Jnanam Viraktir Aishwaryam - Qualities to Aspire
ज्ञानं विरक्तिरैश्वर्यं शौर्यं तेजो बलं स्मृतिः। स्वातन्त्र्यं कौशलं कान्तिर्धैर्यं मार्दवमेव च॥
jñānaṁ viraktiḥ aiśvaryam śauryaṁ tejo balaṁ smṛtiḥ । svātantryaṁ kauśalaṁ kāntiḥ dhairyaṁ mārdavaṁ eva ca ॥
PM's MessageHappy New Year 2026 wishes and hopes for new resolve and success for everyone.
Meaning of Jñānaṁ Viraktiḥ Aiśvaryam Śauryaṁ
The goal of life should be to be equipped with knowledge, disinterest, wealth, bravery, power, strength, memory, independence, skill, brilliance, patience and tenderness.
Word by word
- ज्ञानम्jñānam
knowledge
√ज्ञा
- विरक्तिःviraktiḥ
detachment
वि + √रञ्ज्
- ऐश्वर्यम्aiśvaryam
sovereignty
√ईश्
- शौर्यम्śauryam
valour
√शूर्
- तेजःtejaḥ
radiance
√तिज्
- बलम्balam
strength
बल
- स्मृतिःsmṛtiḥ
memory
√स्मृ
- स्वातन्त्र्यम्svātantryam
independence
स्व + तन्त्र
- कौशलम्kauśalam
skill
कुशल
- कान्तिःkāntiḥ
lustre
√कम्
- धैर्यम्dhairyam
fortitude
√धृ
- मार्दवम्mārdavam
gentleness
मृदु
- एव चeva ca
as well
Commentary
The verse enumerates twelve complementary qualities: knowledge, detachment, sovereignty or mastery, courage, brilliance, strength, memory, independence, skill, radiance, patience, and gentleness. Their range is important. Excellence is not reduced to power or intellect; restraint, memory, endurance, and softness are placed beside outward capability. In the Bhagavata Purana's narrative context, these are attributes being described rather than a direct command to adopt a New Year resolution. They can still serve as an aspirational model today, provided that modern application is distinguished from the verse's descriptive setting.
Original Post
More from Srimad Bhagavata Purana
View source pageअणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः। सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः॥
aṇubhyaśca mahadbhyaśca śāstrebhyaḥ kuśalo naraḥ । sarvataḥ sāramādadyāt puṣpebhya iva ṣaṭpadaḥ ॥
A Bhagavata Purana verse: a skilled person draws the essence out of every text, small or great, the way a bee gathers nectar from many flowers.
एतावज्जन्मसाफल्यं देहिनामिह देहिषु। प्राणैरर्थैर्धिया वाचा श्रेय एवाचरेत् सदा॥
etāvaj janmasāphalyaṁ dehinām iha dehiṣu । prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya evācaret sadā ॥
A Bhagavata Purana verse teaching that a birth is fulfilled when one always does good for other living beings with life, wealth, intellect and speech.
More subhashitams on Character
View topic pageवत्सराजोऽपि 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.
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.