धर्मो यशो नयो दाक्ष्यम् मनोहारि सुभाषितम्। इत्यादिगुणरत्नानां संग्रहीनावसीदति॥
dharmaḥ yaśo nayaḥ dākṣyam manohāri subhāṣitam । ityādi guṇaratnānāṁ saṅgrahīnāvasīdati ॥
Meaning of Dharmaḥ Yaśo Nayaḥ Dākṣyam
One who is dutiful, truthful, skilful and has pleasing manners can never feel saddened.
Word by word
- धर्मःdharmaḥ
dharma
√धृ
- यशःyaśaḥ
renown
यशस्
- नयःnayaḥ
sound policy
√नी
- दाक्ष्यम्dākṣyam
competence
दक्ष
- मनोहारिmanohāri
captivating
मनस् + √हृ
- सुभाषितम्subhāṣitam
well-spoken word
सु + √भाष्
- इत्यादिityādi
and such as these
इति + आदि
- गुणरत्नानाम्guṇaratnānām
of these jewels of virtue
गुण + रत्न
- सङ्ग्रहीsaṅgrahī
the collector
सम् + √ग्रह्
- न अवसीदतिnāvasīdati
does not founder
अव + √सद्
Commentary
The verse gathers qualities that make a person inwardly and socially dependable. The supplied English meaning renders yaśas, “renown” or “good reputation,” as “truthful”; that is a deviation from the Sanskrit. Dharma gives an ethical foundation, yaśas is honorable reputation, naya is sound judgment or policy, and dākṣya is practical competence. Manohāri subhāṣita adds speech that is both pleasing and worthwhile, showing that character must also be expressed with consideration. These qualities are described as guṇa-ratna, jewel-like virtues. Their value lies not in ornamenting an image, but in equipping a person to meet difficulty without falling into helpless sorrow. What the verse promises is narrower and sturdier than contentment. Avasīdati means to sink or give way, so the collector of these jewels is said not to founder — the image is of something holding its structure under load rather than of a person feeling happy. The five named qualities are also drawn one from each domain: dharma is inward, yaśas social, naya and dākṣya practical, and subhāṣita the expressive form the rest must take to be of use.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Subhashita Ratnakara
View source pageशुचित्वं 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.
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.
स्वाधीनैव समृद्धिर्जनोपजीव्यत्वमुच्छ्रयश्छाया। सत्पुंसो मरुभूरिव जीवनमात्रं समाशास्यम्॥
svādhīnaiva samṛddhir janopajīvyatvam ucchrayaś chāyā । satpuṃso marubhūr iva jīvanamātraṁ samāśāsyam ॥
For a good person, as for a tree standing in the desert, self-reliant abundance, support for others, height and shade come naturally, so only that life itself need be wished for.
More subhashitams on Character
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.