Subhashitams on Well-being
This theme brings together 21 subhashitams from 6 sources.
Latest update: Oct 12, 2026
देव्या यया ततमिदं जगदात्मशक्त्या निश्शेषदेवगणशक्तिसमूहमूर्त्या। तामम्बिकामखिलदेवमहर्षिपूज्यां भक्त्या नताः स्म विदधातु शुभानि सा नः॥
devyā yayā tatamidaṃ jagadātmaśaktyā niśśeṣadevagaṇaśaktisamūhamūrtyā । tāmambikāmakhiladevamaharṣipūjyāṃ bhaktyā natāḥ sma vidadhātu śubhāni sā naḥ ॥
A prayer from Devi Mahatmyam to Ambika, who pervades the world and embodies all divine powers, asking for blessings for everyone.
हिताहितं सुखं दुःखमायुस्तस्य हिताहितम्। मानं च तच्च यत्रोक्तमायुर्वेदः स उच्यते॥
hitāhitaṃ sukhaṃ duḥkham āyus tasya hitāhitam । mānaṃ ca tac ca yatroktam āyurvedaḥ sa ucyate ॥
Charaka Samhita defines Ayurveda through beneficial and harmful, happy and unhappy forms of life and the measure of lifespan.
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.
स्वस्ति न इन्द्रो वृद्धश्रवाः स्वस्ति नः पूषा विश्ववेदाः। स्वस्ति नस्तार्क्ष्यो अरिष्टनेमिः स्वस्ति नो बृहस्पतिर्दधातु॥
svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ । svasti nas tārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ svasti no bṛhaspatir dadhātu ॥
A Rigveda svasti mantra in which Indra, Pushan, Tarkshya and Brihaspati are each asked to bestow well-being upon us.
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.
एष प्रभावो रक्षायाः कथितस्ते युधिष्ठिर। जयदः सुखदश्चैव पुत्रारोग्यधनप्रदः॥
eṣa prabhāvo rakṣāyāḥ kathitas te yudhiṣṭhira । jayadaḥ sukhadaś caiva putrārogyadhanapradaḥ ॥
A Bhavishya Mahapurana verse describes the protective thread as a giver of victory, happiness, children, health and prosperity.
भद्रं कर्णेभिः शृणुयाम देवा भद्रं पश्येमाक्षभिर्यजत्राः। स्थिरैरङ्गैस्तुष्टुवांसस्तनूभिर्व्यशेम देवहितं यदायुः॥
bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devā bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhir yajatrāḥ । sthirair aṅgais tuṣṭuvāṃsas tanūbhir vyaśema devahitaṃ yad āyuḥ ॥
A Rigvedic prayer to hear and see what is auspicious, live with steadfast limbs, and complete the divinely allotted span of life in praise.
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.
धन्यानामुत्तमं दाक्ष्यं धनानामुत्तमं श्रुतम्। लाभानां श्रेय आरोग्यं सुखानां तुष्टिरुत्तमा॥
dhanyānām uttamaṃ dākṣyaṃ dhanānām uttamaṃ śrutam । lābhānāṃ śreya ārogyaṃ sukhānāṃ tuṣṭir uttamā ॥
A Mahabharata verse from the Yaksha-Prashna teaching that skill, learning, health, and contentment are among life's highest forms of fortune.
चित्तप्रशमनोपायो योग इत्यभिधीयते। प्राणस्पन्दनिरोधो वा द्वेधा योगस्य धारणा॥
cittapraśamanopāyo yoga ity abhidhīyate । prāṇaspandanirodho vā dvedhā yogasya dhāraṇā ॥
Yoga is presented as a twofold discipline: calming the mind and regulating the movement of breath.
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.
लाघवं कर्मसामर्थ्यं दीप्तोऽग्निर्मेदसः क्षयः। विभक्तघनगात्रत्वं व्यायामादुपजायते॥
lāghavaṁ karmasāmarthyaṁ dīpto’gnir medasaḥ kṣayaḥ । vibhaktaghanagātratvaṁ vyāyāmādupajāyate ॥
An Ayurvedic insight from the Ashtanga Hridayam on how regular exercise transforms the body’s efficiency, metabolic fire, and structural strength for total well-being.
व्यायामाल्लभते स्वास्थ्यं दीर्घायुष्यं बलं सुखम्। आरोग्यं परमं भाग्यं स्वास्थ्यं सर्वार्थसाधनम्॥
vyāyāmāl labhate svāsthyaṁ dīrghāyuṣyaṁ balaṁ sukham । ārogyaṁ paramaṁ bhāgyaṁ svāsthyaṁ sarvārthasādhanam ॥
Regular exercise supports health, strength, longevity, and the physical capacity needed to carry one’s responsibilities effectively.
स्वस्ति पन्थामनुचरेम सूर्याचन्द्रमसाविव। पुनर्ददाताघ्नता जानता सङ्गमेमहि॥
svasti panthām anucarema sūryācandramasāviva । punardadatāghnatā jānatā saṅgamemahi ॥
A Rigvedic prayer for moving forward together with wisdom, harmony, and non-violence, following the eternal example of the sun and moon.
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.
औषधेष्वपि सर्वेषु हास्यं श्रेष्ठं वदन्ति ह। स्वाधीनं सुलभं चैवारोग्यानन्दविवर्धनम्॥
auṣadheṣv api sarveṣu hāsyaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ vadanti ha । svādhīnaṃ sulabhaṃ caivārogyānandavivardhanam ॥
This subhashita beautifully describes why laughter is the supreme remedy among all medicines for holistic well-being.
शान्तितुल्यं तपो नास्ति न सन्तोषात् परं सुखम्। न तृष्णायाः परो व्याधिर्न च धर्मो दयापरः॥
śāntitulyaṁ tapo nāsti na santoṣāt paraṁ sukham । na tṛṣṇāyāḥ paro vyādhir na ca dharmo dayāparaḥ ॥
Peace is the highest austerity, contentment the deepest happiness, greed the gravest disease, and compassion the greatest dharma.
सर्वं परवशं दुःखं सर्वमात्मवशं सुखम्। एतद् विद्यात् समासेन लक्षणं सुखदुःखयोः॥
sarvaṁ paravaśaṁ duḥkhaṁ sarvam ātmavaśaṁ sukham । etad vidyāt samāsena lakṣaṇaṁ sukha-duḥkhayoḥ ॥
Dependence leaves happiness in another’s hands, while self-command creates the freedom and inner steadiness from which well-being grows.