वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 19

तृषा शुष्यत्यास्ये पिबति सलिलं शीतमधुरं
क्षुधार्तः शाल्यन्नं कवलयति मांसादिकलितम्।
प्रदीप्ते कामाग्नौ सुदृढतरमालिङ्गति वधूं
प्रतीकारं व्याधेः सुखमिति विपर्यस्यति जनः॥१९॥

tṛṣā śuṣyatyāsye pibati salilaṃ śītamadhuraṃ
kṣudhārtaḥ śālyannaṃ kavalayati māṃsādikalitam।
pradīpte kāmāgnau sudṛḍhataramāliṅgati vadhūṃ
pratīkāraṃ vyādheḥ sukhamiti viparyasyati janaḥ॥19॥

तृषा - out of thirst
शुष्यति - dries
आस्ये -  in mouth
पिबति - drinks
सलिलं - water
शीतमधुरं - cool and sweet
क्षुधार्तः - hungry person
शाल्यन्नं - cooked rice
कवलयति - eats
मांसादिकलितम् - mixed with meat
प्रदीप्ते - when burning
कामाग्नौ - desire that is fire
सुदृढतरम् - tightly
आलिङ्गति - embraces
वधूं - wife
प्रतीकारं - recourse
व्याधेः - for disease
सुखमिति - happiness
विपर्यस्यति - misconstrues (अतस्मिन् तद् बुद्धिः)
जनः - person

When a person is thirsty he drinks water and when hungry eats rice and when the fire of desire burns, he embraces his wife. Thus, for every disease we misconstrue enjoyment to be the recourse.

क्षुत्कामपिपासादि-व्याधीनाम् उपशमः तत्तद्विषयोपभोगेनैव भवतीति मत्वा वयं पदे पदे विषयेषु गाढतया निमग्नाः भूत्वा संसारचक्रे परिवर्तमानाः सन्तः अज्ञानिनः स्मः। एते सर्वे शरीरधर्मा इति ज्ञानोदये मोक्षमार्गमनुसर्तुं समर्थाः भवेम। 

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 67

ति

तिसृभिस्त्वमवस्थाभिर्महिमानमुदीरयन्|
प्रलयस्थितिसर्गाणामेकः कारणतां गतः॥ २-६॥ कुमारसम्भवः॥

tisṛbhistvamavasthābhirmahimānamudīrayan |
pralayasthitisargāṇāmekaḥ kāraṇatāṁ gataḥ || 2-6॥ Kumarasambhava

एकः त्वम् = Existing as only one (before creation)

तिसृभिः अवस्थाभिः = with the help of 3 states

महिमानम् = greatness

उदीरयन् = showing, manifesting

प्रलय-स्थिति-सर्गाणाम् = for destruction, sustenance and creation

कारणताम् = causal factor

गतः = became

Manifesting your might by the three forms, you who existed alone before creation became the cause of the creation, protection and destruction of the worlds.

In Kumarasambhava 2nd Canto, the devas approach Lord Brahma to seek a solution for the atrocities done by Tarakasura. This sloka is one of the many slokas in praise of Lord Brahma. The greatness of Kalidasa is that he sees the brahman is all deities - Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. The advaitin that he was, Kalidasa describes Siva as the Brahman in the same canto sl. 58

 स हि देवः परं ज्योतिस्तमःपारे व्यवस्थितम्।

परिच्छिन्नप्रभावर्द्धिर्न मया न च विष्णुना॥ २-५८॥ 

and Vishnu as the cause for creation, protection and destruction of the world, in Raghuvamsa canto 10 sl. 16

नमो विश्वसृजे पूर्वं विश्वं तदनु बिभ्रते।

अथ विश्वस्य संहर्त्रे तुभ्यं त्रेधास्थितात्मने॥ १०-१६॥

वैराग्यपञ्चकम् - 6

नास्ति पित्रार्जितं किञ्चिन्न मया किञ्चिदार्जितम्।
अस्ति मे हस्तिशैलाग्रे वस्तु पैतामहं धनम्॥

 पित्रा = by father, आर्जितं = earned, किञ्चित् = little, नास्ति = not, मया = by me, किञ्चित् = a little, आर्जितं = earned, न=not, हस्तिशैलाग्रे = at the top of the mountain called hasthigiri, वस्तु = property, पैतामहं = earned by forefathers (brahma), धनम् = wealth , मे = for me, अस्ति = is there.

