अनन्तशास्त्रं बहुलाश्च विद्याः अल्पश्च कालो बहुविघ्नता च। यत्सारभूतं तदुपासनीयं हंसो यथा क्षीरमिवाम्बुमध्यात्॥
anantaśāstraṃ bahulāśca vidyāḥ alpaśca kālo bahuvighnatā ca । yatsārabhūtaṃ tadupāsanīyaṃ haṃso yathā kṣīramivāmbumadhyāt ॥
Meaning of Anantaśāstraṃ Bahulāśca Vidyāḥ Alpaśca
There are many scriptures and numerous branches of knowledge for the attainment of wisdom, but time is limited and obstacles are many. Therefore, just as the swan separates only the milk from a mixture of milk and water, so too should a person grasp only the essence, the ultimate truth.
Word by word
- अनन्तशास्त्रम्anantaśāstram
endless is scripture
अन् + अन्त + शास्त्र
- बहुलाःbahulāḥ
many
बहुल
- चca
and
- विद्याःvidyāḥ
branches of learning
√विद्
- अल्पःalpaḥ
little
अल्प
- कालःkālaḥ
time
काल
- बहुविघ्नताbahuvighnatā
many hindrances
बहु + वि + √हन्
- यत् सारभूतम्yat sārabhūtam
what is the essence
सार + √भू
- तत्tat
that
तद्
- उपासनीयम्upāsanīyam
is to be pursued
उप + √आस्
- हंसःhaṁsaḥ
the swan
हंस
- यथाyathā
as
- क्षीरम्kṣīram
milk
क्षीर
- अम्बुमध्यात्ambumadhyāt
from amid water
अम्बु + मध्य
Commentary
This timeless verse uses the powerful metaphor of the 'Neera-Ksheera Viveka'—the discriminating wisdom of a mythical swan that can separate milk from water. In a world overflowing with information, scriptures, and competing priorities, the shloka reminds us that human lifespan is short and filled with hurdles. True wisdom lies not in accumulating vast amounts of data, but in the ability to filter out the non-essential and focus on what is 'Sarabhuta'—the core essence or the ultimate truth that leads to liberation and meaningful living. The first line sets out four obstacles, and they fall into two kinds: two of excess — endless śāstra, many vidyās — and two of shortage, little time and many hindrances. The difficulty is therefore posed as a mismatch rather than as ignorance, and the swan is the answer to a mismatch. Its gift is not knowing more but taking only what is milk, which is a skill of refusal as much as of discernment.
Original Post
More from Chanakya Niti
View source pageप्रभूतं कार्यमल्पं वा यन्नरः कर्तुमिच्छति। सर्वारम्भेण तत्कार्यं सिंहादेकं प्रचक्षते॥
prabhūtaṁ kāryamalpaṁ vā yannaraḥ kartumicchati । sarvārambheṇa tatkāryaṁ siṁhādekaṁ pracakṣate ॥
A Chanakya Niti verse teaching that every task, great or small, should be undertaken with complete dedication, like the focused effort of a lion.
जलबिन्दुनिपातेन क्रमशः पूर्यते घटः। स हेतुः सर्वविद्यानां धर्मस्य च धनस्य च॥
jalabindunipātena kramaśaḥ pūryate ghaṭaḥ । sa hetuḥ sarvavidyānāṁ dharmasya ca dhanasya ca ॥
A classic nīti verse on steady accumulation: small, regular efforts gradually build knowledge, dharma, and prosperity just as a pot fills one drop at a time.
विद्वान् प्रशस्यते लोके विद्वान् सर्वत्र गौरवम्। विद्यया लभते सर्वं विद्या सर्वत्र पूज्यते॥
vidvān praśasyate loke vidvān sarvatra gauravam । vidyayā labhate sarvaṃ vidyā sarvatra pūjyate ॥
A verse extolling the universal honor that knowledge brings. The learned are praised everywhere, and through knowledge one can attain all of life's goals.
More subhashitams on Wisdom
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.
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.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat । svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and non-agitating words, together with regular study, as austerity of speech.