Kshanashah Kanashashchaiva
क्षणशः कणशश्चैव
Also known as: kshanashah kanashashchaiva · kshanashah kanashashchaiva vidyam artham cha sadhayet · kshane nashte kuto vidya kane nashte kuto dhanam · chanakya niti shloka on time and diligence
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✦ Meaning
Kshanashah Kanashashchaiva is a celebrated verse from the Chanakya-niti on diligence and the value of small units. It advises gathering knowledge moment by moment and wealth particle by particle, warning that a wasted moment loses knowledge and a wasted particle loses wealth. It is a timeless lesson on how great achievements are built from the careful use of time and resources.
Origin & Story
Chanakya-niti (Subhashita) · Chanakya (Kautilya / Vishnugupta) · Ancient India (c. 4th century BCE; niti compilations later)
The Chanakya-niti is a celebrated collection of practical maxims on ethics, governance and worldly success attributed to the great statesman and teacher Chanakya, architect of the Mauryan empire. Among its many counsels on diligence, this verse urges the steady acquisition of learning and wealth in the smallest units of time and quantity, warning that whatever small portion is wasted is lost forever.
✦ As told in scripture
Generations of students and householders have taken this verse to heart, finding that those who refuse to waste even small moments and small sums quietly accumulate vast learning and lasting prosperity over a lifetime, exactly as Chanakya promised.
The Mantra
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क्षणशः कणशश्चैव विद्यामर्थं च साधयेत्। क्षणे नष्टे कुतो विद्या कणे नष्टे कुतो धनम्॥
kṣaṇaśaḥ kaṇaśaś caiva vidyām arthaṁ ca sādhayet। kṣaṇe naṣṭe kuto vidyā kaṇe naṣṭe kuto dhanam॥
Meaning:One should acquire knowledge moment by moment and wealth particle by particle; for if a moment is wasted, how can there be knowledge, and if a particle is wasted, how can there be wealth? The verse teaches that both learning and prosperity are built up by valuing every small unit of time and every small gain.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Kshanashah Kanashashchaiva
Teaches the value of every moment in acquiring knowledge
Instils thrift and care in the building of wealth, bit by bit
Warns against wasting time and small resources
Encourages steady, disciplined effort toward learning and prosperity
A practical guide for students, savers and achievers of every kind
A short, memorable verse for daily reflection on diligence
How to Chant Kshanashah Kanashashchaiva
Recite the verse at the beginning of the day, reflecting on how knowledge grows moment by moment and wealth particle by particle. Let it inspire you to use each small unit of time and resource well, knowing that wasted moments and wasted bits never return as learning or riches. It is often quoted to students and young earners as a lesson in disciplined diligence.