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ලාලයේත් පඤ්ච වර්ෂාණි

Lalayet Pancha Varshani (How to Raise a Child) in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning reflection, or while contemplating one's role as a parent or teacher·📜 Chanakya Niti
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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగుதமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംગુજરાતીবাংলাଓଡ଼ିଆਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Chanakya Niti · Chanakya (Vishnugupta / Kautilya) · Ancient India (c. 4th–3rd century BCE)

Chanakya, who himself trained the young Chandragupta into an emperor, gave deep thought to the shaping of the young. This verse on child-rearing distils that experience into three stages — indulgence, discipline and friendship — and has become one of the most widely quoted guides to parenting in the Indian tradition.

✦ As told in scripture

Generations of parents have credited this single verse with rescuing their households from extremes, for the one who indulges only the small child, trains firmly through the growing years, and befriends the grown one raises a child who is both well-disciplined and devoted.

The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

ලාලයේත් පඤ්ච වර්ෂාණි දශ වර්ෂාණි තාඩයේත්. ප්රාප්තේ තු ෂෝඩශේ වර්ෂේ පුත්රං මිත්රවදාචරේත්..

lālayet pañca varṣāṇi daśa varṣāṇi tāḍayet। prāpte tu ṣoḍaśe varṣe putraṁ mitravad ācaret॥

Meaning:For the first five years treat a child with loving indulgence; for the next ten years guide and discipline him firmly; but once he has reached his sixteenth year, treat him as a friend. Chanakya offers a timeless model of upbringing, matching affection, discipline and friendship to the changing stages of a child's growth.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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ලාලයේත්🔊lālayetone should fondle, pamper, lovingly indulge
පඤ්ච වර්ෂාණි🔊pañca varṣāṇifor five years
දශ වර්ෂාණි🔊daśa varṣāṇifor ten years (the next ten years)
තාඩයේත්🔊tāḍayetone should discipline, correct, chastise (guide firmly)
ප්රාප්තේ🔊prāptewhen (the child) has reached / attained
තු🔊tubut, and (a connective)
ෂෝඩශේ වර්ෂේ🔊ṣoḍaśe varṣein the sixteenth year
පුත්රම්🔊putramthe son (the child, offspring)
මිත්රවත්🔊mitravatlike a friend, as one would a friend
ආචරේත්🔊ācaretone should behave, treat, conduct oneself

Benefits of Chanting Lalayet Pancha Varshani (How to Raise a Child)

✦

Offers a balanced, time-tested framework for raising children

✦

Matches affection, discipline and friendship to a child's age

✦

Guides parents to adapt their role as the child matures

✦

Encourages firm training in the formative years

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Teaches respect and friendship toward grown children

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A concise, memorable maxim cherished by parents and teachers

How to Chant Lalayet Pancha Varshani (How to Raise a Child)

Repetitions3times
Best TimeMorning reflection, or while contemplating one's role as a parent or teacher

Recite the verse slowly and reflect on its three stages — five years of loving care, ten years of firm guidance, and friendship from the sixteenth year. Consider how a parent's role must change as a child grows. It is traditionally studied among Chanakya's teachings on family and upbringing.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Lalayet Pancha Varshani (How to Raise a Child) written in the Sinhala 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 is a famous verse from the Chanakya Niti (Niti Darpana), the body of aphorisms attributed to Chanakya (Kautilya / Vishnugupta), the ancient Indian teacher of ethics, statecraft and the conduct of life.
For the first five years the child is treated with loving indulgence (lalayet); for the next ten years (up to about sixteen) the child is firmly disciplined and trained (tadayet); and from the sixteenth year onward the child is to be treated as a friend (mitravat).
In its traditional sense tadayet means to discipline, correct and train with firmness during the formative years, not to harm. The verse's spirit is about firm guidance and structure in the middle stage, balanced by tenderness before it and friendship after.

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