subhashitawisdomsutraniti

Alpaksharam Asandigdham (The Marks of a True Sutra)

Alpaksharam Asandigdham (The Marks of a True Sutra) in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Before study, writing, or any work requiring clear expression·📜 Subhashita

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This famous subhashita is the classic Sanskrit definition of a sutra — a perfect aphorism. In one stanza it names the six marks of an ideal saying: it is concise (alpaksharam), unambiguous (asandigdham), full of essence (saravat), universally applicable (vishvato-mukham), free of needless filler (astobham), and faultless (anavadyam). The verse is itself a model of these very virtues and is cherished by students of grammar, logic and all the sutra disciplines.

Origin & Story

Subhashita · Unknown (classical Sanskrit shastra tradition) · Classical Sanskrit literature

Across the Sanskrit shastras, knowledge was often condensed into sutras — terse, formulaic statements meant to pack maximum meaning into minimum words. This celebrated verse, transmitted in the subhashita and grammatical traditions, defines the very ideal of such an aphorism, listing the six qualities of a perfect sutra. Fittingly, the verse is itself a flawless example of the brevity and clarity it praises.

✦ As told in scripture

Scholars delight that this verse perfectly practises what it preaches — defining the perfect aphorism in an aphorism of perfect form. It is said that one who masters its standard learns to say much in little, the rarest and most prized of all skills in speech and writing.

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The Mantra

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alpākṣaram asandigdhaṁ sāravad viśvato-mukham। astobham anavadyaṁ ca sūtraṁ sūtra-vido viduḥ॥

Meaning:Concise, unambiguous, full of essence, comprehensive in scope, free of padding, and faultless — such, the experts declare, is a true sutra (aphorism). The verse itself defines, in a single elegant stanza, the six qualities that make a saying perfect: brevity, clarity, substance, universality, economy and flawlessness.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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alpākṣaram🔊having few syllables, concise, brief

asandigdham🔊free from doubt, unambiguous, clear

sāravat🔊full of essence, meaningful, substantial

viśvato-mukham🔊facing all sides, of universal application, comprehensive

astobham🔊free of needless filler words / pauses, without padding

anavadyam🔊faultless, blameless, free of error

ca🔊and

sūtram🔊an aphorism, a sutra (a terse formulaic statement)

sūtra-vidaḥ🔊those who know sutras, the experts in aphorisms

viduḥ🔊know it (to be), declare it (to be)

Benefits of Chanting Alpaksharam Asandigdham (The Marks of a True Sutra)

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Defines the timeless ideal of clear, concise and meaningful expression

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Teaches the six marks of perfect communication — brevity, clarity and more

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Invaluable for students of grammar, logic, law and all sutra disciplines

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Inspires precision and economy in speech and writing

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Itself a flawless model of the very qualities it describes

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A short, memorable verse for reflection on the craft of language

How to Chant Alpaksharam Asandigdham (The Marks of a True Sutra)

Repetitions3times

Best TimeBefore study, writing, or any work requiring clear expression

Recite the verse calmly, counting on the six qualities it names — concise, clear, substantial, comprehensive, unpadded and faultless. Reflect on how the verse embodies its own definition, and let it set the intention to think and speak with precision. It is traditionally studied at the start of the sutra-based disciplines such as grammar (vyakarana) and logic (nyaya).

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Alpaksharam Asandigdham (The Marks of a True Sutra) written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It gives the classic definition of a sutra — a perfect aphorism. It lists the six qualities that a true sutra must possess: brevity, clarity, substance, universal applicability, freedom from filler, and faultlessness.

Alpaksharam (concise), asandigdham (unambiguous), saravat (full of essence), vishvato-mukham (comprehensive), astobham (free of needless words), and anavadyam (faultless). Together these define the ideal of terse, perfect expression.

It is a celebrated subhashita quoted across the sutra-based shastras — especially in grammar (vyakarana) and logic (nyaya) — as the standard description of what makes a sutra excellent. It is itself a model of conciseness and clarity.