Subhashitams from Mahasubhashitasamgraha
This source contributes 24 subhashitams across 6 themes.
Latest update: Sep 29, 2026
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उद्यमः साहसं धैर्यं बुद्धिः शक्तिः पराक्रमः। षडेते यत्र वर्तन्ते तत्र दैवं सहायकृत्॥
udyamaḥ sāhasaṃ dhairyaṃ buddhiḥ śaktiḥ parākramaḥ । ṣaḍete yatra vartante tatra daivaṃ sahāyakṛt ॥
Effort, courage, patience, intelligence, strength, and valor prepare a person to receive the help of providence.
एको धर्मः परं श्रेयः क्षमैका शान्तिरुत्तमा। विद्यैका परमा तृप्तिरहिंसैका सुखावहा॥
eko dharmaḥ paraṁ śreyaḥ kṣamaikā śāntir uttamā । vidyaikā paramā tṛptir ahiṁsaikā sukhāvahā ॥
A verse from Vidura Niti in the Mahabharata that pairs four virtues with what each one alone can give: dharma brings the highest good, forgiveness the finest peace, knowledge true contentment, and non-violence lasting happiness.
अद्वैधमनसं युक्तं शूरं धीरं विपश्चितम्। न श्रीः सन्त्यजते नित्यमादित्यमिव रश्मयः॥
advaidhamanasaṃ yuktaṃ śūraṃ dhīraṃ vipaścitam । na śrīḥ santyajate nityam ādityamiva raśmayaḥ ॥
The Mahabharata likens lasting prosperity to the sun's inseparable rays: it remains with one who is focused, courageous, steadfast and discerning.
उपदिशति लोकवृत्तं वितरति वित्तं विनोदयति चित्तम्। उत्तम्भयति महत्त्वं विद्या हृद्या सुराजसेवेव॥
upadiśati lokavṛttaṁ vitarati vittaṁ vinodayati cittam । uttambhayati mahattvaṁ vidyā hṛdyā surājaseveva ॥
Harihara presents learning as a guide to social conduct, prosperity, joy and distinction.
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः। सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः॥
aṇubhyaśca mahadbhyaśca śāstrebhyaḥ kuśalo naraḥ । sarvataḥ sāramādadyāt puṣpebhya iva ṣaṭpadaḥ ॥
A Bhagavata Purana verse: a skilled person draws the essence out of every text, small or great, the way a bee gathers nectar from many flowers.
अभयस्यैव यो दाता तस्यैव सुमहत्फलम् । न हि प्राणसमं दानं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ॥
abhayasyaiva yo dātā tasyaiva sumahatphalam । na hi prāṇasamaṃ dānaṃ triṣu lokeṣu vidyate ॥
A Mahabharata verse praises the giver of fearlessness and declares that no gift in the three worlds equals the gift of life.
उत्तमैः सह साङ्गत्यं पण्डितैः सह सत्कथाम्। अलुब्धैः सह मित्रत्वं कुर्वाणो नावसीदति॥
uttamaiḥ saha sāṅgatyaṃ paṇḍitaiḥ saha satkathām । alubdhaiḥ saha mitratvaṃ kurvāṇo nāvasīdati ॥
A Garuda Purana verse praises noble company, worthwhile conversation with the learned and friendship with those free from greed.
कारुण्येनात्मनो मानं तृष्णां च परितोषतः। उत्थानेन जयेत्तन्द्रीं वितर्कं निश्चयाज्जयेत्॥
kāruṇyenātmano mānaṃ tṛṣṇāṃ ca paritoṣataḥ । utthānena jayettandrīṃ vitarkaṃ niścayājjayet ॥
A Mahabharata teaching on overcoming pride through compassion, craving through contentment, lethargy through effort and doubt through resolve.
एतावज्जन्मसाफल्यं देहिनामिह देहिषु। प्राणैरर्थैर्धिया वाचा श्रेय एवाचरेत् सदा॥
etāvaj janmasāphalyaṁ dehinām iha dehiṣu । prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya evācaret sadā ॥
A Bhagavata Purana verse teaching that a birth is fulfilled when one always does good for other living beings with life, wealth, intellect and speech.
उद्यमस्य प्रसादेन दृश्यन्ते विविधाः कलाः। कातरा एव जल्पन्ति यद् भाव्यं तद् भविष्यति॥
udyamasya prasādena dṛśyante vividhāḥ kalāḥ । kātarā eva jalpanti yad bhāvyaṁ tad bhaviṣyati ॥
Mahāsubhāṣitasaṃgraha teaches that diverse skills are revealed through enterprise, while the timid merely leave everything to what will happen.
चक्षुषा मनसा वाचा कर्मणा च चतुर्विधम्। प्रसादयति यो लोकं तं लोकोऽनुप्रसीदति॥
cakṣuṣā manasā vācā karmaṇā ca caturvidham । prasādayati yo lokaṁ taṁ loko'nuprasīdati ॥
Vidura Niti teaches that one who wins people’s goodwill through sight, thought, speech and action receives their goodwill in return.
अष्टौ गुणाः पुरुषं दीपयन्ति प्रज्ञा सुशीलत्वदमौ श्रुतं च। पराक्रमश्च बहुभाषिता च दानं यथाशक्ति कृतज्ञता च॥
aṣṭau guṇāḥ puruṣaṁ dīpayanti prajñā suśīlatva-damau śrutaṁ ca । parākramaś ca bahubhāṣitā ca dānaṁ yathāśakti kṛtajñatā ca ॥
This Vidura Niti verse praises wisdom, good character, self-restraint, learning, courage, giving, gratitude and—in its established reading—restraint in speech.
