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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.