I have neither earned anything nor do I possess any ancestral wealth earned by my father. Yet, I have a great treasure which was earned by my forefathers, which is that Supreme entity residing at the top of the hastigiri – Lord Varadaraja.

I have only tried to give a very brief outline about वैराग्यपञ्चकम्. Pondering deeply on these slokas, one can unearth a wealth of knowledge. Life's lessons are best taught thro' brevity of expression.

This small set of slokas has been rendered by Srimad Andavan Sri Ranganatha Divyamani Padhuka Sevaka Sri RangaRamanuja Maha Desikan.

वैराग्यपञ्चकम् - 5

शरीरपतनावधि प्रभुनिषेवणापादनात् अबिन्धनधनञ्जय प्रशमदं धनं दन्धनम्।
धनञ्जयविवर्धनं धनमुदूढगोवर्धनं सुसाधनम्बाधनं सुमनसां समाराधनम्॥

अप् इन्धन = fuel of water धनञ्जय= abdominal प्रशमदम् = quenches,धनम् =wealth शरीर पतन अवधि = till the death प्रभुनिषेवण अपादनात् =by saluting the kings/masters दन्धनम् =not use(useless) विवर्धनम् =supported,धनञ्जय=Arjuna उदूढगोवर्धनं=one who lifted the govardhan mountain, सुमनसां=by noble minded, समाराधनम्=which gives happiness सुसाधनम्=good instrument अबाधनम् =cannot be destroyed(imperishable) धनम्=wealth

The wealth acquired through lifelong service to lord, which quenches the abdominal fire fueled by water is useless. But the wealth which supported Arjuna, which lifted the mountain – Govardhan, which is easily attained and is easily worshiped by the noble minded people is the one that is imperishable.

Desika shows the difference between material prosperity and spiritual felicity. The supreme goal that everybody should strive for is the Lord Krishna himself which the imperishable wealth.

वैराग्यपञ्चकम् - 4

दुरीश्वरद्वार बहिर्वितर्दिका दुरासिकायै रचितोऽयमञ्जलिः।
यदञ्जनाभं निरपायमस्ति मे धनञ्जयस्यन्दनभूषणं धनम्॥
यत् =why, अभञ्जन आभम् = the colour of collyrium निरपायम् =everlasting,धनञ्जय =of arjuna,स्यन्दन भूषणम् =adorned the chariot ,धनम् =wealth, दुरीश्वर= petty kings, द्वार =door, बहिर्वितर्दिका =front yard,(tatio)porch. दुरासिकायै =sitting on अयम् अञ्जलिः=this folded hand, रचितः=written.

Let my salutaion be to the cheap act of sitting on the porch of petty kings. I have that wealth which is dark like the collyrium,which is inexhustible and which adorned the chariot of arjuna.

The wealth that Desika talks of is Lord Krishna / Narayana who resides in the mind of the poet. He would rather stand at the doorstep of vaikuntha than that of kings.

वैराग्यपञ्चकम् - 3

ज्वलतु जलधि-क्रोड-क्रीडत्कृपीडभव-प्रभा-प्रतिभट-पटु-ज्वालामालाकुलो जठरानलः।
तृणमपि वयं सायं संफुल्लमल्लिमतल्लिका परिमलमुचा वाचा याचामहे न महीश्वरान्॥ 
जठरानलः=Jataragni, जलधिक्रोड=in the middle of the ocean, क्रीडत् = playing, कृपीडभव=vatavamukagni, प्रभा= lusture, प्रतिभट=opposite side, पटुज्वाला=flames, माला आकुलः=like a row, ज्वलतु= let burn, वयं सायं= we in the evening संफुल्ल=well bloomed, मल्लि मतल्लिका=jasmine, परिमलमुचा=with good fragrants, वाचा=words, महीश्वरान्=kings, तृणमपि=even a grass, न= never,याचामहे=beg.

