Vairagya Panchakam Meaning — Line by Line
वैराग्यपञ्चकम्
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Meaning — Line by Line
Every verse of Vairagya Panchakam with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.
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kṣoṇīkoṇaśatāṃśapālanakaladdurvāragarvānala-
क्षोणीकोणशतांशपालनकलद्दुर्वारगर्वानल- क्षुभ्यत्क्षुद्रनरेन्द्रचाटुरचनाधन्यान्न मन्यामहे । देवं सेवितुमेव निश्चिनुमहे योऽसौ दयालुः पुरा दानामुष्टिमुचे कुचेलमुनये दत्ते स्म वित्तेशताम् ॥ १ ॥
kṣoṇīkoṇaśatāṃśapālanakaladdurvāragarvānala- kṣubhyatkṣudranarendracāṭuracanādhanyānna manyāmahe | devaṃ sevitumeva niścinumahe yo'sau dayāluḥ purā dānāmuṣṭimuce kucelamunaye datte sma vitteśatām || 1 ||
MeaningWe do not count blessed the composing of flattery to petty kings — kings swollen with the irresistible fire of pride at ruling a mere hundredth part of a corner of the earth. We resolve to serve only the Lord, that compassionate one who long ago granted the status of the lord of wealth (Kubera) to the poor sage Kuchela (Sudama), who could offer Him but a fistful of beaten rice.
śilaṃ kimanalaṃ bhavedanalamaudaraṃ bādhituṃ
शिलं किमनलं भवेदनलमौदरं बाधितुं पयः प्रसृतिपूरकं किमु न धारकं सारसम् । अयत्नमलमल्पकं पथि पटच्चरं कच्चरं भजन्ति विबुधा मुधा ह्यहह कुक्षितः कुक्षितः ॥ २ ॥
śilaṃ kimanalaṃ bhavedanalamaudaraṃ bādhituṃ payaḥ prasṛtipūrakaṃ kimu na dhārakaṃ sārasam | ayatnamalamalpakaṃ pathi paṭaccaraṃ kaccaraṃ bhajanti vibudhā mudhā hyahaha kukṣitaḥ kukṣitaḥ || 2 ||
MeaningWould gleaning fallen grain not be enough to quell the fire of the belly? Is the water of the lotus-ponds not enough to sustain one's thirst? Are not soiled rags, picked up effortlessly along the road, enough to cover the body? Alas, alas — the learned serve (kings) in vain, only for the belly, for the belly!
jvalatu jaladhikroḍakrīḍatkṛpīḍabhavaprabhā-
ज्वलतु जलधिक्रोडक्रीडत्कृपीडभवप्रभा- प्रतिभटपटुज्वालामालाकुलो जठरानलः । तृणमपि वयं सायं सम्फुल्लमल्लिमतल्लिका- परिमलमुचा वाचा याचामहे न महीश्वरान् ॥ ३ ॥
jvalatu jaladhikroḍakrīḍatkṛpīḍabhavaprabhā- pratibhaṭapaṭujvālāmālākulo jaṭharānalaḥ | tṛṇamapi vayaṃ sāyaṃ samphullamallimatallikā- parimalamucā vācā yācāmahe na mahīśvarān || 3 ||
MeaningLet the fire of the stomach blaze like the submarine fire that plays in the ocean's depths, with its fierce, rising garland of flames! Even so, with speech fragrant as fully-blossomed jasmine, we will not beg the lords of the earth even for a blade of grass.
durīśvaradvārabahirvitardikā-
दुरीश्वरद्वारबहिर्वितर्दिका- दुरासिकायै रचितोऽयमञ्जलिः । यदञ्चनाभं निरपायमस्ति मे धनञ्जयस्यन्दनभूषणं धनम् ॥ ४ ॥
durīśvaradvārabahirvitardikā- durāsikāyai racito'yamañjaliḥ | yadañcanābhaṃ nirapāyamasti me dhanañjayasyandanabhūṣaṇaṃ dhanam || 4 ||
MeaningThis is my folded-hand farewell to the misery of sitting upon the platform outside the gate of some wretched king — for I possess an unfailing wealth, dark as collyrium: the Lord who was the very ornament of Arjuna's chariot.
śarīrapatanāvadhi prabhuniṣevaṇāpādanā-
शरीरपतनावधि प्रभुनिषेवणापादना- दबिन्धनधनञ्जयप्रशमदं धनं दन्दशूकम् । धनञ्जयविवर्धनं धनमुदूढगोवर्धनं सुसाधनमबाधनं सुमनसां समाराधनम् ॥ ५ ॥
śarīrapatanāvadhi prabhuniṣevaṇāpādanā- dabindhanadhanañjayapraśamadaṃ dhanaṃ dandaśūkam | dhanañjayavivardhanaṃ dhanamudūḍhagovardhanaṃ susādhanamabādhanaṃ sumanasāṃ samārādhanam || 5 ||
MeaningThat wealth which, by yielding the service of the Lord until the fall of this body, quells the fire of poverty without need of any fuel; that wealth which is a serpent (venomous) to poverty yet ever-increasing in true riches; that wealth who lifted Mount Govardhana — the excellent, unobstructed means, the perfect object of worship for all noble souls — that alone is my wealth.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
Origin & History
Source: Vairagya Panchakam (five verses on dispassion)
Author: Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha)
Period: 13th-14th century CE
Swami Vedanta Desika lived in Kanchipuram in great simplicity, sustaining himself by unchavritti — gathering fallen grain. When a king, impressed by his fame, sent an emissary to summon him to court with the promise of riches, Desika composed and sent back these five verses instead. In them he refuses to flatter or beg petty rulers, holds up the Lord's enriching of poor Sudama, and proclaims that his sole, unfailing wealth is Lord Varadaraja of Hastigiri — the Lord who lifted Govardhana. The hymn became a classic statement of Sri Vaishnava vairagya and self-respect.
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