किं चन्द्रमाः प्रत्युपकारलिप्सया करोति गोभिः कुमुदावबोधनम्। स्वभाव एवोन्नतचेतसां सतां परोपकारव्यसनं हि जीवितम्॥
kiṃ candramāḥ pratyupakāralipsayā karoti gobhiḥ kumudāvabodhanam । svabhāva evonnatacetasāṃ satāṃ paropakāravyasanaṃ hi jīvitam ॥
The moon awakens the water-lily without seeking return; so, for noble people, working for others is a natural way of life.
आत्मोदयः परज्यानिर्द्वयं नीतिरितीयती। तदूरीकृत्य कृतिभिर्वाचस्पत्यं प्रतायते॥
ātmodayaḥ parajānir dvayaṁ nītir itīyatī । tadūrīkṛtya kṛtibhir vācaspatyaṁ pratāyate ॥
Magha's Shishupalavadha defines statecraft through two aims: one’s own advancement and the adversary’s decline.
एकाग्रताथ सङ्कल्पः स्नायुवद् वर्द्धनक्षमौ। नित्याभ्यासप्रयोगाभ्याम् अधिकाधिकमृध्यतः॥
ekāgratātha saṅkalpaḥ snāyuvad varddhanakṣamau । nityābhyāsaprayogābhyām adhikādhikamṛdhyataḥ ॥
Focus and resolve are capacities that grow stronger through regular practice and purposeful application, much like muscles developed through exercise.
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः शौचमद्रोहो नातिमानिता। भवन्ति सम्पदं दैवीमभिजातस्य भारत॥
tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam adroho nātimānitā । bhavanti sampadaṃ daivīm abhijātasya bhārata ॥
A Bhagavad Gita verse describing the six divine qualities of radiance, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of malice, and humility.
अनन्तोद्भूतभूतौघसङ्कुले भूतलेऽखिले। शस्त्रे शास्त्रे त्रिचतुराश्चतुरा यदि मादृशाः॥
anantodbhūtabhūtaughasaṅkule bhūtale'khile । śastre śāstre tricaturāś caturā yadi mādṛśāḥ ॥
A verse praising the rare personality accomplished in both śastra, arms and valor, and śāstra, knowledge and disciplined thought.
उदीर्णमनसो योधा वाहनानि च भारत। यस्यां भवन्ति सेनायां ध्रुवं तस्यां जयं वदेत्॥
udīrṇamanaso yodhā vāhanāni ca bhārata । yasyāṁ bhavanti senāyāṁ dhruvaṁ tasyāṁ jayaṁ vadet ॥
A powerful verse from the Mahabharata highlighting that motivated soldiers and superior resources are the true guarantors of victory.
उत्थानं संयमो दाक्ष्यमप्रमादो धृतिः स्मृतिः। समीक्ष्य च समारम्भो विद्धिमूलं भवस्य तु॥
utthānaṁ saṁyamo dākṣyam apramādo dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ । samīkṣya ca samārambho viddhi mūlaṁ bhavasya tu ॥
A strategic teaching from Vidura Niti identifying the seven essential qualities, from focused effort to careful planning, that form the foundation of success.
इत्थं फलति शुद्धेन सिक्तं सङ्कल्पवारिणा। पुण्यबीजमपि स्वल्पं पुंसां कृषिकृतामिव॥
itthaṁ phalati śuddhena siktaṁ saṅkalpavāriṇā । puṇyabījamapi svalpaṁ puṁsāṁ kṛṣikṛtāmiva ॥
Just as a farmer reaps a harvest from a small seed, a person achieves great success from even a small effort when nurtured with pure determination.
आत्मज्ञानं समारम्भस्तितिक्षा धर्मनित्यता। यमर्था नापकर्षन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥
ātmajñānaṁ samārambhas titikṣā dharmanityatā । yam arthā nāpakarṣanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥
A profound insight from Vidura Niti defining a wise person as one who possesses self-knowledge, maintains steady action, and remains unswayed by greed or hardship.
अभीप्सां स्वात्मनो रक्षाऽविरतं सुस्थिरं तया। यत्नमातिष्ठ धैर्येण ततः सिद्धिर्भवेद् ध्रुवम्॥
abhīpsāṁ svātmano rakṣā’virataṃ susthiraṁ tayā । yatnam ātiṣṭha dhairyeṇa tataḥ siddhir bhaved dhruvam ॥
Unwavering resolve, patient effort, and self-command protect a worthy ambition and carry it steadily toward success.
गोपायितारं दातारं धर्मनित्यमतन्द्रितम्। अकामद्वेषसंयुक्तमनुरज्यन्ति मानवाः॥
gopāyitāraṁ dātāraṁ dharmanityamatandritam । akāmadveṣasaṁyuktam anurajyanti mānavāḥ ॥
An ideal ruler protects and provides, remains constant in duty, and governs the people with fairness and restraint.
एतदेव परं शौर्यं यत् परप्राणरक्षणम्। नहि प्राणहरः शूरः शूरः प्राणप्रदोऽर्थिनाम्॥
etadeva paraṁ śauryaṁ yat paraprāṇarakṣaṇam । nahi prāṇaharaḥ śūraḥ śūraḥ prāṇaprado'rthinām ॥
True bravery lies not in taking lives, but in protecting them. This verse defines a true hero as one who gives life to those in distress.