There is a fire called “vatava mukaagni”( fire in the form of a horse face) in the middle of an ocean, which evaporates the water, thereby preventing it from flooding the earth. Similarly, there is a fire that burns the food in our stomach and we need to eat to feed that fire. The poet says, 'let the Jataraagni burn with many flames. Even then we will never beg, even a piece of grass, from a king. The words that praise the lord are fragrant like evening jasmine.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 66

ता

तावत् भयाद्धि भेतव्यं यावद्भयमनागतम् ।

आगतं तु भयं वीक्ष्य प्रहर्तव्यमभीतवत् ॥

One has to be nervous of an impending and fearful occurrence , but once it occurs he should cease to be nervous and face it directly.

वैराग्य पञ्चकम् - 2

सिलं किमनलं भवेदनलमौदरम् बाधितुम् पयः प्रसृतिपूरकम् किमु न धारकम् सारसम्।
अयत्न मलमल्लकम् पथि पटच्चरम् कच्चरम् भजन्ति विबुधा मुधा ह्यहह कुक्षितः कुक्षितः॥

सिलं = plough/field
औदरं = stomach
अनलं =fire (jataraagni) / grains of different plants
बाधितुं = to subside
भवेत् किं = not enough?
प्रसृति पूरकं =hand full of
सारसं=pond water
धारकं= to sustain
किमु न =not enough?
पथि=on the way
कच्चरं =dirty
पटच्चरं =piece of cloth
अयत्न=effortless
मलमल्लिकं =loincloth
विबुधाः = scholars
कुक्षितः= kings/for the sake of stomach
मुधा = useless
भजन्ति हि =praising
अहह= oh alas....

Is it not enough to quench the fire of hunger with a few rice grains from the fields? Is not a handful of water from a lake enough to sustain oneself? Does not a dirty piece of cloth found on the roadside serve as a loincloth to keep one's modesty? Alas! even the wise resort to petty kings for the sake of their stomachs.

Food, water and cloth are grouped together and called "BASIC" necessities of life. If scholars who pursue knowledge for moksha resort to begging kings, what to say of common men!

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 65

त

तरङ्गफेनभ्रमबुद्बुदादि सर्वं स्वरूपेण जलं यथा तथा ।

चिदेव देहाद्यहमन्तमेतत् सर्वं चिदेवैकरसं विशुद्धम् ॥ (विवेकचूडामणि- 390 )

taraìgaphenabhramabudbudädi sarvam svaroopeëa jalam yathä tathä

cideva dehädyahamantametat sarvam cidevaikarasam viçuddham

Wave, foam, bubbles- all these are nothing but water in reality. So this body and all are nothing but consciousness- the one pure consciousness.

It is only the pure consciousness that appears in different forms

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 62

जु


जुगोप आत्मानम् अत्रस्तो भेजे धर्मम् अनातुरः।
अगृध्नुः आददे सः अर्थम् असक्तः सुखम् अन्वभूत्॥(रघुवंशः सर्गः‍ 1 श्लोकः 21)
Jugopa ātmānam atrasto bheje dharmam anāturaḥ
Agṛdhnuḥ ādade saḥ artham asaktaḥ sukham anvabhūt

जुगोप – protected
आत्मानम् – himself
अत्रस्तो – without fear
भेजे – adhered
धर्मम् – dharma
अनातुरः – without being worried
अगृध्नुः – without being greedy
आददे – took
सः – He
अर्थम् – wealth
असक्तः – without attachment
सुखम् – happiness
अन्वभूत् – experienced

King Dilipa protected himself, not out of fear. Protecting oneself is the first and foremost duty of king.
He adhered to dharma not because he was worried. Performing dharma is inherently good and hence he adhered to the path of righteousness.
He took wealth not out of greed. He wanted to serve his people with the taxes that they paid him.
Further, he experienced happiness without attachment. In सांख्य philosophy, purusha or the soul is described as पुष्करपलाशवत् निर्लेपः – as unattached as a water droplet on palasha.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 18

