Subhashitams on Nature
This theme brings together 23 subhashitams from 6 sources.
Latest update: Sep 22, 2026
सुत्रामाणं पृथिवीं द्यामनेहसं सुशर्माणमदितिं सुप्रणीतिम् । दैवीं नावं स्वरित्रामनागसो अस्रवन्तीमा रुहेमा स्वस्तये॥
sutrāmāṇaṃ pṛthivīṃ dyām anehasaṃ suśarmāṇam aditiṃ supraṇītim । daivīṃ nāvaṃ svaritrām anāgaso asravantīm ā ruhemā svastaye ॥
An Atharvaveda mantra envisions earth, heaven and Aditi as a secure divine boat that carries people toward well-being.
शं नो वातः पवतां शं नस्तपतु सूर्यः। शं नः कनिक्रदद् देवः पर्जन्योऽभिवर्षतु॥
śaṃ no vātaḥ pavatāṃ śaṃ nas tapatu sūryaḥ । śaṃ naḥ kanikradad devaḥ parjanyo 'bhivarṣatu ॥
A Shukla Yajurveda mantra asks that the wind, sun and rain-bearing Parjanya bring well-being.
विश्वस्वं मातरमोषधीनां ध्रुवां भूमिं पृथिवीं धर्मणा धृताम्। शिवां स्योनामनु चरेम विश्वहा॥
viśvasvaṃ mātaram oṣadhīnāṃ dhruvāṃ bhūmiṃ pṛthivīṃ dharmaṇā dhṛtām । śivāṃ syonām anu carema viśvahā ॥
A Vedic prayer to dwell always upon the steadfast, auspicious Earth—the mother of plants, upheld by dharma.
शं नो द्यावापृथिवी पूर्वहूतौ शमन्तरिक्षं दृशये नो अस्तु। शं न ओषधीर्वनिनो भवन्तु शं नो रजसस्पतिरस्तु जिष्णुः॥
śaṁ no dyāvāpṛthivī pūrvahūtau śam antarikṣaṁ dṛśaye no astu । śaṁ na oṣadhīr vanino bhavantu śaṁ no rajasas patir astu jiṣṇuḥ ॥
A Rigvedic prayer asks heaven, earth, the atmosphere, healing herbs, trees, and the victorious lord of the midspace to bring abiding well-being.
लोकपालाश्च ते सर्वे वासवप्रमुखास्तथा। ऋतवः षट् च ते सर्वे मासाः संवत्सराः क्षपाः॥ दिनानि च मुहूर्ताश्च स्वस्ति कुर्वन्तु ते सदा। श्रुतिः स्मृतिश्च धर्मश्च पातु त्वां पुत्र सर्वतः॥
lokapālāśca te sarve vāsavapramukhāstathā । ṛtavaḥ ṣaṭ ca te sarve māsāḥ saṁvatsarāḥ kṣapāḥ ॥ dināni ca muhūrtāśca svasti kurvantu te sadā । śrutiḥ smṛtiśca dharmaśca pātu tvāṁ putra sarvataḥ ॥
In this blessing from the Ayodhya Kanda, the guardians of the world, the cycles of time, sacred tradition, and dharma are invoked for abiding well-being and protection.
भवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमैर्नवाम्बुभिर्दूरविलम्बिनो घनाः। अनुद्धताः सत्पुरुषाः समृद्धिभिः स्वभाव एवैष परोपकारिणाम्॥
bhavanti namrāstaravaḥ phalodgamair navāmbubhir dūravilambino ghanāḥ । anuddhatāḥ satpuruṣāḥ samṛddhibhiḥ svabhāva evaiṣa paropakāriṇām ॥
A Nitishatakam verse comparing fruit-laden trees and rain-filled clouds to noble people who become humbler in prosperity.
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.
मधु वाता ऋतायते मधु क्षरन्ति सिन्धवः। माध्वीर्नः सन्त्वोषधीः॥
madhu vātā ṛtāyate madhu kṣaranti sindhavaḥ । mādhvīr naḥ santv oṣadhīḥ ॥
A Rigvedic prayer that sees the winds, rivers, herbs, and plants as sources of sweetness, nourishment, health, and harmony.
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.
यस्यां पूर्वे पूर्वजना विचक्रिरे यस्यां देवा असुरानभ्यवर्तयन्। गवामश्वानां वयसश्च विष्ठा भगं वर्चः पृथिवी नो दधातु॥
yasyāṁ pūrve pūrvajanā vicakrire yasyāṁ devā asurān abhyavartayan । gavāmaśvānāṁ vayasaś ca viṣṭhā bhagaṁ varcaḥ pṛthivī no dadhātu ॥
A powerful mantra from the Bhumi Sukta invoking the land of ancestral achievements and divine victories to bless the nation with vitality, strength, and prosperity.
जनं बिभ्रती बहुधा विवाचसं नानाधर्माणं पृथिवी यथौकसम्। सहस्रं धारा द्रविणस्य मे दुहां ध्रुवेव धेनुरनपस्फुरन्ती॥
janaṁ bibhratī bahudhā vivācasaṁ nānādharmāṇaṁ pṛthivī yathaukasam । sahasraṁ dhārā draviṇasya me duhāṁ dhruveva dhenuranapasphurantī ॥
A verse from the Bhumi Sukta that honors Mother Earth as the shared home of diverse peoples and prays for her abundant prosperity.
अग्निर्मूर्धा दिवः ककुत्पतिः पृथिव्या अयम्। अपां रेतांसि जिन्वति॥
agnirmūrdhā divaḥ kakutpatiḥ pṛthivyā ayam । apāṁ retāṁsi jinvati ॥
A Vedic mantra describing Agni as the supreme head of the heavens and the vital force that awakens energy within matter.
