Nyasa Dasakam

The Nyāsa Daśakam is a Sanskrit hymn composed by Sri Vedanta Desika, a central preceptor of the Sri Vaishnava Visistadvaita tradition. It consists of ten verses succinctly explaining the doctrine of Nyāsa or Śaraṇāgati (complete surrender) to the Supreme Lord.

The Verses

Verse 1

Sanskrit

अहं मद्रक्षणभरो मद्रक्षणफलं तथा। न मम श्रीपतेरेवेत्यात्मानं निक्षिपेद्बुधः॥ १॥

ahaṁ madrakṣaṇabharo madrakṣaṇaphalaṁ tathā | na mama śrīpaterevetyātmānaṁ nikṣipedbudhaḥ || 1 ||

Translation

A wise person should surrender themselves, recognizing: “I, the burden of my protection, and the fruits of my protection do not belong to me, but entirely to the Lord of Sri (Vishnu).”

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Verse 2

Sanskrit

न्यस्याम्यकिञ्चनः श्रीमन् आनुकूल्योऽन्यवर्जितः। विश्वासप्रार्थनापूर्वमात्मरक्षाभरं त्वयि॥ २॥

nyasyāmyakiñcanaḥ śrīman ānukūlyo’nyavarjitaḥ | viśvāsaprārthanāpūrvamātmarakṣābharaṁ tvayi || 2 ||

Translation

O Glorious Lord! Being completely destitute, adopting what is favorable to You, avoiding all other refuges, and with full faith and prayer, I surrender the burden of my protection unto You.

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Verse 3

Sanskrit

स्वामी स्वशेषं स्ववशं स्वभरत्वेन निर्भरम्। स्वदत्तस्वधिया स्वार्थं स्वस्मिन्न्यस्यति मां स्वयम्॥ ३॥

svāmī svaśeṣaṁ svavaśaṁ svabharatvena nirbharam | svadattasvadhiyā svārthaṁ svasminnyasyati māṁ svayam || 3 ||

Translation

The Lord Himself, out of His own accord, makes me (who am His property and under His control) surrender unto Him, for His own purpose, using the pure intellect He has given me, thus freeing me from the burden of self-protection.

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Verse 4

Sanskrit

श्रीमन्नभीष्टवरद त्वामस्मि शरणं गतः। एतद्देहावसाने मां तत्पदं प्रापय स्वयम्॥ ४॥

śrīmannabhīṣṭavarada tvāmasmi śaraṇaṁ gataḥ | etaddehāvasāne māṁ tatpadaṁ prāpaya svayam || 4 ||

Translation

O Glorious Bestower of boons! I have taken refuge in You. When this body falls, please personally lead me to Your supreme abode.

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Verse 5

Sanskrit

त्वच्छेषत्वे स्थिरधियं तत्प्राप्त्येकप्रयोजनम्। निषिद्धकाम्यरहितं कुरु मां नित्यकिङ्करम्॥ ५॥

tvaccheṣatve sthiradhiyaṁ tatprāptyekaprayojanam | niṣiddhakāmyarahitaṁ kuru māṁ nityakiṅkaram || 5 ||

Translation

Make my mind steady in the knowledge that I am Your subordinate, with Your attainment as my sole goal. Free me from prohibited acts and selfish desires, and make me Your eternal servant.

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Verse 6

Sanskrit

देवीभूषणहेत्यादिजुष्टस्य भगवंस्तव। नित्यं निरपराधेषु कैङ्कर्येषु नियुङ्क्ष्व माम्॥ ६॥

devībhūṣaṇahetyādijuṣṭasya bhagavaṁstava | nityaṁ niraparādheṣu kaiṅkaryeṣu niyuṅkṣva mām || 6 ||

Translation

O Lord, who is served by Your consorts, ornaments, and weapons! Please employ me constantly in faultless services unto You.

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Verse 7

Sanskrit

मां मदीयं च निखिलं चेतनाचेतनात्मकम्। स्वकैङ्कर्योपकरणं वरद स्वीकुरु स्वयम्॥ ७॥

māṁ madīyaṁ ca nikhilaṁ cetanācetanātmakam | svakaiṅkaryopakaraṇaṁ varada svīkuru svayam || 7 ||

Translation

O Bestower of boons! Please accept me and all that is mine—both sentient and insentient entities—as instruments for Your own service.

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Verse 8

Sanskrit

त्वदेकरक्ष्यस्य मम त्वमेव करुणाकरः। न प्रवर्तय पापानि प्रवृत्तानि निवारय॥ ८॥

tvadekarakṣyasya mama tvameva karuṇākaraḥ | na pravartaya pāpāni pravṛttāni nivāraya || 8 ||

Translation

For me, who is to be protected solely by You, You alone are the ocean of mercy. Do not let me engage in sinful acts, and eradicate the sins I have already initiated.

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Verse 9

Sanskrit

अकृत्यानां च करणं कृत्यानां वर्जनं च मे। क्षमस्व निखिलं देव प्रणतार्तिहर प्रभो॥ ९॥

akṛtyānāṁ ca karaṇaṁ kṛtyānāṁ varjanaṁ ca me | kṣamasva nikhilaṁ deva praṇatārtihara prabho || 9 ||

Translation

O Lord! O Supreme Master who destroys the distress of those who bow down! Please forgive all my trespasses: performing forbidden acts and neglecting prescribed duties.

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Verse 10

Sanskrit

श्रीमन्नियतपञ्चाङ्गं मद्रक्षाभरसमर्पणम्। अचीकरस्त्वयं स्वस्मिन्नतोऽहमिह निर्भरः॥ १०॥

śrīmanniyatapañcāṅgaṁ madrakṣābharasamarpaṇam | acīkarastvayaṁ svasminnato’hamiha nirbharaḥ || 10 ||

Translation

O Glorious Lord! You Yourself have accepted from me the surrender of the burden of my protection, complete with its five prescribed limbs. Therefore, I am now completely free from anxiety.