अजानन् दाहात्म्यं पततु शलभस्तीव्रदहने
स मीनोऽप्यज्ञानाद्बडिशयुतमश्नुते पिशितम्।
विजानन्तोऽप्येते वयमिह विपज्जालजटिला-
न्न मुञ्चामः कामान् अहह गहनो मोहमहिमा॥18॥

ajānan dāhātmyaṁ patatu śalabhaḥ tīvradahane
sa mīno'pi-ajñānād-baḍiśa-yutam aśnute piśitam|
vijānanto'pi-ete vayamiha vipaj-jāla-jaṭilān-
na muñcāmaḥ kāmān ahaha gahano mohamahimā||18||

अजानन् - not knowing
दाहात्म्यं - its burning power
शलभः - firefly
पततु - may fall
तीव्रदहने - in the intense fire
अज्ञानात् - out of ignorance
स मीनोऽपि - the fish too
अश्नातु - may eat
पिशितं बडिशयुतम् - the fleshy bait
विजानन्तः अपि - even when we know
वयमिह - we
न मुञ्चामः - do not forsake
कामान् - desires
विपत्-जाल-जटिलान् - complicated with dangers
मोहमहिमा - power of delusion
अहह - alas!
गहनः - is inscrutable

We can excuse simple beings like fireflies and fish because it is out of ignorance that they keep falling prey. Can there be any excuse given for us human beings who are quite intelligent and have a pretty good understanding of how desires can trap us into a vicious circle of birth and rebirth? Yet, if we keep falling repeatedly into the clutches of these dangerous desires, then it shows how powerful and enigmatic delusion can be.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 17

एको रागिषु राजते प्रियतमादेहार्धहारी हरो
नीरागेषु जनो विमुक्तललनासङ्गो न यस्मात् परः।
दुर्वारस्मरबाणपन्नगविषव्याविद्धमुग्धो जनः
शेषः कामविडम्बितान्न विषयान् भोक्तुं न मोक्तुं क्षमः॥१७॥

eko rāgiṣu rājate priyatamā-dehārdha-hārī haro
nīrāgeṣu jano vimukta-lalanāsaṅgo na yasmāt paraḥ|
durvāra-smara-bāṇa-pannaga-viṣaya-vyāviddha-mugdho janaḥ
śeṣaḥ kāmaviḍambitānna viṣayān bhoktuṁ na moktuṁ kṣamaḥ||17||

Among the attached, Siva who has given half of his body to his beloved as 'ardhanArI', reigns supreme. Among the dispassionate too he is the foremost, as he does not have any attachment towards women. The rest of mankind struck by Manmatha's arrows are neither able to completely satiate themselves nor able to forsake the pleasures.

Detachment does not necessarily mean forsaking family. Dharma, in the four पुरुषार्थs is to be connected with all other three - artha, kaama and moksha. This would lead us practically to the pursuit of 3 पुरुषार्थs, namely, righteous acquisition of wealth, righteous pursuit of desire and righteous path of liberation. A famous example of one who did not pursue the righteous path of renunciation would be Buddha - he shirked his responsibility towards his family, left them to the care of the royal household to pursue his journey to the truth.

There cannot be any better example than Shiva who enjoys the fame of being the best of sages, while giving half of his body to his beloved Parvati.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते - 42

घ
घनच्छन्नदृष्टिः घनच्छन्नमर्कम्
यथा निष्प्रभं मन्यते चातिमूढः।
तथा बद्धवद्भाति यो मूढदृष्टेः
स नित्योपलब्धः स्वरूपोऽहम् आत्मा॥ (हस्तामलकीयस्तोत्रम् 10)

ghanacchannadṛṣṭiḥ ghanacchannam arkam
yathā niṣprabhaṁ manyate cāti mūḍhaḥ|
tathā baddhavadbhāti yo mūḍadṛṣṭeḥ
sa nityopalabdhiḥ svarūpo'hamātmā||(hastāmalakiya stotram 10)

When the cloud covers the eyes, a fool says it is the sun that is covered by the cloud. In a similar way, the one whose vision is clouded by delusion, perceives the ever-present atman as bound.

