श्रियः प्रदुग्धे विपदो रुणद्धि यशांसि सूते मलिनं प्रमार्ष्टि। संस्कारशौचेन परं पुनीते शुद्धा हि बुद्धिः किल कामधेनुः॥
śriyaḥ pradugdhe vipado ruṇaddhi yaśāṃsi sūte malinaṃ pramārṣṭi । saṃskāraśauchena paraṃ punīte śuddhā hi buddhiḥ kila kāmadhenuḥ ॥
PM's MessageEducation is not just a means of livelihood, but also a powerful medium to make life great. It is that invaluable capital through which today our youth power is creating new records in every field and bringing glory to the country.
Meaning of Śriyaḥ Pradugdhe Vipado Ruṇaddhi
A refined and pure intellect yields prosperity, averts calamities, generates fame, and wipes away impurities. It purifies the supreme through the cleanliness of refinement; indeed, a pure intellect is like the mythical cow Kamadhenu.
Word by word
- श्रियःśriyaḥ
prosperities
श्री
- प्रदुग्धेpradugdhe
milks forth
प्र + √दुह्
The verb sets up Kamadhenu three quarters early.
- विपदःvipadaḥ
misfortunes
वि + √पद्
- रुणद्धिruṇaddhi
checks
√रुध्
- यशांसिyaśāṁsi
glories
यशस्
- सूतेsūte
brings forth
√सू
- मलिनम्malinam
the stain
मल
- प्रमार्ष्टिpramārṣṭi
wipes away
प्र + √मृज्
- संस्कारशौचेनsaṁskāraśaucena
by the purity of cultivation
सम् + √कृ + √शुच्
- परम् पुनीतेparaṁ punīte
purifies further
√पू
- शुद्धा हि बुद्धिःśuddhā hi buddhiḥ
a pure intellect indeed
√बुध्
- किल कामधेनुःkila kāmadhenuḥ
is truly the wish-cow
काम + धेनु
Commentary
The verse compares a cultivated intellect to Kamadhenu, the legendary cow of abundance. Such intelligence “milks” prosperity, checks adversity, creates honor, and brings clarity to what would otherwise remain difficult. The image is not simply a promise of material reward; it emphasizes an inward faculty capable of producing many kinds of benefit. Education becomes fruitful when learning is refined into judgment. A trained mind does not remove every hardship, but it can anticipate danger, choose proportionate responses, and turn knowledge into practical well-being. The metaphor is set up by a verb three quarters before it is named. Pradugdhe means milks, so from the opening word the intellect is already being treated as a cow, and Kamadhenu arriving in the final quarter only supplies the name for what the grammar has been doing all along. Saṁskāra-śaucena is the condition attached: the purity meant is the kind that comes of cultivation, not the kind one is born with. The verse is from Rajashekhara's play.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Viddhashalabhanjika
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 Wisdom
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.