Kaupīnapañcakam Kaupīnapañcakam also known as Yatipañcakam eulogises a Saṃnyāsī, who has abandoned everything to pursue the knowledge of Brahman – rather, to understand the equation tat tvam asi’. That requires study of the Advaita texts at least for twelve years, living in a Gurukulam, service to the Guru, other ācāryas, gurukulam, temple, developing values and attitudes (sādhana-cauṣṭaya - viveka, vairāgya, śamādi-ṣaṭka-sampatti, mumukṣuttvam. That’s quite a lot, not to speak of studying Pāṇini, which is considered lohe kā chanā. Kaupīna is a loincloth worn by the Saṃnyāsī/s, more not to embarrass the society (since they do not have body-identification/body-consciousness anyway). In recent times, we have seen how the priests of Arunāchala Temple forced young Ramana (Ramana Maharshi) to put on a loincloth at least, when he settled down there. Kaupīna here is a liṅga (distinguishing feature) denoting a Saṃnyāsī, just as a stethoscope denotes a physician, or a black-coat denotes a lawyer, or the sindūram/kuṃkum/maṅgalasūtra denotes a married woman, or a śikhā (tuft) and white clothes denotes a brahmacārī. I would like to believe that this Pañcakam (of five verses) is meant for a Saṃnyāsi who has studied the Advaita texts, and not for those who have taken this as a life-style for what-so-ever reason (naṣṭarājya or dīrgharogī). My understanding is based on the terms ātmānam-ātmani-avalokayantaḥ and ahar-niśaṃ brahmaṇi ye ramantaḥ, which is not possible unless one has studied the Upaniṣads. Free Translation vedānta-vākyeṣu sadā ramantaḥ, bhikṣānna-mātreṇa ca tuṣṭimantaḥ| aśokavantaḥ karuṇaikavantaḥ, (viśokamantaḥkaraṇe carantaḥ)- alternate reading. kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ||1|| Always reveling in the Upaniṣadic statements, content with the alms received, devoid of any grief/affliction and full of compassion (or possessing a mind devoid of any sorrow), the Saṃnyāsī is indeed a blessed one.(1) mūlaṃ taroḥ kevalam-āśrayantaḥ, pāṇidvaye bhoktum-amatrayantaḥ| kanthām-api strīm iva kutsayantaḥ,(kanthāmiva strīmapi kutsayantaḥ) - alternate reading. kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ||2|| Dwelling under a tree, eating with bare hands (does not even possess a begging-bowl), treating a woman (any wealth) with the dispassion like a rag, the Saṃnyāsī is indeed a blessed one. (2) (I find the trace of male chauvinism here; but I let it pass, not to offend the composer and the paramparā. Study of Advaita Vedanta is available to the eligible women now.) dehābhimānaṃ parihṛtya dūrāt-ātmānam-ātmani-avalokayantaḥ| ahar-niśaṃ brahmaṇi ye ramantaḥ, kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ||3|| Leaving the body identification since long, seeing himself/herself within, reveling in the Brahman day and night (knowing oneself as the cause of the jagat, identifying oneself with Brahman), the Saṃnyāsī is indeed a blessed one. (3) svānanda-bhāve parituṣṭamantaḥ, svaśānta-sarvendriya-vṛttimantaḥ| nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na bahis-smarantaḥ, kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ||4|| Reveling in oneself (understanding the non-difference between the Self and Brahman), keeping all the sense organs and thoughts under control, not consciously aware of anything inside, outside, the Saṃnyāsī is indeed a blessed one. (4) pañcākṣaraṃ pāvanam-uccarantaḥ, patiṃ-paśunāṃ hṛdi bhāvayantaḥ| bhikṣāśanā dikṣu paribhramantaḥ, kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ||5|| Chanting the auspicious five-syllabled mantra (oṃ namaś-śivāya), keeping the Lord (Saguṇa-Brahman/Iśvara) inside his/her heart (mind), sustaining on the alms, traveling in all directions (not growing roots in any particular place), the Saṃnyāsī is indeed a blessed one. (5) *** https://youtube/watch?v=eK2ReoNEClo&list=UUvaXayHfKs8kM-mjzS8J8ew
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 03:17:13 +0000