यो यमर्थं प्रार्थयते तदर्थं चेहते क्रमात्। अवश्यं स तमाप्नोति न चेदर्धान्निवर्तते॥
yo yam arthaṃ prārthayate tadarthaṃ cehate kramāt । avaśyaṃ sa tam āpnoti na ced ardhān nivartate ॥
PM's MessageWith continuous effort, patience, and firm resolve, even the greatest goals can be achieved. Today, the people of the country are carrying Bharat to new heights with this very spirit.
Meaning of Yo Yam Arthaṃ Prārthayate
A person who prays for or desires a specific goal, and makes continuous, systematic efforts to attain it, will undoubtedly achieve that goal, provided they do not give up midway and retreat from their path.
Word by word
- यःyaḥ
whoever
यद्
- यम् अर्थम्yam artham
whichever aim
अर्थ
- प्रार्थयतेprārthayate
seeks
प्र + √अर्थ्
- तदर्थम्tadartham
for that end
तद् + अर्थ
- च ईहतेceha te
and strives
√ईह्
- क्रमात्kramāt
step by step
√क्रम्
- अवश्यम्avaśyam
inevitably
अ + वश
- सः तम् आप्नोतिsa tam āpnoti
he attains it
√आप्
- न चेत्na cet
if he does not
- अर्धात् निवर्ततेardhān nivartate
turn back midway
निस् + √वृत्
Commentary
This verse places self-effort, or pauruṣa, above passive dependence on fate. It shows success as a movement through three connected stages: a clearly desired goal, steady effort made for that goal, and the refusal to turn back midway. The word artha can mean an object, purpose, or goal, while kramāt points to effort made step by step, in the right order, with patience and discipline. The verse does not praise wishful thinking; it says that aspiration must become sustained action. Its final condition, na cedardhānnivartate, is the heart of the teaching: many aims fail not because they are impossible, but because effort is abandoned halfway. In personal life as well as nation-building, the verse celebrates patience, resolve, and continuity of action as the path by which high aims become real.
Original Post
More from Yoga Vasistha
View source pageयथा यथा प्रयत्नः स्याद्भवेदाशु फलं तथा। इति पौरुषमेवास्ति दैवमस्तु तदेव च॥
yathā yathā prayatnaḥ syād bhaved āśu phalaṃ tathā । iti pauruṣam evāsti daivam astu tad eva ca ॥
A Yoga Vasistha verse that links the fruit of an undertaking to human effort and identifies such effort with what people call destiny.
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.