Kaupeena Panchakam

Kaupeena Panchakam is a short poem of five stanzas written by Sri Adi Sankara glorifying the life of a Jivan Muktha renunciate.  “Kau (कौ))” means private part of the body; that which covers it is called “Kaupeena (कौपीन)), which is the simple loincloth worn as an undergarment that is made up of rectangular strip of cloth tied around the waist of the wearer as a cover for the genitals with the help of the strings connected to the four ends of the cloth.  G-string is a similar modern undergarment which is a narrow piece of cloth that is attached to a band around the hips and passes between the buttocks to conceal the genitals. While the G-string is close to the Kaupeena in terms of design, the purpose is different. While G-string is worn to reveal the curves of the body seductively, Kaupeena here is worn by a spiritually liberated person who does not identify himself with the body, as a symbol of his total renunciation and he wears even that only to avoid a feeling of embarrassment to others.  The Jivan muktha Sanyasi is also called Yeti.  So this work is also called Yeti Panchakam, Panchakam meaning collection of five.  These verses highlight the inner disposition of the Yeti  whom Mundakopanishad  calls athmakreedah, and athmarathihi (3-1-4), the one who sports in himself and delights in himself  and call him “the fortunate one”.  With this brief introduction let us go into the work.

Verse 1

Vedantha Vakhyeshu Sada ramantho,
Bhikshannamathrena trishtimantha,
Vishokamantha karane charantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha  1

That person, who always revels in the Vedantic declarations; is satisfied with the food obtained by begging; is blissfully thinking about the inner Self, and is wearing the loin cloth only, is indeed a fortunate one.

Sri Sankara is describing in all these verses the traits of a Jivan Muktha ascetic who has limited his possessions to just a piece of cloth only and that too from a sense of decency and not out of any necessity.  The upanishadic statements on the Vedantic truths give him great pleasure as he mulls over them always.  He has no preferences in the matter of food.  He is happy with whatever he gets as Bhiksha.  In the matter of food he is as Lord Krishna says in Gita (4-22) “Yadricchaalaabhasantushtaha”, content with whatever comes to him without specifying.  He is ever in bliss, as Lord Krishna says in Gita (12-13)-“Santushtah satatam yogi” ever contented as a yogi.  He has neither dehabhimana nor fancy for dresses or ornaments

Verse 2

Moolam tharo kevalam ashrayantha,
Panidhvayam bhokthuma manthrayantha,
Kandhamiva sreemapi kuthsayantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha -2
That person who resides (anywhere, even) under the base of the tree, taking food using two cupped hands only to receive the food and disregarding wealth treating it as worthless piece of torn cloth and is wearing the loin cloth only, is indeed a fortunate one.

He has no fixed address or residence. He is “suramaṃdiratarumulanivasaḥ”(taking shelter in a temple or under a tree) as described in Bhaja Govindam(verse 18).   Receiving food using cupped hands denotes two things. One is that besides the loin cloth which he wears to save others the embarrassment, he has no other possessions, including plates and cups for taking food or drinking water. He just uses the cupped hands for that purpose.  Second is that he has totally conquered the ego and has no inhibitions in stretching his hands for receiving alms.  He has scant regard for wealth as he is free from desires and attachments.  His dispassion for possessions has come out of Athma Jnanm he has acquired that reveals the mithyatvam of worldly objects.

Verse 3

Swananda bhava pari thushti mantha,
Sushantha sarvendriya vruthi mantha,
Aharnisam brahma sukhe ramantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 3

That person who is contented in the joy of one’s own Self, controlling all the sense-pleasures and immersed all the time in the bliss of Brahman and is wearing the loin cloth only, is indeed a fortunate one.

He has realized through Athma Jnanam that his true nature is Brahman which is Aananda Swarupa.  The senses are under his control and  they do not run after worldly objects and pleasures at their will that leads to samsara.  In the words of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad he is, aptakamaha, athmakamaha and akamaha (4-3-21).  Aptakamaha is one whose desires have all been fulfilled; athmakamaha, one whose desire is for Athma only and akamaha, one who has no desires to fulfil. So with the knowledge of Athma and with no distractions caused by senses, he is immersed all the time in the Bliss of his own Self that is Brahman.

Verse 4

Dehadhi bhavam parivarthayantha,
Swathmana athmanyavalokayantha,
Naantha na Madhyam na bahi smarantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha – 4

That person, who is only a witness to the changes in his body, seeing himself as Athma only and having no thoughts of inside, outside or middle and is wearing the loin cloth only, is indeed a fortunate one.

Through Athma Jnanam he has realized that his true nature is Sakshi Chaithanyam, which is only a witness of changes that take place in the body-mind complex as in youth, old age etc., as well as of the three avasthas; waking, dream and deep sleep, daily. This knowledge has given him the Sarvathmabhava that makes him see all as one with no divisions.

Verse 5

Brahmaksharam pavanamucharantho,
Brahmahamasmeethi vibhavayantha,
Bhikshashano dikshu paribramayantha,
Kaupeenavantha Khalu bhaghyavantha - 5

That person who is always reciting the glory of Brahman with devotion and wandering around living on alms sporting only the “I am Brahman’ thought and is wearing the loin cloth only, is indeed a fortunate one.

Knowing his true nature as Brahman and the body-mind complex as mere upadhi, he uses his body for worldly transactions, as in wandering at will and collecting alms for survival, while keeping his mind engaged sub-consciously in contemplating on the glory of Brahman, with the “I am Brahman” thought.

The Jivan Muktha sanyasi is called a fortunate one as he is free from karma syndrome.  His accumulated sanchita karma has been annihilated;  accruing agami karma does not affect him as the punya phala goes to those who serve him and the papa phala, if any, goes to those who insult him or ill-treat him leaving only prarabdha karma to be lived through.   On its exhaustion, he attains Videha mukthi and is totally Liberated merging with Brahman.

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