पद्माकरं दिनकरो विकचीकरोति चन्द्रो विकासयति कैरवचक्रवालम्। नाभ्यर्थितो जलधरोऽपि जलं ददाति सन्तः स्वयं परहितेषु कृताभियोगाः॥
padmākaraṁ dinakaro vikacīkaroti candro vikāsayati kairavacakravālam । nābhyarthito jaladharo’pi jalaṁ dadāti santaḥ svayaṁ parahiteṣu kṛtābhiyogāḥ ॥
A classic verse comparing the spontaneous actions of the sun, moon, and clouds to the innate benevolence of noble people who do good to others without being asked.
यस्यां वृक्षा वानस्पत्या ध्रुवास्तिष्ठन्ति विश्वहा। पृथिवीं धेनुं प्रदुहां न उदिच्छन्तु नमोऽस्तु पृथिव्यै॥
yasyāṃ vṛkṣā vānaspatyā dhruvāstiṣṭhanti viśvahā । pṛthivīṃ dhenuṃ praduhāṃ na udicchantu namo’stu pṛthivyai ॥
A Vedic prayer from the Bhumi Sukta honoring Mother Earth as the provider of all resources and the sustainer of all life.
यार्णवेऽधि सलिलमग्र आसीद्यां मायाभिरन्वचरन्मनीषिणः। यस्या हृदयं परमे व्योमन्त्सत्येनावृतममृतं पृथिव्याः। सा नो भूमिस्त्विषिं बलं राष्ट्रे दधातूत्तमे॥
yārṇave’dhi salilam agra āsīd yāṁ māyābhir anvacaran manīṣiṇaḥ । yasyā hṛdayaṁ parame vyoman tsatyenāvṛtam amṛtaṁ pṛthivyāḥ । sā no bhūmis tviṣiṁ balaṁ rāṣṭre dadhātūttame ॥
A profound Vedic prayer from the Prithvi Sukta, invoking the Earth’s blessings for the strength, energy, and prosperity of the nation.
उद्भिन्नस्तबकावतंससुभगाः प्रेङ्खन्मरुन्नर्तिताः पुष्पोद्गीर्णपरागपांशुललसत्पत्रप्रकाण्डत्विषः। गम्भीरक्रमपञ्चमोन्मदपिकध्वानोच्छलद्गीतयः प्रत्युज्जीवितमन्मथोत्सव इव क्रीडन्त्यमू भूरुहाः॥
udbhinnastabakāvataṃsasubhagāḥ preṅkhanmarunnartitāḥ puṣpodgīrṇaparāgapāṃśulalasatpatraprakāṇḍatviṣaḥ । gambhīrakramapañcamonmadapikadhvānocchaladgītayaḥ pratyujjīvitamanmathotsava iva krīḍantyamū bhūruhaḥ ॥
A beautiful poetic description of trees in spring from Subhashitaratnakosha, celebrating the vibrant energy and colors of the Holi season.
निर्वनो वध्यते व्याघ्रो निर्व्याघ्रं छिद्यते वनम्। तस्माद् व्याघ्रो वनं रक्षेद् वनं व्याघ्रं च पालयेत्॥
nirvano vadhyate vyāghro nirvyāghraṃ chidyate vanam । tasmād vyāghro vanaṃ rakṣed vanaṃ vyāghraṃ ca pālayet ॥
A profound verse from the Mahabharata illustrating the interdependent relationship between the tiger and the forest, emphasizing the need for wildlife conservation.
यस्येमे हिमवन्तो महित्वा यस्य समुद्रं रसया सहाहुः। यस्येमाः प्रदिशो यस्य बाहू कस्मै देवाय हविषा विधेम॥
yasyeme himavanto mahitvā yasya samudraṃ rasayā sahāhuḥ । yasyemāḥ pradiśo yasya bāhū kasmai devāya haviṣā vidhema ॥
A hymn from the Rigveda celebrating the greatness of the nation, from the Himalayas to the oceans.
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.
उपस्थास्ते अनमीवा अयक्ष्मा अस्मभ्यं सन्तु पृथिवि प्रसूताः। दीर्घं न आयुः प्रतिबुध्यमाना वयं तुभ्यं बलिहृतः स्याम॥
upasthāste anamīvā ayakṣmā asmabhyaṃ santu pṛthivi prasūtāḥ । dīrghaṃ na āyuḥ pratibudhyamānā vayaṃ tubhyaṃ balihṛtaḥ syāma ॥
A Vedic prayer to Mother Earth (Bhumi Sukta) asking for health, longevity, and clear vision to serve the nation.
सत्यं बृहदृतमुग्रं दीक्षा तपो ब्रह्म यज्ञः पृथिवीं धारयन्ति। सा नो भूतस्य भव्यस्य पत्न्युरुं लोकं पृथिवी नः कृणोतु॥
satyaṁ bṛhad ṛtam ugraṁ dīkṣā tapo brahma yajñaḥ pṛthivīṁ dhārayanti । sā no bhūtasya bhavyasya patny uruṁ lokaṁ pṛthivī naḥ kṛṇotu ॥
From the sacred Bhumi Sukta, this verse describes the eternal forces of truth, discipline, and wisdom that sustain our world.
पुष्पिताः फलवन्तश्च तर्पयन्तीह मानवान्। वृक्षदं पुत्रवत् वृक्षास्तारयन्ति परत्र च॥
puṣpitāḥ phalavantaś ca tarpayantīha mānavān । vṛkṣadaṁ putravat vṛkṣās tarayanti paratra ca ॥
Flowering and fruit-bearing trees continue to benefit others long after they are planted, making tree planting an enduring act of service.