एकोऽपि सिंहः साहस्रं यूथं मथ्नाति दन्तिनाम्। तस्मात् सिंहमिवोदारमात्मानं वीक्ष्य सम्पतेत्॥
eko'pi siṁhaḥ sāhasraṁ yūthaṁ mathnāti dantinām । tasmāt siṁham ivodāram ātmānaṁ vīkṣya sampatet ॥
PM's MessageFor a person filled with courage and determination, nothing in life is impossible. On the strength of self-confidence and willpower, we can cross the most difficult of challenges.
Meaning of Eko'Pi Siṁhaḥ Sāhasraṁ Yūthaṁ
Just as one lion has the power to defeat a thousand elephants, in the same way a person should engage in noble actions fearlessly, with courage, confidence, and inner strength like a lion.
Word by word
- एकःekaḥ
one
एक
- अपिapi
even
- सिंहःsiṁhaḥ
lion
सिंह
- साहस्रम्sāhasram
numbering a thousand
सहस्र
- यूथम्yūtham
the herd
यूथ
- मथ्नातिmathnāti
crushes
√मन्थ्
- दन्तिनाम्dantinām
of elephants
दन्तिन्
- तस्मात्tasmāt
therefore
तद्
- सिंहम् इवsiṁham iva
like a lion
सिंह
- उदारम्udāram
noble, ample
उद् + √ऋ
- आत्मानम्ātmānam
oneself
आत्मन्
- वीक्ष्यvīkṣya
having regarded
वि + √ईक्ष्
- सम्पतेत्sampatet
one should advance
सम् + √पत्
Commentary
The lion and the herd of elephants create a deliberately outsized image of concentrated courage overcoming numerical strength. The comparison is not a promise that one person can literally defeat every multitude; it urges the individual to recognize inner capacity and enter noble work without being intimidated by scale. The key movement is from seeing the lion's power to seeing oneself as capable of fearless action. The verse therefore values quality of resolve over mere numbers. Grammatically, udāram most naturally qualifies ātmānam: one should regard oneself as noble or great, like a lion, rather than treating udāra as an adjective of the lion. The instruction is not to be a lion but to look at oneself as one — ātmānaṁ vīkṣya, having regarded the self so — before advancing. The verse is therefore about self-appraisal preceding action, and the adjective it uses for the lion is udāra, noble or ample, rather than a word for ferocity.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Kamandakiya Nitisara
View source pageशुचित्वं त्यागिता शौर्यं सामान्यं सुखदुःखयोः। दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च सत्यता च सुहृद्गुणाः॥
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Purity, generosity, courage, steadiness in joy and sorrow, courtesy, affection, and truthfulness are the qualities of a true friend.
सदानुरक्तप्रकृतिः प्रजापालनतत्परः। विनीतात्मा हि नृपतिर्भूयसी श्रियमश्नुते॥
sadānuraktaprakṛtiḥ prajāpālanatatparaḥ । vinītātmā hi nṛpatir bhūyasī śriyam aśnute ॥
A subhashita on public leadership, humility, and the prosperity earned by a ruler devoted to the welfare and protection of the people.
अविज्ञातस्य विज्ञानं विज्ञातस्य च निश्चयः। आरम्भः कर्मणां शश्वदारब्धस्यान्तदर्शनम्॥
avijñātasya vijñānaṃ vijñātasya ca niścayaḥ । ārambhaḥ karmaṇāṃ śaśvadārabdhasyāntadarśanam ॥
Intelligence is shown through discovering the unknown, confirming what is known, beginning work decisively, and carrying it to completion.
More subhashitams on Courage
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.
वत्सराजोऽपि तं प्राप्तं प्रदत्तोपायनं नृपम्। प्रीत्या सम्मानयामास शूरा हि प्रणतिप्रियाः॥
vatsarājo 'pi taṃ prāptaṃ pradattopāyanaṃ nṛpam । prītyā sammānayāmāsa śūrā hi praṇatipriyāḥ ॥
Vatsaraja honours a king who comes with gifts, illustrating the brave person's regard for respectful homage.
भस्मीकृतस्वार्थसौख्यपरिचर्चितविग्रहाः। स्वराज्ययोगनिर्मग्ना धन्यास्ते वीरयोगिनः॥
bhasmīkṛtasvārthasaukhyaparicarcitavigrahāḥ । svarājyayoganirmagnā dhanyās te vīrayoginaḥ ॥
The verse praises heroic practitioners who renounce personal comforts and devote themselves fully to self-rule.