नानाश्रान्ताय श्रीरस्तीति रोहित शुश्रुम। पापो नृषद्वरो जन इन्द्र इच्चरतः सखा चरैवेति॥
nānāśrāntāya śrīr astīti rohita śuśruma । pāpo nṛṣadvaro jana indra ic carataḥ sakhā caraiveti ॥
PM's MessageConstant effort is the real key to success. In life, the person who keeps moving forward with patience, firm resolve, and self-confidence reaches the goal.
Meaning of Nānāśrāntāya Śrīr Astīti Rohita
A person who perseveres with constant effort achieves prosperity, while one who remains idle is left behind in life. Fortune favors those who strive tirelessly. Therefore, keep performing your duties and keep moving forward.
Word by word
- न अनाश्रान्तायnānāśrāntāya
not for one who has not wearied himself
अ + √श्रम्
- श्रीः अस्तिśrīr asti
prosperity is
श्री + √अस्
- इतिiti
thus
- रोहितrohita
O Rohita
- शुश्रुमśuśruma
we have heard
√श्रु
- पापःpāpaḥ
wretched
पाप
- नृषद्वरःnṛṣadvaraḥ
the man who merely sits among men
नृ + √सद्
- जनःjanaḥ
person
√जन्
- इन्द्रः इत्indra it
Indra himself
इन्द्र
- चरतःcarataḥ
of the one who moves
√चर्
- सखाsakhā
is the friend
सखि
- चर एव इतिcaraiveti
so keep moving
√चर्
Commentary
This verse belongs to the well-known Charaiveti passage of the Aitareya Brahmana, where Indra urges Rohita to keep moving. The opening idea is direct: prosperity, śrī, does not belong to one who avoids effort. The person who merely sits back becomes pāpa or diminished in worth, while Indra is described as the friend of the one who moves, strives, and acts. The refrain caraiveti, keep moving, turns perseverance into a sacred discipline rather than a simple productivity slogan. The verse's teaching is practical and psychological at once. Fortune is not pictured as random luck; it comes to the person whose effort keeps them awake, active, and ready for opportunity. PM Modi's post draws out this contemporary meaning by linking success with patience, firm resolve, and self-confidence. In that sense, the verse speaks to any long journey where progress depends less on sudden brilliance and more on the courage to keep going.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Aitareya Brahmana
View source pageचरन् वै मधु विन्दति चरन् स्वादुमुदुम्बरम्। सूर्यस्य पश्य श्रेमाणं यो न तन्द्रयते चरंश्चरैवेति॥
caran vai madhu vindati caran svādum udumbaram । sūryasya paśya śremāṇaṃ yo na tandrayate caraṃś caraiveti ॥
An exhortation to stay active and keep moving forward, as success comes to those who are diligent and dynamic.
चरैवेति चरैवेति चरन्वै मधु विन्दति। सूर्यास्य पश्य श्रेमाणं न मामार न जीर्यति॥
caraiveti caraiveti caranvai madhu vindati । sūryāsya paśya śremāṇaṃ na māmāra na jīryati ॥
The Vedic refrain Charaiveti—keep moving—presents sustained action as the path to growth, drawing inspiration from the sun’s ceaseless journey.
More subhashitams on Perseverance
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.
रत्नैर्महाब्धेस्तुतुषुर्न देवा न भेजिरे भीमविषेण भीतिम्। सुधां विना न प्रययुर्विरामं न निश्चितार्थाद्विरमन्ति धीराः॥
ratnair mahābdhes tutuṣur na devā na bhejire bhīmaviṣeṇa bhītim । sudhāṃ vinā na prayayur virāmaṃ na niścitārthād viramanti dhīrāḥ ॥
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॥
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.