Swamy Desikan's Vairagya panchangam.[complete translation]

On coming to know about Swamy Desikan's poverty , a childhood friend of his who was in the services of a powerful emperor sent a letter asking Desikan to join the services of that emperor promising to put in a good word on his friend's behalf. Sri Desikan was then residing at Kanchipuram .Scholarship and poverty generally go hand in hand . And Desikan was no exception.

However Sri Desikan turned down the offer since he valued his freedom of expression more than wealth .This can be gleaned from the reply he sent to his friend . They are in Sanskrit and are compiled under the heading Vairagya panchangam.The translation is as follows.

**Men whose profession is to protect , rule but over a 1\100 th part of a tiny segment of this wide world.How ever they are engulfed in the uncontrollable wild fire of pride and ego.I cannot praise such men and have little regard to those who praise such worthless men.

I am determined to praise only the compassionate One , who in days gone by bestowed Kubera's wealth on his poverty stricken friend Kusela ,in return for a handful of puffed rice! ........247.

**1. Will not the grains scattered in the fields satisfy one's hunger?

Will not a palm full of cool water scooped from ponds and lakes quench one's thirst and support life?

Will not a rag found on the wayside without much exertion ,cover one?

Alas! For the sake of their stomach ,scholars seek rulers benevolence by showering them with praises.

**2.Let the fire known as 'Jada Agni burn in my belly . This fire that consumes and digests every particle of food taken in voraciously often equals the mare faced fire that burns in the middle of oceans ,sipping in all the excess water constantly to maintain the sea's level.

My thoughts and speech are like the divine fragrance of the jasmine flower wafting in the cool evening breeze ,

It is to be used only to praise god,

I will never debase it by praising kings in return for favours.

**3.I have the immeasurable wealth ---the blessings of the one who is as dark as coliriyum and who was the ornamental charioteer of Arjuna,

Hence why should I humiliate myself by sitting submissively in the front porch of worthless rulers ,for the sake of few gold coins?

I fold my hands at such a humiliating situation and take leave!

**4.Sareera padhnavethi prabhu nishevanapadhanath abhitahana dnananjaya prasmadham thanam thanthanam|

Dhananjeya vivirthanam thanamuthooda Govardhnam soosaathana mapadaman soomanasaam smarathanam|

In the above verse the word 'Thanam'has been skilfully used 11 times.

It is futile to amass wealth by constantly praising lords and to be for ever at their beck and call, since what is needed is but a handful of grains to douse the fire in the belly [hunger] ,daily till this body disintegrates.

The true and real wealth is the one ,who helped Arjuna in his victory, protected his kinsmen by lifting the Govardhana hill and holding it aloft as a shield from the deluge and is capable of conferring happiness to those who are good at heart.

**5.My father has not bequeathed any wealth to me.

Nor did I earn riches.

But I am the proud possessor of the ancestral property passed down by Brahma himself.The One who is residing atop Athigiri hills. Varadaraja Perumal ---[Kanchipuram].

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