शुचित्वं त्यागिता शौर्यं सामान्यं सुखदुःखयोः। दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च सत्यता च सुहृद्गुणाः॥
śucitvaṃ tyāgitā śauryaṃ sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ । dākṣiṇyaṃ cānuraktiśca satyatā ca suhṛdguṇāḥ ॥
Meaning of Śucitvaṃ Tyāgitā Śauryaṃ Sāmānyaṃ
Purity of heart, a spirit of sacrifice, courage, equanimity in both joy and sorrow, competence, affection and truthfulness - these are not merely the qualities of an ordinary friend but rather the defining traits of a person endowed with a noble heart and an exceptional personality.
Word by word
- शुचित्वंśucitvaṃ
Purity, sincerity
- त्यागिताtyāgitā
Generosity, willingness to give
- शौर्यंśauryaṃ
Courage, valour
- सामान्यंsāmānyaṃ
Equality, an even attitude
- सुखदुःखयोःsukhaduḥkhayoḥ
In happiness and sorrow
- दाक्षिण्यंdākṣiṇyaṃ
Courtesy, considerate conduct
- चca
And
दाक्षिण्यं च + अनुरक्तिः + च forms दाक्षिण्यं चानुरक्तिश्च.
- अनुरक्तिःanuraktiḥ
Affection, attachment to a friend
- चca
And
- सत्यताsatyatā
Truthfulness
- चca
And
- सुहृद्गुणाःsuhṛdguṇāḥ
Qualities of a true friend
सुहृद् + गुणाः. The preceding qualities are described as the qualities of a friend.
Commentary
The verse names the qualities of a good-hearted friend, using suhṛdguṇāḥ to bring the whole list together. Śucitva means purity of intention, while tyāgitā points to a willingness to give and śaurya to courage. Sāmānyaṃ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ asks for an even attitude in happiness and sorrow, so friendship does not depend on favourable circumstances. Dākṣiṇya carries a sense of courtesy and considerate conduct, and anurakti adds the affection that makes such conduct personal. Satyatā, truthfulness, gives friends reason to trust one another. In everyday relationships, these qualities ask us to offer honest advice and remain present when a friend faces difficulty.
Sources and textual variants
Original Post
More from Hitopadesha
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Effort, courage, patience, intelligence, strength, and valor prepare a person to receive the help of providence.
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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.
पात्रविशेषे न्यस्तं गुणान्तरं व्रजति शिल्पमाधातुः। जलमिव समुद्रशुक्तौ मुक्ताफलतां पयोदस्य॥
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Kalidasa's verse compares skill nurtured in a worthy recipient to rainwater becoming a pearl within an oyster shell.
More subhashitams on Character
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Knowledge, eloquence, and skill in work do not make a person worthy of esteem if good character is absent.
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The Bhagavad Gita describes a character free from hatred and ego, friendly to all beings and steady in joy and sorrow.
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Bhartrhari recalls the churning of the ocean to show that resolute people neither settle for partial gains nor abandon their aim when danger appears.