Sanskrit Proverbs

  • पृथिव्यां त्रीणी रत्नानि जलमन्नं सुभाषितम्।
    मूढैः पाषाणखंडेषु रत्नसंज्ञा विधीयते॥

    There are three jewels on earth: water, food & good quotes.
    Fools are those who call pieces of stones as jewels.



  • कृषितोनास्ति दुर्भिक्षं
    • kRuShitOnaasti durbhikShaM
    • Effort of Hardwork will never be wasted

 


  • दंडं दश गुणम् भवॆत्
    • daMDaM dasha guNam bhavet
    • Punishment has got 10 credits to its name

 


  • धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः
    • dharmo rakśati rakśita
    • Dharma, when protected, protects

 


  • जननी जन्मभुमिस्छ स्वर्गादपि गरीयसि
    • Jananī Janmabhumischa swargadapi garīyasi
    • Mother and Motherland are like heaven

 


  • न अभिशेको न संस्कारः सिम्हस्य कृयते वने
    विक्रमार्जितसत्वस्य स्वयमेव मृगेन्द्रता
    • Na abhiśeko na samskāra simhasya kyate vane
      vikramārjitasatvasya swayameva m
      gendratā
    • Translation: There is no official coronation ceremony held to declare the lion as the king of the jungle. He becomes king by his own attributes and heroic actions.
    • Meaning: Similarly, in our own life, when working towards some goal, we should not merely “demand” it. Rather we should try to “earn” the goal through our own good deeds and efforts. It is through our own hard work that we achieve.

 


  • गतशोकं न कुर्वीत भविष्यं नैव चिन्तयेत
    वर्तमानेशु कार्येशु वर्तयन्ति विचक्शनः
    • gataśoka na kurvīta bhaviya naiva cintayeta
      vartamāneśu kāryeśu vartayanti vicakśana
    • There is no point in worrying about past nor about future. A smart and intelligent person thinks and works only about present.

 



 
  • विनाश काले विपरीत बुद्धि
    • Meaning: During ones ruin his wisdom wouldn't pay off

 


  • यथा राज तथा प्रजा
    • Literal: As the king is so are his subjects
    • Meaning: the underlings are quite a match to their leader

 


  • अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत्
    • Meaning: Moderation should be exercised in everything

 


  • कांचाणेन कार्य सिद्धिः
    • Meaning: Money accomplishes tasks/wonders

 


  • यत्र धूमो तत्र वह्निः
    • Meaning: where there is a fire there is definitely a smoke cloud [=>cause and effect principle]

 


  • आचारं कुलं आख्याति
    • Meaning: [ones] actions earn a name for the family

 


  • शरीरमाद्यं खलु धर्म साधनं
    • Meaning: body is a means to accomplish a dharma/merit

 


  • बुद्धिः यस्य बलं तस्य
    • Meaning: wisdom is the right measure of ones strength

 


  • नहि ज्ञानेन सदृशं
    • Meaning: There is nothing like knowledge in this world

 


  • विद्या परदेवता
    • Meaning: education is god in the realm of practical world

 


  • परोपकारः पुण्याय
    • Meaning: helping others is one step closer to god

 


  • परोपकारमिदं शरीरं
    • Meaning: we are personified for the very purpose to help other beings

 


  • दुष्टं दूर वर्जयेत्
    • Meaning: keep away from the wicked

 


  • मौनं सम्मति लक्षणं
    • Meaning: keeping mum is taken as an affirmative response

 


  • मौनं सर्वत्र साधनं
    • Meaning: Silence could be used as a tool to accomplish things

 


  • मौनेन कलहं नासि
    • Meaning: hold back [your tounge] and avoid confrontation

 


  • संघे शक्ति कलौयुग
    • Meaning: Unity is strength

 


  • वचने किं दरिद्रता
    • Meaning: why there should be dearth of [nice-]words to communicate

 


  • वज्रं वज्रेण भिन्यते
    • Meaning: dimond cuts a dimond

 


  • शक्तेः युक्तिः गरीयसी
    • Meaning: strategy is better than strength

 


  • सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं
    • Meaning: truth triumphs eventually

 


  • साहसे श्रीः वसति
    • Meaning: luck dwells in the best of ones endeavour

 


  • सर्वे गुणाः कांचनमाश्रयंते
    • Meaning: rich has all virtues

 


  • अन्नदात सुखीभव
    • Meaning: let the charity giver be happy

 


  • आलस्यात् अमृतं विषं
    • Meaning: Opportunity unavailed becomes harmful. One should not delay.
    • Equivalent: Idleness is the root of all evil

 


 
  • विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानं
    • Meaning: educating a person is the best charity

 


  • अल्पविद्या महागर्वी
    • Meaning: the shallow brooks are noisy [=>the learned ones are always humble, those with little knowledge are boisterous of their achievement]

 


  • न च धर्मो दयापरः
    • Meaning: there is no bigger virtue than compassion

 


  • अशांतस्य कुतस्सुखं
    • Meaning: unhappy person experiences no pleasure in life

 


  • गुणाः सर्वत्र पूज्यंते
    • Meaning: virtue is adored everywhere

 


  • चक्रवत् परिवर्तंते दुःखानि च सुखानि च
    • Meaning: life is a cycle of happiness followed by sufferrings and viceversa

 


  • अजापुत्रं बलिं दाद्यात्
    • Meaning: the lambs [=weaklings] are sacrificie


         प्रोक्तः प्रत्युत्तरं नाह विरुद्धं प्रभुणा च यः |
         न समीपे हसत्युच्चैः स भवेद्राजवल्लभः ||

                                                                                                                पञ्चतंत्र, मित्रभेद

            Meaning: He will be liked by a king who will neither speak against him nor laugh loudly in his presence. [But that is not good always to be liked by such a king.]- Panchatantra, Mitrabhedh




        निर्वनो वध्यते व्याघ्रो निर्व्याघ्रो छिद्यते वनम् |
        तस्माद्व्याघ्रो वनं रक्षेत् वनं व्याघ्रं च पालयेत् ||

- महाभारत, उद्योग

                Meaning:Without the forest, the tiger can not survive. Without the tiger in the forest, the forest will get destroyed (by the people). Hence the tiger must protect the forest and forest must protect the tiger (and other animals) 

- Mahabharatha, Udyoga


नोपेक्षितव्यो विद्वद्भिः शत्रुरल्पोऽप्यवज्ञया |
वह्निरल्पोऽपि संवृद्धः कुरुते भस्मसाद्वनम् ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

A wise man must not ignore his enemies even if they are weak and small. Even if the spark is too small, it can grow into a raging fire and burn down a forest.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi


पर्जन्यमिव भूतानि महाद्रुममिवांडजाः |
नराः समुपजीवन्ति नृपं सर्वार्थसाधकम् ||

- सुभाषितसुधानिधि

Just like animals depend on the rain, the birds depend on the tree – ordinary subjects depend on the king for achieving anything.

- Subhashitasudhanidhi



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