Shlishta Kriya Kasyacid - Mastery and the Gift of Teaching
श्लिष्टा क्रिया कस्यचिदात्मसंस्था सङ्क्रान्तिरन्यस्य विशेषयुक्ता। यस्योभयं साधु स शिक्षकाणां धुरि प्रतिष्ठापयितव्य एव॥
śliṣṭā kriyā kasyacid ātmasaṃsthā saṅkrāntir anyasya viśeṣayuktā । yasyobhayaṃ sādhu sa śikṣakāṇāṃ dhuri pratiṣṭhāpayitavya eva ॥
Meaning of Śliṣṭā Kriyā Kasyacid Ātmasaṃsthā
Some people are highly skilled at performing a task themselves, while others are particularly adept at imparting that knowledge or skill to others. A person who possesses both these qualities - self-mastery and the ability to teach others - should be considered a leader in the ranks of the best teachers.
Word by word
- श्लिष्टाśliṣṭā
well-joined, accomplished
√श्लिष्
- क्रियाkriyā
practice
√कृ
- कस्यचित्kasyacit
of someone
किम्
- आत्मसंस्थाātmasaṁsthā
residing in himself
आत्मन् + सम् + √स्था
- सङ्क्रान्तिःsaṅkrāntiḥ
transmission
सम् + √क्रम्
- अन्यस्यanyasya
of another
अन्य
- विशेषयुक्ताviśeṣayuktā
distinguished
विशेष + √युज्
- यस्यyasya
in whom
यद्
- उभयम्ubhayam
both
उभय
- साधुsādhu
are excellent
√साध्
- सःsaḥ
he
तद्
- शिक्षकाणाम्śikṣakāṇām
among teachers
√शिक्ष्
- धुरिdhuri
at the head
धुर्
- प्रतिष्ठापयितव्यःpratiṣṭhāpayitavyaḥ
is to be established
प्रति + √स्था
- एवeva
indeed
Commentary
This verse defines the ideal teacher through the union of two capacities: kriyā, the ability to perform a task well oneself, and saṅkrānti, the ability to transfer that skill or knowledge into another mind. Some people possess excellence that remains ātmasaṃsthā, confined to themselves; others may explain well but lack deep personal mastery. The highest teacher is the one in whom both are present: lived competence and the art of communication. Teaching, in this view, is not merely the delivery of information, but the graceful transmission of capability. Such a teacher stands at the front of the teaching tradition because they embody what they teach and awaken the same excellence in others.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Malavikagnimitra
View source pageपात्रविशेषे न्यस्तं गुणान्तरं व्रजति शिल्पमाधातुः। जलमिव समुद्रशुक्तौ मुक्ताफलतां पयोदस्य॥
pātraviśeṣe nyastaṃ guṇāntaraṃ vrajati śilpam ādhātuḥ । jalam iva samudraśuktau muktāphalatāṃ payodasya ॥
Kalidasa's verse compares skill nurtured in a worthy recipient to rainwater becoming a pearl within an oyster shell.
More subhashitams on Education
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.
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.
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत्। स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते॥
anudvegakaraṁ vākyaṁ satyaṁ priyahitaṁ ca yat । svādhyāyābhyasanaṁ caiva vāṅmayaṁ tapa ucyate ॥
The Bhagavad Gita describes truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and non-agitating words, together with regular study, as austerity of speech.