Chala Lakshmis Chalah Pranah
चला लक्ष्मीश्चलाः प्राणाः
Also known as: chala lakshmis chalah pranah · chala lakshmish chalah pranash chalam jivita yauvanam · kirtir yasya sa jivati · impermanence and fame sanskrit shloka · subhashita on kirti
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✦ Meaning
Chala Lakshmis Chalah Pranah is a celebrated Subhashita on the impermanence of worldly things and the enduring value of a good name. It declares that wealth, life, youth and indeed all things are fleeting, and concludes that the one who truly lives on is he whose fame, won by virtue, outlasts his body. The verse is a stirring call to earn lasting glory through noble deeds rather than to cling to passing possessions.
Origin & Story
Subhashita (Sanskrit niti and vairagya literature) · Traditional (anonymous wisdom verse) · Classical Sanskrit literature
This verse belongs to the Subhashita tradition of reflective sayings on the fleeting nature of worldly life. Composed to awaken detachment and noble aspiration, it lists in quick succession the things people hold most dear — wealth, life, youth — and shows each to be unsteady, before turning the listener toward the one enduring treasure: an honourable name won through good deeds, by which a person lives on long after death.
✦ As told in scripture
It is often said that the heroes and sages of old are present among us still through this very truth — their bodies long gone, yet their fame undimmed across the ages — proving the verse's promise that he whose kirti endures never truly dies.
The Mantra
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चला लक्ष्मीश्चलाः प्राणाश्चलं जीवितयौवनम्। चलाचलमिदं सर्वं कीर्तिर्यस्य स जीवति॥
calā lakṣmīś calāḥ prāṇāś calaṁ jīvita-yauvanam। calācalam idaṁ sarvaṁ kīrtir yasya sa jīvati॥
Meaning:Wealth is fleeting, the life-breaths are fleeting, life and youth are fleeting; all this world is transient and unstable — only he truly lives whose fame (good name) endures. The verse teaches that since all worldly things pass away, lasting glory earned through noble deeds is the one thing that gives life true meaning.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Chala Lakshmis Chalah Pranah
Cultivates detachment (vairagya) by reflecting on the impermanence of all things
Inspires the pursuit of a lasting good name through virtuous deeds
Frees the mind from excessive attachment to wealth, youth and possessions
Encourages a life of meaning, service and noble achievement
Brings peace by placing worldly gains and losses in their true perspective
A profound verse for daily contemplation on what truly endures
How to Chant Chala Lakshmis Chalah Pranah
Recite the verse slowly, dwelling on how wealth, life and youth all pass away while a good name endures. Let it loosen any anxious clinging to possessions or status, and inspire you instead to live so that your deeds and reputation outlast you. It is an excellent verse for cultivating equanimity and a sense of lasting purpose.