प्राप्यापदं न व्यथते कदाचिदुद्योगमन्विच्छति चाप्रमत्तः। दुःखं च काले सहते महात्मा धुरन्धरस्तस्य जिताः सपत्नाः॥
prāpyāpadaṁ na vyathate kadācidudyogamanvicchati cāpramattaḥ । duḥkhaṁ ca kāle sahate mahātmā dhurandharastasya jitāḥ sapatnāḥ ॥
PM's MessageToday, our young companions are achieving historic success through patience, self-confidence, and tireless hard work. This is the greatest strength of a developing India.
Meaning of Prāpyāpadaṁ Na Vyathate
A person who does not lose composure in times of adversity but instead strives to overcome it with patience, skill and prudence and endures suffering with equanimity when the time demands, is never truly defeated. Rather, such a person ultimately triumphs over even the most challenging circumstances.
Word by word
- प्राप्य आपदम्prāpya āpadam
on meeting misfortune
प्र + √आप् + आपद्
- न व्यथतेna vyathate
is not distressed
√व्यथ्
- कदाचित्kadācit
ever
- उद्योगम्udyogam
effort
उद् + √युज्
- अन्विच्छतिanvicchati
pursues
अनु + √इष्
- च अप्रमत्तःcāpramattaḥ
and vigilant
अ + प्र + √मद्
- दुःखम्duḥkham
hardship
दुःख
- च कालेca kāle
and in season
काल
- सहतेsahate
endures
√सह्
- महात्माmahātmā
the great-souled
महा + आत्मन्
- धुरन्धरःdhurandharaḥ
the bearer of the yoke
धुर् + √धृ
- तस्य जिताः सपत्नाःtasya jitāḥ sapatnāḥ
his rivals are already conquered
√जि + सपत्न
Commentary
This verse describes resilience as active steadiness, not passive endurance. A person facing āpad, adversity or calamity, does not surrender to agitation; remaining apramatta, alert and free from negligence, that person continues to seek udyoga, purposeful effort. The ability to bear hardship at the right time is joined here with disciplined action, showing that patience and initiative must work together. The closing image is of the dhurandhara, one capable of bearing a heavy burden, whose rivals are already as good as conquered. Victory therefore begins with mastery over one's response to difficulty. In the context of young Indians achieving historic success, the verse highlights the inner habits behind visible accomplishment: composure, vigilance, sustained labour, and the courage to persist through adverse conditions.
Original Post
More from Vidura Niti
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 Perseverance
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.
नित्यं 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.