This sloka is the perfect example of how simple the greatest truth can be. The cloud clouds our vision yet we say that it clouds the sun. Similarly, maya covers our vision and not the ever-luminous atman.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 15

भिक्षाशनं तदपि नीरसमेकवारं
शय्या च भूः परिजनो निजदेहमात्रम्।
वस्त्रं विशीर्ण शतखण्डमयी च कन्था
हा हा तथापि विषया न परित्यजन्ति॥१५॥

bhikṣāśanaṁ tadapi nīrasamekavāraṁ
śayyā ca bhūḥ parijano nijadehamātram|
vastraṁ viśīrṇa śatakhaṇḍamayī ca kanthā
hā hā tathāpi viṣayā na parityajanti||15||

भिक्षाशनं – eating alms
तदपि – that too
नीरसमेकवारं – once without any taste
शय्या च भूः – the earth is bed
परिजनो – attendant is
निजदेहमात्रम् – his own body
वस्त्रं विशीर्ण – cloth is ragged
शतखण्डमयी च कन्था – and made up of hundreds of pieces
हा हा तथापि – Alas! Even then
विषया – material pleasures
न परित्यजन्ति – do not forsake

Food is got from begging and that too is tasteless and only once a day. The earth is the bed and one’s own body is one’s attendant. One may wear a ragged worn out cloth with a hundred patches; yet, alas! The desires do not leave me.

When one takes up the difficult practice of sannyAsa, there are strenuous practices that has to be followed. The body may get accustomed to all this; yet, forsaking material pleasures is the most difficult of all. Removing the desire from the mind is the toughest of all.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः 14

धन्यानां गिरिकन्दरेषु वसतां ज्योतिः परं ध्यायताम्
आनन्दाश्रुकणान् शकुना निःशङ्कमङ्केशयाः।
अस्माकं तु मनोरथोपरिचितप्रासादवापीतट-
क्रीडाकाननकेलिकौतुकजुषाम् आयुः परं क्षीयते॥१४॥

dhanyānāṁ girikandareṣu vasatāṁ jyotiḥ paraṁ dhyāyatām
ānandāśrukaṇān śakunā niḥśaṅkamaṅkeśayāḥ|
asmākaṁ tu manorathoparicitaprāsādavāpītaṭa-
krīḍākānanakelikautukajuṣām āyuḥ paraṁ kṣīyate||14||

धन्यानां – blessed
गिरिकन्दरेषु वसतां – those who live in the caves of mountains
ज्योतिः परं ध्यायताम् – meditating upon Brahman
आनन्दाश्रुकणान् – tears of bliss
शकुना – birds of prey
निःशङ्कमङ्केशयाः – fearlessly sitting on their laps
अस्माकं तु – but we
मनोरथ-उपरिचित – created by imagination
प्रासाद – palace
वापीतट – on the banks of pools
क्रीडाकानन – pleasure gardens
केलिकौतुकजुषाम् – excited to play
आयुः – life
परं क्षीयते – quickly lessens

The poet is still talking about how difficult it is to forsake the pleasures of the world. He compares the lives of the great with our lives.
Blessed indeed are those who meditate upon the Brahman. They are so engrossed in their thoughts that even birds of prey, which tend to fly high descend fearlessly and sit on their laps to drink the tears of joy that fall from their eyes.
But, our focus is entirely on the pleasures of life and do not realise that our life is fast ebbing away.

