त्याज्यं न धैर्यं विधुरेऽपि दैवे धैर्यात्कदाचित्स्थितिमाप्नुयात्सः। याते समुद्रेऽपि च पोतभङ्गे सांयात्रिको वाञ्छति कर्म एव॥
tyājyaṁ na dhairyaṁ vidhure'pi daive dhairyāt kadācit sthitim āpnuyāt saḥ । yāte samudre'pi ca potabhaṅge sāṁyātriko vāñchati karma eva ॥
Meaning of Tyājyaṁ Na Dhairyaṁ Vidhure'Pi
One should not lose patience even when fortune is adverse, for through patience, one can always regain a lost favorable situation. Just as a skilled sailor, even when his ship breaks apart in the middle of the ocean, focuses solely on his actions, namely, the effort to survive and swim, without losing heart.
Word by word
- त्याज्यम्tyājyam
to be abandoned
√त्यज्
- नna
not
- धैर्यम्dhairyam
steadiness
√धृ
- विधुरेvidhure
in adversity
विधुर
- अपि दैवेapi daive
even of fate
दैव
- कदाचित्kadācit
at some point
- स्थितिम्sthitim
a footing
√स्था
- आप्नुयात्āpnuyāt
one may reach
√आप्
- यातेyāte
when gone
√या
- समुद्रेsamudre
in the sea
समुद्र
- पोतभङ्गेpotabhaṅge
in shipwreck
पोत + √भञ्ज्
- सांयात्रिकःsāṁyātrikaḥ
the seafarer
सम् + √यात्
- वाञ्छतिvāñchati
desires
√वाञ्छ्
- कर्म एवkarma eva
action alone
√कृ
Commentary
The verse begins with a direct injunction: dhairya, steadiness or courage, must not be abandoned even when fate has become adverse. Its promise is measured rather than magical—steadfastness may enable a person to recover a stable position when circumstances change. The image of a voyager after a shipwreck makes the teaching vivid: although the vessel is lost and the sea remains dangerous, the traveller still turns toward action. The closing words karma eva place the emphasis on what can still be done when much else lies beyond one's control. Here patience is not passive waiting; it is the inner steadiness that keeps purposeful effort alive amid uncertainty. The verse therefore joins perseverance with action, teaching that adversity calls for composure and continued effort rather than surrender.
Original Post
More from Panchatantra
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 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.