Subhashitams on Agriculture
This theme brings together 7 subhashitams from 6 sources.
Latest update: Oct 17, 2026
ते कृषिं च सस्यं च मनुष्या उप जीवन्ति। कृष्टराधिरुपजीवनीयो भवति य एवं वेद॥
te kṛṣiṃ ca sasyaṃ ca manuṣyā upa jīvanti । kṛṣṭarādhir upajīvanīyo bhavati ya evaṃ veda ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra recognizing agriculture and crops as the foundation on which human life and society are sustained.
शं नो देवः सविता त्रायमाणः शं नो भवन्तूषसो विभातीः। शं नः पर्जन्यो भवतु प्रजाभ्यः शं नः क्षेत्रस्य पतिरस्तु शम्भुः॥
śaṃ no devaḥ savitā trāyamāṇaḥ śaṃ no bhavantūṣaso vibhātīḥ । śaṃ naḥ parjanyo bhavatu prajābhyaḥ śaṃ naḥ kṣetrasya patir astu śambhuḥ ॥
A Rigvedic prayer invoking Savita, the radiant dawns, Parjanya, and the lord of the field for collective happiness, rain, fertility, and prosperity.
वनस्पते शतवल्शो वि रोह सहस्रवल्शा वि वयं रुहेम। यं त्वामयं स्वधितिस्तेजमानः प्रणिनाय महते सौभगाय॥
vanaspate śatavalśo vi roha sahasravalśā vi vayaṁ ruhema । yaṁ tvāmayaṁ svadhitistejamānaḥ praṇināya mahate saubhagāya ॥
A Rigvedic prayer to the lord of plant life, invoking shared growth and mutual flourishing between the natural world and humanity.
कृषिर्धन्या कृषिर्मेध्या जन्तूनां जीवनं कृषिः। अन्नदः सर्वदश्चैव तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठतरो हि सः॥
kṛṣirdhanyā kṛṣirmedhyā jantūnāṁ jīvanaṁ kṛṣiḥ । annadaḥ sarvadaścaiva tasmācchreṣṭhataro hi saḥ ॥
A profound verse describing agriculture as a source of wealth, purity, and the very life-force of all living beings.
इत्थं फलति शुद्धेन सिक्तं सङ्कल्पवारिणा। पुण्यबीजमपि स्वल्पं पुंसां कृषिकृतामिव॥
itthaṁ phalati śuddhena siktaṁ saṅkalpavāriṇā । puṇyabījamapi svalpaṁ puṁsāṁ kṛṣikṛtāmiva ॥
Just as a farmer reaps a harvest from a small seed, a person achieves great success from even a small effort when nurtured with pure determination.
अस्मे वोऽअस्त्विन्द्रियमस्मे नृम्णमुत क्रतुरस्मे वर्चांसि सन्तु वः। नमो मात्रे पृथिव्यै नमो मात्रै पृथिव्याऽ इयन्ते राड् यन्तासि यमनो ध्रुवोसि धरुणः कृष्यै त्वा क्षेमाय त्वा रय्यै त्वा पोषाय त्वा॥
asme vo'stvindriyam asme nṛmṇam uta kratur asme varcāṃsi santu vaḥ । namo mātre pṛthivyai namo mātre pṛthivyā iyante rāḍ yantāsi yamano dhruvo'si dharuṇaḥ kṛṣyai tvā kṣemāya tvā rayyai tvā poṣāya tvā ॥
A Vedic prayer bows to Mother Earth as the steady source of agriculture, material prosperity, nourishment, and the resources that sustain life.
सुवर्ण-रौप्य-माणिक्य-वसनैरपि पूरिताः। तथापि प्रार्थयन्त्येव कृषकान् भक्ततृष्णया॥
suvarṇa-raupya-māṇikya-vasanair api pūritāḥ । tathāpi prārthayanty eva kṛṣakān bhaktatṛṣṇayā ॥
Gold, silver, jewels, and fine clothes cannot replace food; even the wealthy ultimately depend on the farmer for sustenance.