Cyber-Dhuni - Kaupina - Loincloth
Cyber-Dhuni - Kaupina - Loincloth
Cyber-Dhuni - Kaupina - Loincloth
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The Cyber Dhuni
of Baba Bhajanananda
and Baba Ambikananda
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Kaupina ~ Loincloth
by Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati
GiftoftheRishis
Yogis,brahminsandsadhusareknownaskaupinadharis(wearersoftheloincloth),thesymbolof
discipline,simplicity,purityandspiritualculture.Alsoknownaslangoti,lingotiandkomanan,the
kaupinapushesthepranasupward,awakeningthegoddesskundalinisleepingdeepwithin.Itmakes
onestrong,abletoperformausterities,andsharpofintellect.Itdirectstheattentionpastthefive
elementstothespiritualworld.
KaupinaDhari
InHinduculture,smallchildrengenerallyrunaroundnaked.Butatpuberty,oratthetimeoftheir
upanayanasamskar(sacredthreadceremony),boysaretaughtbytheirmotherorguruhowtoweara
kaupinaandtoldtolookuponallwomenbesidestheirfuturewifeasmothers.Fromthenontheyare
expectedtowearakaupinaatalltimesastheirunderwearandtosleep,batheandperformtheirdaily
spiritualpracticeswearingonlyakaupina.AsEuropeanfashionspreaditsinfluenceintoIndianculture,
menbeganwearingshirts,dhotiswherereplacedbytrousersandnowreadymadeunderwearis
replacingtheancientkaupina.Itisimportantasyogisanddevoteestoresistthemultibilliondollar
undergarmentindustries'propagandaandtocontinuetowearthetraditionalkaupina,whichischeaper,
cleaner,healthier,andmoreattractive.Forthescripturessay:
kaupinapurushalakshanam//
"Theloinclothisthedistinguishingfeatureofman."
KaupinaMantra
Thekaupinaisaninvaluabletoolinthepracticeofsexualpurity.Brahmacharis(celibate
students),vanaprasthas(retiredforestdwellers)andsannyasis(renouncedascetics)canrecite
thismantrawhentyingtheirkaupinas,invokingdivinesupportintheirendeavortocontroland
redirecttheirsexualenergiesandfluids.Sexuallyactivegrihasthas(marriedhouseholders)should
tietheirkaupinaswithoutrecitingthismantra.
omuurdhvatantobhavedbrahma
aadhastantosadaashiva/
vishnurdevatasattvena
kaupinamdharayamyaham//
"WeinvokeBrahmainthebelt,
SadaShivainthedownwardhangingcloth
andVishnu,thedeityofpurity,
aswetieourloincloth."
SannyasaVesh
Asannyasi(renouncedascetics)issupposedtobedigambara(skycladornaked),asasymbolof
detachmentandtranscendence.TheParamahamsaParivraajakaUpanishadstates:
jaataruupadharashchareteshasamnyaasah//
"Heshouldliveintheformhehadatbirth.
Thisissannyasa."
IntheSrimadBhagavatam(XI:18:15)LordKrishnainstructshisnephewUddhavaaboutthedress
ofasannyasi:
bibhryaachchenmunirvaasah
kaupiinaacchaadanamparam/
tyaktamnadandapaatraabhyaam
anyatkinchidanaapadi//
"Ifasagewouldhaveacovering,hecanwearonlyakaupina.Heshouldnotkeepanythinghehas
renouncedbesideastaffandbowl,unlessindanger."
Asannyasiwearsakaupinaonlyinmixedcompanyoutofconsiderationofothers.Inmodern
societyithasbecomenecessaryforsannyasistoexpandthis"bareminimum"toincludeother
appropriateclothingwhileinteractingwiththepublic.Butremainingnakedorwearingonlya
kaupinaremainsasannyasi'sideal.
KaupinaPanchakam
TheKaupinaPanchakam(FiveVersesontheLoincloth)wascomposedbyAdiShankaracharya.Also
knownastheYatiPanchakam,thishymnglorifiestheidealofrenunciationandisreciteddailyby
manykaupinadharis(thosewhowearloincloths),monasticaswellashousehoulder,asitinspires
onewiththetwinspiritualidealsofsimplicityandfreedom.SriRamakrishnaParamahamsawouldgo
intosamadhiwhentheyoungNarendra(SwamiVivekananda)wouldsingitforhim.[Translationby
SwamiNikhilananda]:
1.omvedaantavaakyeshusadaaramanto
bikshaannamaatrenachatushtinantah
vishokamantahkaranecharantah
kaupiinavantahkhalubhaagyavantah
RoamingeverinthegroveofVedanta,
Everpleasedwithhisbeggarsmorsel,
Everwalkingwithheartfreefromsorrow,
Blessedindeedistheweareroftheloincloth.
2.mulamtarohkevalamaashrayantah
paanidbayambhoktumamantrayantah
kanthaamivashriimapikutsayantah
kaupiinavantahkhalubhaagyavantah
Sittingatthefootofatreeforshelter,
Usingthepalmsofhishandsforeating,
Wrappedinagarmentfineorugly,
Blessedindeedistheweareroftheloincloth.
3.svaanandabhaaveparitushtimantah
sushaantasarvendriyavrittimantah
aharnishambrahmasukheramantah
kaupiinavantahkhalubhaagyavantah
Satisfiedfullybytheblisswithinhim,
Curbingwhollythecravingsofhissenses,
ContemplatingdayandnighttheblissofBrahman,
Blessedindeedistheweareroftheloincloth.
4.dehaadibhaavamparivartayantah
svaatmaanamaatmanyavekokayantah
naantamnamadhyamnabahihsmarantah
kaupiinavantahkhalubhaagyavantah
Witnessingthechangesofmindandbody.
NaughtbuttheSelfwithinhimbeholding,
Thinkingnotofinner,middleorouter,
Blessedindeedistheweareroftheloincloth.
5.brahmaaksharampaavanamuchharanto
brahmaahamasmiitivibhaavayantah
bhikshaashinodikshuparibhramantah
kaupiinavantahkhalubhaagyavantah
ChantingthesoundBrahman,
thewordofredemption,
MeditatingonlyonIamBrahman,
Livingonalmsandwanderingfreely,
Blessedindeedistheweareroftheloincloth.