Kshanashah Kanashashchaiva — Word-by-Word Meaning
क्षणशः कणशश्चैव
Every Sanskrit word explained in English
Word-by-Word Breakdown
क्षणशः
kṣaṇaśaḥ
moment by moment, instant by instant
कणशः
kaṇaśaḥ
particle by particle, bit by bit
च एव
ca eva
and indeed, also
विद्याम्
vidyām
knowledge, learning
अर्थम्
artham
wealth, money, riches
च साधयेत्
ca sādhayet
and one should acquire, should accomplish
क्षणे नष्टे
kṣaṇe naṣṭe
when a moment is wasted (lost)
कुतः विद्या
kuto vidyā
how (from where) can there be knowledge?
कणे नष्टे
kaṇe naṣṭe
when a particle (small sum) is wasted
कुतः धनम्
kuto dhanam
how (from where) can there be wealth?
Complete Translation
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.
Origin & History
Source: Chanakya-niti (Subhashita)
Author: Chanakya (Kautilya / Vishnugupta)
Period: 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the verse Kshanashah Kanashashchaiva come from?▼
It is a well-known niti-shloka attributed to the Chanakya-niti tradition of Acharya Chanakya (Kautilya), and it is widely quoted in the Subhashita literature on diligence and the wise use of time and resources.
What is the central teaching of this shloka?▼
That knowledge should be gathered moment by moment and wealth particle by particle. Wasting a moment costs one the knowledge it could have brought, and wasting a small sum costs one the wealth it could have grown into — so nothing small should be squandered.
How can this verse be applied today?▼
It is a timeless lesson in time-management and saving: use even small spans of time to learn, and even small amounts to build wealth. Great accomplishments are the sum of many well-used small moments and gains.
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