What should one ask of God? Wealth? Position? Fame? Prosperity? Many people pray for such boons. But the truly wise — the rishis and great souls — ask God for a very different kind of boon, captured in one timeless Sanskrit shloka.

The Shloka

Anāyāsena maraṇam, vinā dainyena jīvanam, dehānte tava sānnidhyam, dehi me Parameśvara.

Meaning of the Shloka

  • Anāyāsena maraṇam — may death come peacefully, without suffering or agony.
  • Vinā dainyena jīvanam — may I live my whole life with self-respect and dignity, never having to beg or depend helplessly on others.
  • Dehānte tava sānnidhyam — at the final moment of leaving this body, may I be in Your remembrance and presence.
  • Dehi me Parameśvara — O Supreme Lord, grant me these three boons.

Why This Shloka Is So Great

This single shloka holds the essence of human life. Wealth, status, fame and riches are temporary. But living with dignity, dying in peace, and being in the remembrance of God at the final moment — these are the true sources of joy and peace.

Advertisement

Why These Boons Matter

  • A dignified life (vinā dainyena jīvanam): to live with self-respect, never compromising one’s integrity for money or recognition.
  • A peaceful death (anāyāsena maraṇam): freedom from a painful, struggling end.
  • The Lord’s presence at the end (dehānte tava sānnidhyam): remembrance of God at the last breath, which the tradition holds opens the path to liberation (moksha).

How to Recite It

  • Recite it once every morning soon after waking.
  • Recite it once at night before sleeping.
  • Sit before Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu, recite it, and meditate on the Divine.

Om Namo Narayanaya · Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya 🙏

Conclusion

Wealth, position and fame are temporary; a dignified life, a peaceful death, and the remembrance of God at the end are eternal. If one receives these three boons, one has lost nothing in life. Share this shloka with the elders and children in your home — it is a true teaching for living.