Na tvahaṁ kāmaye rājānaṁ na ca devarathaṁ dhanaṁ । Na cāpi grāmakośānāṁ dravyaṁ ciklīvataṁ mama ॥
“I do not desire a king, nor a chariot like Devrath, nor the treasure of a village like that of Chikliit.”
Structure
Na - tvahaṁ - kāmaye - rājānaṁ - na - ca - devarathaṁ - dhanaṁ - Na - cāpi - grāmakośānāṁ - dravyaṁ - cikīvataṁ - mama
ahaṁ (I) na (not) kāmaye (desire) rājānaṁ (kings),na (not) ca (and) devaratham (the chariot of the gods) dhanaṁ (wealth),na (not) cāpi (and also) grāmakośānāṁ (village treasures) dravyaṁ (riches) cikīvataṁ (like a crow) mama (to me)
Word-by-Word Grammar
| Word | IAST | Type | Grammar | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Na | Na | indeclinable | — | not |
| tvahaṁ | tvahaṁ | pronoun | nominative · singular | you |
| kāmaye | kāmaye | verb | √kām · laṭ-present · first | I desire |
| rājānaṁ | rājānaṁ | noun | accusative · singular · masculine | king |
| na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| ca | ca | indeclinable | — | and |
| devarathaṁ | devarathaṁ | noun | accusative · singular · masculine | chariot of the gods |
| dhanaṁ | dhanaṁ | noun | accusative · singular · neuter | wealth |
| Na | na | indeclinable | — | not |
| cāpi | cāpi | indeclinable | — | also |
| grāmakośānāṁ | grāmakośānāṁ | noun | genitive · plural · masculine | of village treasuries |
| dravyaṁ | dravyaṁ | noun | accusative · singular · neuter | wealth |
| cikīvataṁ | cikīvataṁ | noun | accusative · singular · masculine | Cīkaṭa (a name) |
| mama | mama | pronoun | — | my |
Scholarly Commentary
Advaita Vedānta (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya): This verse points to the non-dual reality of Brahman, where the individual self (ātman) is ultimately identical with the universal Self (Brahman). The rejection of desires for worldly possessions and status, as expressed in the verse, is a step towards realizing this non-dual identity. According to Shankara's commentary on the Brahma Sutras, the ultimate goal of life is to attain liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death, which is achieved by realizing one's true nature as Brahman. This verse from the Pañcatantra can be seen as echoing this idea, where the renunciation of desires for external possessions and status is a means to focus on the inner self and ultimately realize the Brahman-ātman identity.
Vaiṣṇava tradition (Rāmānujācārya / Madhvācārya): The Vaiṣṇava tradition interprets this verse as a reflection of the devotee's detachment from worldly desires and their exclusive focus on the Lord. According to Ramanuja's Sri Bhashya, the jīva (individual self) is intimately connected with Īśvara (the Lord), and the ultimate goal of life is to attain loving devotion (bhakti) towards the Lord. This verse can be seen as an expression of such devotion, where the speaker renounces all desires for worldly possessions and status, indicating their sole dependence on and love for the Lord. Madhva, on the other hand, might interpret this verse as an example of the 'sādhana' (means) to attain liberation, where the individual must first purify their mind by renouncing worldly desires before attaining knowledge of the Lord.
Neo-Vedānta (Swami Vivekānanda / S. Rādhākrishnan): This verse has a profound universal and practical application, as it highlights the importance of detachment from worldly desires in achieving true fulfillment. As Swami Vivekananda said in his lectures on 'Raja Yoga', 'The goal of life is to realize the divinity within, and this can only be achieved by renouncing our attachment to external possessions and desires'. This verse from the Pañcatantra serves as a reminder of the impermanence of worldly possessions and the futility of desires, encouraging us to focus on the inner self and cultivate a sense of detachment and inner peace. Similarly, S. Radhakrishnan, in his writings on the 'Hindu View of Life', emphasizes the importance of cultivating a sense of renunciation and detachment in order to achieve a more meaningful and fulfilling life, and this verse can be seen as a practical illustration of this principle.