वैराग्यशतकम् - विषयत्यागः - 13

ब्रह्मज्ञानविवेकनिर्मलधियः कुर्वन्त्यहो दुष्करम्
यन्मुञ्चन्त्यपभोगभाञ्ज्यपि धनानि एकान्ततो निःस्पृहाः।
सम्प्राप्तान् न पुरा न सम्प्रति न च प्राप्तौ दृढप्रत्ययात्
वाढ्छामात्रपरिग्रहानपि परं त्यक्तुं न शक्ता वयम्॥१३॥

brahmajñāna-viveka-nirmala-dhiyaḥ kurvantyaho duṣkaraṁ
yanmuñcanti apabhoga-bhāñjyapi dhanāni ekāntato niḥspṛhāḥ|
saṁprāptān na purā na saṁprati na ca prāptau dṛḍhapratyayāt
vāñchāmātra-parigrahānapi paraṁ tyaktuṁ na śaktā vayam||13||

ब्रह्मज्ञान – knowledge of Brahman
विवेक – discrimination
निर्मल – pure
धियः – minds
कुर्वन्ति – do
अहो दुष्करम् – is indeed tough
यन्मुञ्चन्ति – that they forsake
उपभोगभाञ्ज्यपि – which bring enjoyment
धनानि – wealth
एकान्ततो – entirely
निःस्पृहाः – free from desire
सम्प्राप्तान् न – were not attained
पुरा – either earlier
न सम्प्रति – or now
प्राप्तौ दृढप्रत्ययात् – obtained by great effort
न च – do not seem to last
वाञ्छामात्रपरिग्रहानपि – although reaped by us as mere desires
परं त्यक्तुं न शक्ता वयम् – we are unable to leave the enjoyments.

It must indeed be a very difficult task for those, who have clear thinking owing to the discrimination arising out of brahmajnana, to be free from desires and discard wealth in its entirety. It is no wonder that we, who have reaped enjoyments by merely longing for it, having attained them neither before nor now, are unable to leave them. And even when we have obtained the enjoyments with great effort, they don’t seem to last in the future.

श्लोकोऽयं मया रचितम्

प्रत्यक्षे करणं त्वगाद्यविरलाः षट्संख्यकाः देहिनां
पञ्चैतेषु बहिर्गतां न हि सदाप्यक्षीणरूपास्तथा।
षष्ठं यन्मन इत्यगोचरगतिश्चित्रं भवेत्तद्बहि-
र्व्यापारेण विनैव तुष्टिमतुलां दत्वापि नो नश्यति॥

pratyakṣe karaṇaṁ tvagādyaviralā ṣaṭsaṁkhyakā dehināṁ
pañcaiteṣu bahirgatāṁ na hi sadāpyakṣīṇarūpāstathā|
ṣaṣṭhaṁ yanmana ityagocaragatiścitraṁ bhavettadbahi-
rvyāpāreṇa vinaiva tuṣṭimatulāṁ datvāpi no naśyati||

There are 6 senses thro' which we perceive objects of the world. They are (according to Nyaya philosophy) eye, ear, nose, tongue, skin and mind. Among these the first five traverse outside and as age catches up they become weaker and weaker. But this sixth sense Manas whose tracks are untraceable, is not visible to the outside world, gives immense pleasure, and yet, is not destroyed or weakened at any point in our life.

श्लोकोऽयं मह्यं रोचते – 3

प्राप्तव्यम् अर्थं लभते मनुष्यः देवोऽपि तं लङ्घयितुं न समर्थः ।
तस्मात् न शोचनीयो न विस्मयो मे यदस्मदीयं न हि तत् परेषाम् ।।

prāptavyam arthaṁ labhate manuṣyaḥ devo'pi taṁ laṅghayituṁ na samarthaḥ|
tasmāt na śocanīyo na vismayo me yadasmadīyaṁ na hi tat pareṣām||

अयं श्लोकः ‘पञ्चतन्त्रम्’ इति ग्रन्थे वर्तते। अस्मभ्यं यत् विहितं तत् अस्माभिः लभ्यते एव। ललाटे यः विधिः लिखितः, तं विधिं परिणमितुम् अथवा रोद्धुं ब्रह्मादि देवाः अपि न शक्नुवन्ति । तस्मात् मया दुःखम् अथवा आश्चर्यं न अनुभूयते, यतः, यत् अस्माकं तत् कदापि अन्येषां न भवेत्।

Even the gods cannot obstruct the things that are destined to a Human. Hence, do not be worried or shocked. The things that are destined to us will never reach others.