वैराग्यपञ्चकम्

There is a historically inaccurate account that Deśika wrote these verses in response to Vidyāraṇya’s invitation. One can have a look at Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh’s biography of the great preceptor of Vijayanagara, Vibhūtipuruṣa Vidyāraṇya for more details.

My heartfelt thanks to Shashi Kiran B N for copyediting the Sanskrit verses, identifying the poetic meters, reviewing my translation, and giving me several valuable suggestions.

References
Vairagya Panchakam
Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh’s Kavitegondu Kathe (Bangalore: Abhijñāna, 2012)

क्षोणी-कोण-शतांश-पालन-कला–दुर्वार-गर्वानल-
क्षुभ्यत्–क्षुद्र-नरेन्द्र–चाटु-रचना–धन्यान् न मन्यामहे।
देवं सेवितुम् एव निश्चिनुमहे योऽसौ दयालुः पुरा
धाना-मुष्टि-मुचे कुचेल-मुनये दत्ते स्म वित्तेशताम्॥ १॥+++(5)+++

(Meter: Śārdūlavikrīḍitam)

We hardly bother with those
who feel blessed composing verses
praising an insignificant king,
burning with pride,
who rules over a minuscule portion
of a corner of this great earth!
We have decided to worship
only that merciful one
who in the past enriched Kuchela
with the wealth of Kubera
in exchange for a fistful of rice

क्षोणीकोणशतांशपालनकलद्दुर्वारगर्वानल-
क्षुभ्यत्क्षुद्रनरेन्द्रचाटुरचनां धन्यां न मन्यामहे ।
देवं सेवितुमेव निश्चिनुमहेयोऽसौ दयालुः पुरा
दानामुष्टिमुचे कुचेलमुनये दत्ते स्म वित्तेशताम् ॥ १॥

शिलं+++(=पतित-धान्यानि)+++ किम् अन्-अलं भवेद् अनलम् औदरं बाधितुं
पयः प्रसृति+++(=कर-तल)+++-पूरकं किमु न धारकं सारसम्।
अ-यत्न–मल-मल्लकं पथि पटच्+++(→पट)+++-चरं कच्-चरं
भजन्ति विबुधा मुधा ह्य् अहह कु-क्षितः+++(=राज्ञः)+++ कुक्षितः॥ २॥+++(5)+++

(Meter: Pṛthvī)

To satiate the fire of the stomach, won’t
grains spilled in the fields suffice?
To quench one’s thirst, won’t
water in the palm of one’s hand suffice?
Won’t a dirty cloth found by the wayside without effort
suffice for a loincloth?
Alas! Scholars are, in vain, singing praises –
all for the sake of their stomachs!

शिलं किमनलं भवेदनलमौदरं बाधितुं
पयः प्रसृतिपूरकं किमु न धारकं सारसम् ।
अयत्नमलमल्पकं पथि पटच्चरं कच्चरं
भजन्ति विबुधा मुधा ह्यहह कुक्षितः कुक्षितः ॥ २॥

ज्वलतु जलधि–क्रोड+++(=अङ्क)+++–क्रीडत्—कृपीट+++(=जल)+++-भव-प्रभा–
प्रतिभट-पटु–ज्वाला-मालाऽऽकुलो जठरानलः।
तृणम् अपि वयं,, सायं सम्फुल्ल-मल्लि-मतल्लिका+++(=श्रेष्ठ)+++-
परिमल-मुचा वाचा याचामहे न महीश्वरान्॥ ३॥

(Meter: Hariṇī)

Let the fire of the stomach with a row of flames burn
like the great fire that burns in the ocean’s bosom
Yet we shall not beg the king
even for a blade of grass
with our words that are fragrant
like the fully-blossomed jasmine at dusk

