यस्य कृत्यं न विघ्नन्ति शीतमुष्णं भयं रतिः। समृद्धिरसमृद्धिर्वा स वै पण्डित उच्यते॥
yasya kṛtyaṁ na vighnanti śītamuṣṇaṁ bhayaṁ ratiḥ । samṛddhir asamṛddhir vā sa vai paṇḍita ucyate ॥
Meaning of Yasya Kṛtyaṁ Na Vighnanti
Only the one whose work is not hampered by cold or heat, fear or affection, wealth or poverty, is called a knowledgeable person.
Word by word
- यस्यyasya
whose
यद्
- कृत्यम्kṛtyam
task
√कृ
- न विघ्नन्तिna vighnanti
do not obstruct
वि + √हन्
- शीतम्śītam
cold
शीत
- उष्णम्uṣṇam
heat
√उष्
- भयम्bhayam
fear
√भी
- रतिःratiḥ
attachment
√रम्
- समृद्धिःsamṛddhiḥ
prosperity
सम् + √ऋध्
- असमृद्धिःasamṛddhiḥ
its absence
अ + सम् + √ऋध्
- वाvā
or
- सः वैsa vai
he indeed
तद्
- पण्डितःpaṇḍitaḥ
is called learned
पण्डा
- उच्यतेucyate
is called
√वच्
Commentary
This verse defines a 'Pandita' or a truly learned person as one who possesses unshakable equanimity. A wise person's commitment to their duty is not swayed by external conditions like weather (heat or cold), internal emotions (fear or affection), or social status (wealth or poverty). This level of mental discipline and focus on action regardless of circumstances is presented as the hallmark of true knowledge and wisdom. The six items are arranged in pairs, and the arrangement is the argument: cold and heat are bodily, fear and attachment are of the mind, prosperity and its absence are of circumstance. Between them they cover every direction from which a resolve can be broken. The verse belongs to Vidura's long enumeration of the marks of a paṇḍita, spoken through the night to a sleepless Dhritarashtra, where each verse adds one more test the word must satisfy.
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 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.