Subhashitams on Karma
This theme brings together 13 subhashitams from 6 sources.
Latest update: Oct 7, 2026
नित्यं 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.
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.
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 ॥
A Mahabharata verse calls one wise whose deliberations remain unknown to others until the intended work has been accomplished.
चक्षुषा मनसा वाचा कर्मणा च चतुर्विधम्। प्रसादयति यो लोकं तं लोकोऽनुप्रसीदति॥
cakṣuṣā manasā vācā karmaṇā ca caturvidham । prasādayati yo lokaṁ taṁ loko'nuprasīdati ॥
Vidura Niti teaches that one who wins people’s goodwill through sight, thought, speech and action receives their goodwill in return.
त्याज्यं न धैर्यं विधुरेऽपि दैवे धैर्यात्कदाचित्स्थितिमाप्नुयात्सः। याते समुद्रेऽपि च पोतभङ्गे सांयात्रिको वाञ्छति कर्म एव॥
tyājyaṁ na dhairyaṁ vidhure'pi daive dhairyāt kadācit sthitim āpnuyāt saḥ । yāte samudre'pi ca potabhaṅge sāṁyātriko vāñchati karma eva ॥
Even when fortune turns adverse, patience and continued action can restore one's position, just as a shipwrecked voyager still strives at sea.
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा यदभीक्ष्णं निषेवते। तदेवापहरत्येनं तस्मात्कल्याणमाचरेत्॥
karmaṇā manasā vācā yadabhīkṣṇaṃ niṣevate । tadevāpaharatyenaṃ tasmātkalyāṇamācaret ॥
Vidura Niti teaches that whatever we repeatedly cultivate through action, thought, and speech draws us in its direction; therefore, we should practise what is beneficial.
नानाश्रान्ताय श्रीरस्तीति रोहित शुश्रुम। पापो नृषद्वरो जन इन्द्र इच्चरतः सखा चरैवेति॥
nānāśrāntāya śrīr astīti rohita śuśruma । pāpo nṛṣadvaro jana indra ic carataḥ sakhā caraiveti ॥
An Aitareya Brahmana verse from the Charaiveti sequence teaching that prosperity comes to those who keep striving and moving forward.
सत्यानुसारिणी लक्ष्मीः कीर्तिस्त्यागानुसारिणी। अभ्याससारिणी विद्या बुद्धिः कर्मानुसारिणी॥
satyānusāriṇī lakṣmīḥ kīrtis tyāgānusāriṇī । abhyāsasāriṇī vidyā buddhiḥ karmānusāriṇī ॥
A Sanskrit subhashita linking wealth with truthfulness, fame with generosity, knowledge with practice, and intellect with action.
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.
यथैकेन न हस्तेन तालिका सम्प्रपद्यते। तथोद्यमपरित्यक्तं न फलं कर्मणः स्मृतम्॥
yathaikena na hastena tālikā samprapadyate । tathodyamaparityaktaṃ na phalaṃ karmaṇaḥ smṛtam ॥
A subhashita highlighting that just as one hand cannot clap, success is impossible without personal effort and hard work.
चरन् वै मधु विन्दति चरन् स्वादुमुदुम्बरम्। सूर्यस्य पश्य श्रेमाणं यो न तन्द्रयते चरंश्चरैवेति॥
caran vai madhu vindati caran svādum udumbaram । sūryasya paśya śremāṇaṃ yo na tandrayate caraṃś caraiveti ॥
An exhortation to stay active and keep moving forward, as success comes to those who are diligent and dynamic.
विद्या वितर्को विज्ञानं स्मृतिस्तत्परता क्रिया। यस्यैते षड्गुणास्तस्य नासाध्यमतिवर्तते॥
vidyā vitarko vijñānaṃ smṛtis tatparatā kriyā । yasyaite ṣaḍguṇās tasya nāsādhyam ativartate ॥
Knowledge, reasoning, discernment, memory, readiness, and active effort together give a person the practical capability to accomplish difficult work.
यथा यथा हि पुरुषः कल्याणे कुरुते मनः। तथा तथाऽस्य सर्वार्थाः सिद्ध्यन्ते नात्र संशयः॥
yathā yathā hi puruṣaḥ kalyāṇe kurute manaḥ । tathā tatha'sya sarvārthāḥ siddhyante nātra saṁśayaḥ ॥
As a person repeatedly turns the mind toward what is good, conduct and consequences gradually align with that wholesome intention.