ज्वलतु जलधि क्रोड क्रीडत्कृपीड भव प्रभा-
प्रतिभट पटु ज्वाला मालाकुलो जठरानलः ।
तृणमपि वयं सायं सम्फुल्ल मल्लि मतल्लिका
परिमलमुचा वाचा याचामहे न महीश्वरान् ॥ ३॥

दुरीश्वर-द्वार-बहिर्-वितर्दिका+++(=वेदिका)+++- दुर्-आसिकायै रचितो ऽयम् अञ्जलिः। यद् अञ्जनाभं निर्-अपायम् अस्ति मे धनञ्-जय–स्यन्दन-भूषणं धनम् ॥ ४ ॥

(Meter: Vaṃśasthavilam)

Why should I wait at the door
of a lowly king with folded hands
when I have the indomitable wealth
that is lustrous as kohl
and adorns the chariot of Arjuna!

दुरीश्वरद्वारबहिर्वितर्दिका-
दुरासिकायै रचितोऽयमञ्जलिः ।
यदञ्चनाभं निरपायमन्ति मे
धनञ्जयस्यन्दनभूषणं धनम् ॥ ४॥

शरीर-पतनावधि प्रभु-निषेवणापादनाद्
अब्-इन्धन+++(-साधन)+++–+++(जठरस्थ-)+++धनञ्-जय–प्रशम-दं धनं दन्धनम्+++(=मोषः??)+++ ।
धनञ्-जय–विवर्धनं धनम् उदूढ-गोवर्धनं
सु-साधनम् अ-बाधनं, सुमनसां समाराधनम् ॥ ५॥+++(5)+++

(Meter: Pṛthvī)

Wealth produced from praising kings
satisfies the stomach-fire with water,
lasting only until the body falls; it’s useless
True wealth is that which uplifted Arjuna
and raised the Govardhana mountain
It’s the wealth that obstructs not good work
and that which brings joy to the noble

शरीर पतनावधि प्रभुनिषेवणापादना-
दबिन्धनधनञ्जयप्रशमदं धनं दन्धनम् ।
धनञ्जयविवर्धनं धनमुदूढगोवर्धनं
सुसाधनमबाधनं सुमनसां समाराधनम् ॥ ५॥

काचाय नीचं कमनीय-वाचा
मोचा+++(=शाल्मली)+++-फल-स्वाद-मुचा न याचे ।
दया-कु-चेले+++(=सागरे)+++ धन-दत्+++(=कुबेरत्)+++–कुचेले
स्थिते ऽकु-चेले श्रित-मा-कुचेले+++(=कुचभूमौ)+++ ॥

(Meter: Pṛthvī)

Wealth produced from praising kings satisfies the stomach-fire with water, lasting only until the body falls; it’s useless True wealth is that which uplifted Arjuna and raised the Govardhana mountain It’s the wealth that obstructs not good work and that which brings joy to the noble

काचाय नीचं कमनीयवाचा मोचाफलस्वादमुचा न याचे ।
दयाकुचेले धनदत्कुचेले स्थितेऽकुचेले श्रितमाकुचेले ॥

नास्ति पित्रार्जितं किञ्चिन्
न मया किञ्चिद् आर्जितम् ।
अस्ति मे हस्ति शैलाग्रे
वस्तु पैतामहं धनम् ॥ ६॥

(Meter: Anuṣṭup Śloka)

I have not inherited any wealth
nor have I earned anything
The wealth that Brahmā
has given me is (devotion to)
the lord of Hasti-śaila (Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram)

नास्ति पित्रार्जितं किञ्चिन्न मया किञ्चिदार्जितम् ।
अस्ति मे हस्ति शैलाग्रे वस्तु पैतामहं धनम् ॥ ६॥

The beauty of these verses is not merely in their meaning but also in their form. The brilliant word-play and the alliterations that Deśika uses with aplomb are totally lost in translation. Even if one doesn’t know the language, one can derive great pleasure by reading aloud the verses for their lilting melody resulting from its intricate syllabic structure.