न तथा बलवीर्याभ्यां जयन्ति विजिगीषवः। यथा सत्यानृशंस्याभ्यां धर्मेणैवोद्यमेन च॥
na tathā balavīryābhyāṁ jayanti vijigīṣavaḥ । yathā satyānṛśaṁsyābhyāṁ dharmeṇaivodyamena ca ॥
PM's MessageSuccess achieved through tireless effort and truth is permanent. While it increases self-confidence, it also brings wonderful satisfaction to the mind.
Meaning of Na Tathā Balavīryābhyāṁ Jayanti
Those who strive for victory do not win so much by strength and prowess as they do by truth, compassion, righteousness, and unwavering effort.
Word by word
- न तथाna tathā
not so much
- बलवीर्याभ्याम्balavīryābhyām
by strength and valour
बल + वीर्य
- जयन्तिjayanti
conquer
√जि
- विजिगीषवःvijigīṣavaḥ
those who seek conquest
वि + √जि
- यथाyathā
as
- सत्यानृशंस्याभ्याम्satyānṛśaṁsyābhyām
by truth and non-cruelty
सत्य + अ + नृशंस
ānṛśaṁsya is the Mahabharata's own word for non-cruelty.
- धर्मेण एवdharmeṇaiva
by dharma alone
√धृ
- उद्यमेनudyamena
by exertion
उद् + √यम्
- चca
and
Commentary
In the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata, this observation says that victory is not obtained through strength and valour in the same way that it is through truth, non-cruelty, dharma, and effort. Ānṛśaṃsya is the absence of cruelty or harmfulness, an important Mahabharata term whose force is close to humane conduct. The supplied meaning’s ‘lasting victory’ and ‘deep inner satisfaction’ are applications; neither duration nor inner satisfaction is stated in the Sanskrit. Set at the opening of the war, the verse shifts attention from raw power to the moral quality and effort with which action is undertaken.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Mahabharata
View source pageनित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद्वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्। कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥
nityaṃ paricareccaiva tadvai sukṛtamuttamam । kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama ॥
Daily service is praised as an excellent deed that brings merit, renown and higher realms.
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.
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः। स्वकर्मनिरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु॥
sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ । svakarmanirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tacchṛṇu ॥
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that devotion to one's own work is a path to perfection.
More subhashitams on Dharma
View topic pageनित्यं परिचरेच्चैव तद्वै सुकृतमुत्तमम्। कीर्तिं पुण्यं यशो लोकान् प्राप्स्यसे राजसत्तम॥
nityaṃ paricareccaiva tadvai sukṛtamuttamam । kīrtiṃ puṇyaṃ yaśo lokān prāpsyase rājasattama ॥
Daily service is praised as an excellent deed that brings merit, renown and higher realms.
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.
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.