Dhanyanam Uttamam Dakshyam - Skill, Knowledge, Health
धन्यानामुत्तमं दाक्ष्यं धनानामुत्तमं श्रुतम्। लाभानां श्रेय आरोग्यं सुखानां तुष्टिरुत्तमा॥
dhanyānām uttamaṃ dākṣyaṃ dhanānām uttamaṃ śrutam । lābhānāṃ śreya ārogyaṃ sukhānāṃ tuṣṭir uttamā ॥
PM's MessageKnowledge gives discernment, skill leads to development, and good health brings every resolve to fulfillment. Today, our youth are imbibing these very qualities and making the country's identity stronger.
Meaning of Dhanyānām Uttamaṃ Dākṣyaṃ Dhanānām
Among all noble qualities, skill is the finest. Among all forms of wealth, knowledge is the greatest. Among all gains, good health is the greatest and among all forms of happiness, contentment is the highest.
Word by word
- धन्यानाम्dhanyānām
among things that bring fortune
धन्य
- उत्तमम्uttamam
the best
उद् + तम
- दाक्ष्यम्dākṣyam
skill
दक्ष
- धनानाम्dhanānām
among riches
धन
- श्रुतम्śrutam
learning heard and held
√श्रु
- लाभानाम्lābhānām
among gains
√लभ्
- श्रेयःśreyaḥ
the highest good
श्रेयस्
- आरोग्यम्ārogyam
freedom from disease
अ + रोग
- सुखानाम्sukhānām
among pleasures
सुख
- तुष्टिःtuṣṭiḥ
contentment
√तुष्
- उत्तमाuttamā
is the best
उद् + तम
Commentary
This verse belongs to the Yaksha-Prashna episode of the Mahabharata, where Yudhishthira answers a sequence of compressed ethical questions. The teaching ranks four forms of excellence: dākṣya, practical skill or efficiency, is the best mark of the fortunate; śrutam, learning or heard wisdom, is the highest wealth; ārogya, health, is the best gain; and tuṣṭi, contentment, is the highest happiness. The sequence is striking because it balances outer ability with inner sufficiency. The verse does not treat wealth, learning, health, and happiness as isolated goals. It suggests that skill makes good fortune usable, knowledge makes wealth meaningful, health makes achievement possible, and contentment protects happiness from endless craving. The post's emphasis on education, skill, health, and youth development is a modern civic application of this older hierarchy of human flourishing.
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.
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.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु॥
sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ । svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ॥
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that devotion to one's own work is a path to perfection.
More subhashitams on Knowledge
View topic pageदेव्या यया ततमिदं जगदात्मशक्त्या निश्शेषदेवगणशक्तिसमूहमूर्त्या। तामम्बिकामखिलदेवमहर्षिपूज्यां भक्त्या नताः स्म विदधातु शुभानि सा नः॥
devyā yayā tatamidaṃ jagadātmaśaktyā niśśeṣadevagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā । tāmambikāmakhiladevamaharṣipūjyāṃ bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ ॥
A prayer from Devi Mahatmyam to Ambika, who pervades the world and embodies all divine powers, asking for blessings for everyone.
ज्ञानवांश्च 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.