Kaupeena Panchakam by Sri Adi Shankaracharya
This is a very short poem with five stanzas written by Shankaracharya which glorifies the life of a Sannyasi. A Sadhu renounces everything before entering into Sannyas and wears only a kaupina aka kaupeena (loincloth). That too is for the sake of the world.
वेदान्तवाक्येषु सदा रमन्तो
भिक्षान्नमात्रेण च तुष्टिमन्तः ।
विशोकमन्तःकरणे चरन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥
Vedantha Vakhyeshu Sada ramantho,
Bhikshannamathrena trishtimantha,
Vishokamantha karane charantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha -1
Who is revelling in the thoughts of Vedantic declarations,
Whom does a meagre portion of begged-food satisfy,
Who is walking around without a trace of sorrow
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -1
मूलं तरोः केवलमाश्रयन्तः
पाणिद्वयं भोक्तुममन्त्रयन्तः ।
कन्थामिव श्रीमपि कुत्सयन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥
Moolam tharo kevalam ashrayantha,
Panidhvayam bhokthuma manthrayantha,
Kandhamiva sreemapi kuthsayantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha -2
Who rests (sleeps) at the roots of a tree,
Taking only two hands-full of food
Who is disregarding wealth as a torn piece of cloth
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -2
स्वानन्दभावे परितुष्टिमन्तः
सुशान्तसर्वेन्द्रियवृत्तिमन्तः ।
अहर्निशं ब्रह्मसुखे रमन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥
Swananda bhava pari thushti mantha,
Sushantha sarvendriya vruthi mantha,
Aharnisam brahma sukhe ramantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 3
Always contented in the joy of ones own self
Who is peaceful by curbing desires his senses
Who is immersed day and night in the bliss of Brahman
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -3
देहादिभावं परिवर्तयन्तः
स्वात्मानमात्मन्यवलोकयन्तः ।
नान्तं न मध्यं न बहिः स्मरन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥
Dehadhi bhavam parivarthayantha,
Swathmana athmanyavalokayantha,
Naantha na Madhyam na bahi smarantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 4
Always witnessing the changes of his own body,
Who is seeing himself as the Self, the changeless,
And who never bothers to think about the end, middle and outside (of the world),
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -4
ब्रह्माक्षरं पावनमुच्चरन्तो
ब्रह्माहमस्मीति विभावयन्तः ।
भिक्षाशिनो दिक्षु परिभ्रमन्तः
कौपीनवन्तः खलु भाग्यवन्तः ॥
Brahmaksharam pavanamucharantho,
Brahmahamasmeethi vibhavayantha,
Bhikshashano dikshu paribramayantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 5
Always singing the sacred glory of Brahman, the eternal
Always contemplating that ‘I am Brahman’,
Who is wandering around just on alms obtained,
The man with just the loincloth is indeed the lucky one. -5
