Mata Shatruh Pita Bairi
माता शत्रुः पिता वैरी
Also known as: mata shatruh pita bairi · mata shatruh pita vairi yena balo na pathitah · na shobhate sabha madhye hamsa madhye bako yatha · chanakya niti shloka on education
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✦ Meaning
Mata Shatruh Pita Bairi is a famous verse from the Chanakya-niti on the supreme importance of education. It boldly calls parents who fail to educate their child enemies, because an unlettered person cannot shine among the learned — like a heron amid swans. It is a powerful reminder that the greatest gift parents can give is knowledge.
Origin & Story
Chanakya-niti (Subhashita) · Chanakya (Kautilya / Vishnugupta) · Ancient India (c. 4th century BCE; niti compilations later)
The Chanakya-niti gathers the practical wisdom of the great statesman and teacher Chanakya, who guided the rise of the Mauryan empire. Among its counsels on family and learning, this striking verse declares education the foremost duty of parents, warning that to leave a child unlettered is to do him the harm of an enemy, for he will stand graceless among the learned like a heron among swans.
✦ As told in scripture
This verse has spurred countless parents across the ages to ensure their children are educated even at great sacrifice; it is often recounted that families who took its warning to heart lifted their descendants into lives of learning, dignity and respect.
The Mantra
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माता शत्रुः पिता वैरी येन बालो न पाठितः। न शोभते सभामध्ये हंसमध्ये बको यथा॥
mātā śatruḥ pitā vairī yena bālo na pāṭhitaḥ। na śobhate sabhā-madhye haṁsa-madhye bako yathā॥
Meaning:The mother is an enemy and the father a foe by whom a child is not educated; for such an unlettered person does not shine in an assembly of the learned, just as a heron does not shine in the midst of swans. The verse stresses that giving a child education is the highest duty of parents.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Mata Shatruh Pita Bairi
Emphasises education as the foremost duty and gift of parents
Inspires families to prioritise learning for their children
Warns of the lifelong disadvantage of remaining unlettered
Encourages every child to seek knowledge and refinement
A motivating verse for parents, teachers and students alike
A short, memorable verse for reflection on the value of education
How to Chant Mata Shatruh Pita Bairi
Recite the verse thoughtfully, dwelling on its vivid image of a heron among swans. Reflect that education is the truest inheritance parents can give, and let it strengthen the resolve to learn and to help others learn. It is often quoted to parents and elders as a reminder that nurturing a child's mind is as vital as caring for the body.