यस्य कृत्यं न जानन्ति मन्त्रं वा मन्त्रितं परे। कृतमेवास्य जानन्ति स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥
yasya kṛtyaṃ na jānanti mantraṃ vā mantritaṃ pare । kṛtam evāsya jānanti sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥
Meaning of Yasya Kṛtyaṃ Na Jānanti
A truly wise person is one whose plans and actions remain hidden from others until they are completed. Such a disciplined, discerning and thoughtful person is rightly regarded as truly wise.
Word by word
- यस्यyasya
whose, of whom
यद्
- कृत्यम्kṛtyam
work to be done, intended action
√कृ
- नna
not
- जानन्तिjānanti
they know
√ज्ञा
- मन्त्रम्mantram
counsel, deliberation or plan
मन्त्र
- वाvā
or
- मन्त्रितम्mantritam
what has been deliberated or planned
√मन्त्र्
- परेpare
others
पर
- कृतम् एव अस्यkṛtam evāsya
only what has been accomplished by him
√कृ + एव + इदम्
Sandhi: कृतम् + एव + अस्य = कृतमेवास्य।
- जानन्तिjānanti
they know
√ज्ञा
- सः वैsa vai
that person indeed
तद् + वै
सः appears as स before वै.
- पण्डितःpaṇḍitaḥ
a wise person
पण्डित
- उच्यतेucyate
is called
√वच्
Commentary
The verse defines wisdom through the relationship between deliberation and completed action. Kṛtya is what is to be done, while mantra and mantrita refer here to counsel, consultation, or a plan that has been considered. Other people do not know either the intended work or the deliberation behind it; they learn of it only as kṛtam, something already accomplished. The repeated jānanti makes the contrast precise: premature disclosure is withheld, but the finished deed becomes its own announcement. The person described is therefore called paṇḍita, wise, because thought and execution are held together with restraint. The teaching does not praise secrecy for its own sake or suggest concealing wrongdoing. Its literal emphasis is narrower: sound deliberation need not be exposed before a task has taken effective form. In modern work, this can mean protecting a plan from distraction, needless display, or interference while remaining accountable for the action once completed. The supplied meaning naturally draws discipline and discernment from this pattern, while the Sanskrit itself places the sharpest emphasis on quiet counsel, accomplished work, and the mark of wisdom.
Original Post
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View source pageअद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च। निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी॥
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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.
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.
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.
More subhashitams on Wisdom
View topic pageस्वे 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.
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advaidhamanasaṃ yuktaṃ śūraṃ dhīraṃ vipaścitam । na śrīḥ santyajate nityam ādityamiva raśmayaḥ ॥
The Mahabharata likens lasting prosperity to the sun's inseparable rays: it remains with one who is focused, courageous, steadfast and discerning.
अणुभ्यश्च महद्भ्यश्च शास्त्रेभ्यः कुशलो नरः। सर्वतः सारमादद्यात् पुष्पेभ्य इव षट्पदः॥
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A Bhagavata Purana verse: a skilled person draws the essence out of every text, small or great, the way a bee gathers nectar from many flowers.