Utthanam Sanyamo Dakshyam - The Seven Roots of Prosperity
उत्थानं संयमो दाक्ष्यमप्रमादो धृतिः स्मृतिः। समीक्ष्य च समारम्भो विद्धिमूलं भवस्य तु॥
utthānaṁ saṁyamo dākṣyam apramādo dhṛtiḥ smṛtiḥ । samīkṣya ca samārambho viddhi mūlaṁ bhavasya tu ॥
PM's MessageHard work done with discipline and dedication can give amazing success. This also gives a new energy to the prosperity and strength of the nation.
Meaning of Utthānaṁ Saṁyamo Dākṣyam Apramādo
Effort, self-control, skill, vigilance, patience, memory, and initiating any task with thoughtful consideration-these are all the fundamental causes of progress.
Word by word
- उत्थानम्utthānam
exertion
उद् + √स्था
- संयमःsaṁyamaḥ
restraint
सम् + √यम्
- दाक्ष्यम्dākṣyam
skill
दक्ष
- अप्रमादःapramādaḥ
vigilance
अ + प्र + √मद्
- धृतिःdhṛtiḥ
fortitude
√धृ
- स्मृतिःsmṛtiḥ
recollection
√स्मृ
- समीक्ष्यsamīkṣya
having examined
सम् + √ईक्ष्
- च समारम्भःca samārambhaḥ
and beginning
सम् + आ + √रभ्
- विद्धिviddhi
know
√विद्
- मूलम्mūlam
the root
मूल
- भवस्यbhavasya
of becoming, of prosperity
√भू
Commentary
This verse is part of the 'Vidura Niti' (the wisdom of Vidura) addressed to King Dhritarashtra. It lists seven specific qualities essential for growth ('Bhava'): 1. Utthanam (Active effort) 2. Sanyamo (Self-restraint) 3. Dakshyam (Efficiency/Skill) 4. Apramado (Vigilance) 5. Dhritih (Fortitude) 6. Smritih (Memory/Mindfulness) 7. Samikshya-samarambho (Planned action). Vidura advises that success is not accidental; it is the 'mūlaṁ' (root) of these specific internal disciplines and strategic habits. The last item on the list is not a single quality but a joined act — samīkṣya ca samārambhaḥ, examining and then beginning. Vidura treats the pair as one entry because in his scheme starting without first examining is not a lesser version of the virtue but a different thing altogether. Bhava, rendered here as growth, carries the sense of coming-into-being, so what the six are said to root is not success but the state itself.
Sources and textual variants
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 Discipline
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.
ज्ञानवांश्च 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.
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.