Ittham Phalati Shuddhena - The Harvest of Pure Intent
इत्थं फलति शुद्धेन सिक्तं सङ्कल्पवारिणा। पुण्यबीजमपि स्वल्पं पुंसां कृषिकृतामिव॥
itthaṁ phalati śuddhena siktaṁ saṅkalpavāriṇā । puṇyabījamapi svalpaṁ puṁsāṁ kṛṣikṛtāmiva ॥
PM's MessageMany festivals have just been celebrated in different parts of the country. For these occasions full of zeal and joy, we are grateful to our hardworking farmer brothers and sisters, who nourish the entire country.
Meaning of Itthaṁ Phalati Śuddhena Siktaṁ
Just as a small seed sown by a farmer, when watered at the right time, gradually grows and yields a bountiful harvest, in the same way, even a small effort made with pure intentions leads a person to great success.
Word by word
- इत्थम्ittham
in this way
- फलतिphalati
bears fruit
√फल्
- शुद्धेनśuddhena
by pure
√शुध्
- सिक्तम्siktam
watered
√सिच्
- सङ्कल्पवारिणाsaṅkalpavāriṇā
with the water of resolve
सम् + √कॢप् + वारि
- पुण्यबीजम्puṇyabījam
the seed of merit
पुण्य + बीज
- अपि स्वल्पम्api svalpam
even though small
सु + अल्प
- पुंसाम्puṁsām
of people
पुम्स्
- कृषिकृताम् इवkṛṣikṛtām iva
as of those who farm
√कृष् + √कृ
Commentary
The supplied meaning adds a farmer sowing at the right time, gradual growth, a harvest, and great success; those details are not stated in the Sanskrit. The subhashita itself employs an agricultural metaphor to explain the power of 'Sankalpa' (pure determination). It suggests that the size of the initial action ('Svalpam punyabijam') matters less than the purity and consistency of the intent ('Shuddhena sankalpavarina') with which it is nurtured. Just as a farmer's labor turns a tiny seed into a life-sustaining harvest, a person's focused and clear-hearted efforts have the potential to bear fruit. It is an invitation to value every small good deed and to water our goals with steadfast resolve. Two words carry the conditions and both are easy to lose in translation. The water is saṅkalpa-vāri, the water of resolve, and it must be śuddha, unmixed — so what is being watered is watered with intention itself, and the intention has to be uncontaminated for the image to hold. The seed is called puṇya-bīja and svalpa, small, which keeps the claim modest: what is promised is growth out of a little, not a harvest out of nothing.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Kathasaritsagara
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Vatsaraja honours a king who comes with gifts, illustrating the brave person's regard for respectful homage.
उद्यमः साहसं धैर्यं बुद्धिः शक्तिः पराक्रमः। षडेते यत्र वर्तन्ते तत्र दैवं सहायकृत्॥
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Effort, courage, patience, intelligence, strength, and valor prepare a person to receive the help of providence.
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A verse from Vidura Niti in the Mahabharata that pairs four virtues with what each one alone can give: dharma brings the highest good, forgiveness the finest peace, knowledge true contentment, and non-violence lasting happiness.
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Bhartrhari recalls the churning of the ocean to show that resolute people neither settle for partial gains nor abandon their aim when danger appears.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु॥
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The Bhagavad Gita teaches that devotion to one's own work is a path to perfection.