmakam | svakaiṅkaryopakaraṇaṃ varada svīkuru svayam || 7 ||

MeaningO bestower of boons, accept me and all that is mine — the entire sentient and insentient — as instruments of Your own service.

Verse 8#

tvameva rakṣako'si me tvameva karuṇākaraḥ |

त्वमेव रक्षकोऽसि मे त्वमेव करुणाकरः प्रवर्तय पापानि प्रवृत्तानि निवारय

tvameva rakṣako'si me tvameva karuṇākaraḥ | na pravartaya pāpāni pravṛttāni nivāraya || 8 ||

MeaningYou alone are my protector; You alone are the abode of compassion. Do not let me fall into sins; and the sins already begun, ward them away.

Verse 9#

akṛtyānāṃ ca karaṇaṃ kṛtyānāṃ varjanaṃ ca me |

अकृत्यानां करणं कृत्यानां वर्जनं मे क्षमस्व निखिलं देव प्रणतार्तिहर प्रभो

akṛtyānāṃ ca karaṇaṃ kṛtyānāṃ varjanaṃ ca me | kṣamasva nikhilaṃ deva praṇatārtihara prabho || 9 ||

MeaningO Lord who removes the distress of those who bow to You, forgive entirely my doing of forbidden acts and my neglect of prescribed duties.

Verse 10#

śrīmanniyatapañcāṅgaṃ madrakṣaṇabharārpaṇam |

श्रीमन्नियतपञ्चाङ्गं मद्रक्षणभरार्पणम् अचीकरत्स्वयं स्वस्मिन्नतोऽहमिह निर्भरः १०

śrīmanniyatapañcāṅgaṃ madrakṣaṇabharārpaṇam | acīkaratsvayaṃ svasminnato'hamiha nirbharaḥ || 10 ||

MeaningThe Lord with Sri has Himself caused this offering of the burden of my protection, complete with its five limbs, to be made unto Himself; therefore I now rest here utterly free of all anxiety.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

अहम्
aham
I (myself)
मद्रक्षणभरः
madrakṣaṇabharaḥ
the burden of protecting me
मद्रक्षणफलम् तथा
madrakṣaṇaphalam tathā
and likewise the fruit (benefit) of protecting me
न मम श्रीपतेः एव इति
na mama śrīpateḥ eva iti
are not mine but belong to Sripati (the Lord of Lakshmi) alone — thus
आत्मानम् निक्षिपेत् बुधः
ātmānam nikṣipet budhaḥ
the wise one should surrender his very self
न्यस्यामि अकिञ्चनः
nyasyāmi akiñcanaḥ
I surrender (place the burden), being utterly destitute (having no other means)
श्रीमन् अनुकूलः अन्यवर्जितः
śrīman anukūlaḥ anyavarjitaḥ
O Lord of Sri, being favourable (to You) and having renounced all else
विश्वासप्रार्थनापूर्वम्
viśvāsaprārthanāpūrvam
preceded by faith and earnest prayer
आत्मरक्षाभरम् त्वयि
ātmarakṣābharam tvayi
the burden of my own protection, upon You
स्वामी स्वशेषम् स्ववशम्
svāmī svaśeṣam svavaśam
the Master places me — His own dependent and subservient one
स्वभरत्वेन निर्भरम्
svabharatvena nirbharam
as His own responsibility, free of all burden (for me)
श्रीमन् अभीष्टवरद
śrīman abhīṣṭavarada
O Lord of Sri, granter of all desired boons
त्वाम् अस्मि शरणम् गतः
tvām asmi śaraṇam gataḥ
I have come to You for refuge (taken complete surrender)
एतद्देहावसाने
etaddehāvasāne
at the end of this (present) body
त्वत्पादम् प्रापय स्वयम्
tvatpādam prāpaya svayam
lead me Yourself to Your feet
त्वच्छेषत्वे स्थिरधियम्
tvaccheṣatve sthiradhiyam
make me firm in the conviction that I belong wholly to You
नित्यकिङ्करम्
nityakiṅkaram
Your eternal servant
निरपराधेषु कैङ्कर्येषु नियुङ्क्ष्व माम्
niraparādheṣu kaiṅkaryeṣu niyuṅkṣva mām
engage me in faultless services (to You)
चेतनाचेतनात्मकम्
cetanācetanātmakam
consisting of the sentient and insentient
स्वकैङ्कर्योपकरणम् स्वीकुरु
svakaiṅkaryopakaraṇam svīkuru
accept (all that is mine) as instruments of Your service
त्वम् एव रक्षकः असि मे
tvam eva rakṣakaḥ asi me
You alone are my protector
करुणाकरः
karuṇākaraḥ
the very mine (source) of compassion
क्षमस्व निखिलम् देव
kṣamasva nikhilam deva
forgive everything, O Lord
प्रणतार्तिहर प्रभो
praṇatārtihara prabho
O Lord who removes the distress of those who bow to You
श्रीमन्नियतपञ्चाङ्गम्
śrīmanniyatapañcāṅgam
endowed with its five prescribed limbs (of surrender)
मद्रक्षणभरार्पणम् अचीकरत् स्वयम्
madrakṣaṇabharārpaṇam acīkarat svayam
He Himself caused the offering of the burden of my protection (to be made unto Him)
अतः अहम् इह निर्भरः
ataḥ aham iha nirbharaḥ
therefore I am here entirely free of all burden (anxiety)

Origin & History

Source: Nyasa Dashakam (a stotra of ten verses on saranagati / prapatti)

Author: Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha)

Period: 13th-14th century CE

Swami Vedanta Desika composed the Nyasa Dashakam as his own formal act of prapatti (self-surrender) at the feet of Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram. In ten verses he summarised the whole teaching of nyasam — that the burden and the fruit of protecting the soul belong to the Lord alone, that one surrenders with the five prescribed limbs, and that the surrendered soul should live as the Lord's eternal servant. Because it captures the distilled essence of saranagati, it became a daily recitation in Sri Vaishnava households.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who composed the Nyasa Dashakam?
It was composed by Swami Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha, 1268-1369 CE), the towering Sri Vaishnava acharya, poet and logician honoured as 'Kavi-tarkika-simha' and 'Vedantacharya'. It records his own surrender at the feet of Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram.
What does 'nyasa' mean?
'Nyasa' means the act of placing down or entrusting — here, entrusting the burden of one's own protection (bhara-samarpana) to the Lord. It is a synonym for prapatti or saranagati, the doctrine of complete self-surrender that is central to Sri Vaishnavism.
What are the five limbs (panchanga) of surrender referred to in verse 10?
The five limbs (anga) of prapatti are: resolving to act favourably to the Lord (anukulya-sankalpa), renouncing what is unfavourable (pratikulya-varjana), firm faith that He will protect (maha-vishvasa), praying for His protection (goptrtva-varana), and the sense of utter helplessness with surrender (atma-nikshepa / karpanya). Verse 10 declares all five are present.
Why do Sri Vaishnavas recite it daily?
Because it distils in ten short verses the very essence of nyasa — how to surrender and how to live afterwards as the Lord's servant. Reciting it daily before worship renews the devotee's act of surrender and the freedom from anxiety that it brings.

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