Ko Hi Bharah Samarthanam - The Power of Capability
को हि भारः समर्थानां किं दूरं व्यवसायिनाम्। को विदेशः सुविद्यानां कः परः प्रियवादिनाम्॥
ko hi bhāraḥ samarthānāṁ kiṁ dūraṁ vyavasāyinām । ko videśaḥ suvidyānāṁ kaḥ paraḥ priyavādinām ॥
PM's MessageSkill, hard work and compassion are wonderful powers of our life. Through these, we can not only overcome every challenge, but they are also helpful in achieving our goals.
Meaning of Ko Hi Bhāraḥ Samarthānāṁ
For skilled people, no task is difficult; for hardworking people, no goal is too far; for educated people, there is no difference between their own country and abroad; and for those who speak kindly, no one is a stranger.
Word by word
- कः हिko hi
what indeed
किम्
- भारःbhāraḥ
a burden
√भृ
- समर्थानाम्samarthānām
for the capable
सम् + अर्थ
- किम्kim
what
किम्
- दूरम्dūram
far
दूर
- व्यवसायिनाम्vyavasāyinām
for the enterprising
वि + अव + √सो
- कः विदेशःko videśaḥ
what is a foreign land
वि + देश
- सुविद्यानाम्suvidyānām
for the well-learned
सु + √विद्
- कः परःkaḥ paraḥ
who is a stranger
पर
- प्रियवादिनाम्priyavādinām
for those who speak kindly
प्रिय + √वद्
Commentary
The verse poses four rhetorical questions about qualities that make ordinary boundaries less restrictive. Nothing is too burdensome for the capable, too distant for the enterprising, or truly foreign to the well-learned. Its final question, kaḥ paraḥ priyavādinām, says that no one remains a stranger or outsider to those who speak pleasantly; it does not claim that such speakers can never have enemies. Together, the four lines praise competence, sustained effort, learning, and gracious speech as ways of meeting the world with greater freedom and connection.
Sources and textual variants
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More from Chanakya Niti
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 Capability
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.