अद्रोहः सर्वभूतेषु कर्मणा मनसा गिरा। अनुग्रहश्च दानं च शीलमेतत्प्रशस्यते॥
adrohaḥ sarvabhūteṣu karmaṇā manasā girā । anugrahaśca dānaṁ ca śīlametatpraśasyate ॥
PM's MessageAction done with a selfless spirit is true humanity. This not only brings spiritual happiness but also leads to the welfare of society.
Meaning of Adrohaḥ Sarvabhūteṣu Karmaṇā Manasā
To hold no hatred towards any living being—in thought, word, or deed, to act with compassion towards all, and to give generously—this is regarded as the highest form of conduct.
Word by word
- अद्रोहःadrohaḥ
absence of malice
अ + √द्रुह्
A negative compound: not hostility restrained, but hostility absent.
- सर्वभूतेषुsarvabhūteṣu
towards all beings
सर्व + भूत
- कर्मणाkarmaṇā
in deed
कर्मन्, √कृ
- मनसाmanasā
in thought
मनस्
- गिराgirā
in word
गिर्, √गॄ
- अनुग्रहःanugrahaḥ
favour, kindness
अनु + √ग्रह्
- चca
and
च
- दानम्dānam
giving
√दा
- शीलम्śīlam
character, conduct
शील
- एतत्etat
this
एतद्
- प्रशस्यतेpraśasyate
is praised
प्र + √शंस्
Praised, rather than declared highest.
Commentary
This verse from the Mahabharata's Shanti Parva outlines a praised standard of human character (Shila). It highlights three core virtues: 'Adroha' or the absence of malice towards any creature in thought, word, and deed; 'Anugraha' or compassion and active kindness; and 'Dana' or generous giving. Together, these form the foundation of a righteous life, asserting that true spiritual fulfillment comes from how we treat the world around us. It teaches that harmlessness must be practiced actively at all cognitive, verbal, and physical levels. The order of the three is the argument. Adroha comes first and is a negative — the removing of harm — and only then do anugraha and dāna follow, which add benefit. Conduct is built in that sequence and not the other, so generosity offered by someone who has not first put down malice does not reach the standard being described. The triad of instruments, deed, mind and speech, is fixed in the tradition; only the word for speech changes here to gir, for the metre.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Mahabharata
View source pageनित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद्वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्। कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥
nityaṃ paricareccaiva tadvai sukṛtamuttamam । kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama ॥
Daily service is praised as an excellent deed that brings merit, renown and higher realms.
शुचित्वं त्यागिता शौर्यं सामान्यं सुखदुःखयोः। दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च सत्यता च सुहृद्गुणाः॥
śucitvaṃ tyāgitā śauryaṃ sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ । dākṣiṇyaṃ cānuraktiśca satyatā ca suhṛdguṇāḥ ॥
Purity, generosity, courage, steadiness in joy and sorrow, courtesy, affection, and truthfulness are the qualities of a true friend.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca । nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.
More subhashitams on Ethics
View topic pageज्ञानवांश्च तथा वाग्मी कर्मस्वपि च निष्ठितः। एवं युक्तोऽपि न श्रेयान् यदि शीलविवर्जितः॥
jñānavāṃśca tathā vāgmī karmasvapi ca niṣṭhitaḥ । evaṃ yukto'pi na śreyān yadi śīlavivarjitaḥ ॥
Knowledge, eloquence, and skill in work do not make a person worthy of esteem if good character is absent.
शुचित्वं त्यागिता शौर्यं सामान्यं सुखदुःखयोः। दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च सत्यता च सुहृद्गुणाः॥
śucitvaṃ tyāgitā śauryaṃ sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ । dākṣiṇyaṃ cānuraktiśca satyatā ca suhṛdguṇāḥ ॥
Purity, generosity, courage, steadiness in joy and sorrow, courtesy, affection, and truthfulness are the qualities of a true friend.
अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
adveṣṭā sarvabhūtānāṃ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca । nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ samaduḥkhasukhaḥ kṣamī ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.