Kaupeena Panchakam
Author: Adi Shankaracharya
Kaupina Panchakam (also known as Kaupeena Panchakam) is a short, five-stanza Sanskrit hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya. It glorifies the spiritual state of a Jivanmukta, a person who is spiritually liberated while still living in a physical body.Key
The term Kaupina (or Kovanam) refers to a simple, traditional loincloth worn by Hindu monks and ascetics as a symbol of total renunciation and detachment from material possessions.
The Truly Blessed: Each stanza of the poem describes the liberated person and concludes with the famous refrain: Kaupeenavantham Khalu Bhagyavantha ("The person who wears just a loincloth is indeed the lucky/blessed one").
True Wealth: Rather than seeing their life as one of poverty, the poem celebrates the renunciate as the ultimate fortunate being because they are free from material anxieties and ego.
vedāntavākyeṣu sadā ramanto | bhikṣānnamātreṇa ca tuṣṭimantaḥ | viśokamantaḥkaraṇe carantaḥ | kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ 1.. ||
vedantavakyesu sada ramanto | bhiksannamatrena ca tustimanta | visokamantakarane caranta | kaupinavanta khalu bhagyavanta 1.. ||
mūlaṃ taroḥ kevalamāśrayantaḥ | pāṇidvayaṃ bhoktumamantrayantaḥ | kanthāmiva śrīmapi kutsayantaḥ | kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ 2.. ||
mula taro kevalamasrayanta | panidvaya bhoktumamantrayanta | kanthamiva srimapi kutsayanta | kaupinavanta khalu bhagyavanta 2.. ||
svānandabhāve parituṣṭimantaḥ | suśāntasarvendriyavṛttimantaḥ | aharniśaṃ brahmasukhe ramantaḥ | kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ 3.. ||
svanandabhave paritustimanta | susantasarvendriyavttimanta | aharnisa brahmasukhe ramanta | kaupinavanta khalu bhagyavanta 3.. ||
dehādibhāvaṃ parivartayantaḥ | svātmānamātmanyavalokayantaḥ | nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na bahiḥ smarantaḥ | kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ 4.. ||
dehadibhava parivartayanta | svatmanamatmanyavalokayanta | nanta na madhya na bahi smaranta | kaupinavanta khalu bhagyavanta 4.. ||
brahmākṣaraṃ pāvanamuccaranto | brahmāhamasmīti vibhāvayantaḥ | bhikṣāśino dikṣu paribhramantaḥ | kaupīnavantaḥ khalu bhāgyavantaḥ 5.. ||
brahmaksara pavanamuccaranto | brahmahamasmiti vibhavayanta | bhiksasino diksu paribhramanta | kaupinavanta khalu bhagyavanta 5.. ||