na tvahaṃ kāmaye rājā na ca deva-radayitā । na mātr-bhakto na pitā ko 'pi me sva-deśaḥ ॥
“I do not desire to be a king, nor a god, nor a mother or father devotee, my own country is none.”
Structure
na - tvahaṃ - kāmaye - rājā - na - ca - deva - radayitā - na - mātr-bhakto - na - pitā - kaḥ - api - me - sva-deśaḥ
na (not) tvahaṃ (I) kāmaye (desire) rājā (a king) na (not) ca (and) deva (god) radayitā (a benefactor) na (not) mātr-bhakto (a mother loving) na (not) pitā (a father) kaḥ (who) api (any) me (my) sva-deśaḥ (own country)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| tvahaṃ | tvahaṁ | pronoun | nominative · singular | you |
| kāmaye | kāmaye | verb | √kām · laṭ-present · first | I desire |
| rājā | rājā | noun | nominative · singular · masculine | king |
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
| deva | deva | noun | masculine | god |
| radayitā | radayitā | noun | masculine | protector |
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| mātr-bhakto | mātr-bhakto | compound | bahuvrīhi · "mātr-bhaktaḥ" | one devoted to one's mother |
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| pitā | pitā | noun | masculine | father |
| kaḥ | kaḥ | pronoun | nominative · singular · masculine | who |
| api | api | indeclinable | — | also |
| me | me | pronoun | genitive · singular | of me |
| sva-deśaḥ | sva-deśaḥ | compound | karmadhāraya · "svaḥ deśaḥ" | one's own country |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse underscores the non-dual nature of ultimate reality, where the distinctions between king, god, mother, father, and country are transcended. Shankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras (3.2.21) emphasizes that the realization of brahman-ātman identity liberates the individual from all desires, including those for worldly power or divine status. The phrase 'na tvahaṃ kāmaye rājā' illustrates the renunciation of egoistic desires, which is a crucial step towards achieving this identity. By negating all external references ('na mātr-bhakto na pitā ko 'pi me sva-deśaḥ'), the verse points to the inner, unchanging Self that is beyond all relational and spatial definitions, echoing Shankara's concept of 'nirguna brahman'. This reading highlights the verse's potential to guide the seeker towards the realization of the ultimate, non-dual essence.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The Vaiṣṇava tradition, especially through Rāmānujācārya, views this verse as emphasizing the surrender of personal desires and ego to the will of Īśvara. Ramanuja's commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (12.13-14) explains that true devotion involves renouncing 'kāma' (desire) for worldly and divine powers, recognizing that all such aspirations are fleeting and unfulfilling. The phrase 'na tvahaṃ kāmaye rājā na ca deva-radayitā' can be seen as a jīva's declaration of detachment from worldly and heavenly desires, focusing instead on the eternal relationship with Īśvara. This surrender is akin to what Ramanuja describes as 'prapatti', where the jīva recognizes its complete dependence on Īśvara, illustrating the interdependence between the soul and God, a core concept in Vaiṣṇavism.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse is quintessentially about the liberation of the human spirit from the bounds of desires and identities rooted in externalities. Swami Vivekānanda, in his lectures on 'Practical Vedanta', emphasized the importance of transcending worldly desires and egoistic attachments for true freedom and service to humanity. The phrase 'na mātr-bhakto na pitā ko 'pi me sva-deśaḥ' resonates with Vivekānanda's call for a universal outlook, beyond the narrow confines of family, nation, or creed. Similarly, S. Rādhākrishnan, in his philosophical expositions, highlighted the universal applicability of Vedāntic principles, including the negation of ego and external dependencies as a path to realizing one's true, universal Self. This verse, therefore, offers a practical guide for contemporary life, advocating for a life of detachment, service, and the pursuit of universal values.