ਪ੍ਰਸ਼੍ਨੋਤ੍ਤਰਰਤ੍ਨਮਾਲਿਕਾ
Prasnottara Ratna Malika in Punjabi (Gurmukhi) · ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
ਆਪਣੀ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ/ਲਿਪੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੜ੍ਹੋ
ਉਤਪਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਕਥਾ
Didactic prakarana ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya (traditional attribution) · Classical (traditionally 8th century CE)
The Prasnottara Ratna Malika is a beloved short work of Sanskrit gnomic verse cast as a dialogue of questions and answers. Tradition attributes it to Adi Shankaracharya, who is said to have composed it as a 'garland of gems' of wisdom that any seeker might wear at the throat — that is, keep ever in memory. Each crisp answer crystallizes a lesson of ethics, discrimination or the spiritual path. Its blend of worldly prudence and Vedantic insight has kept it popular for centuries as a guide for students and seekers alike; some manuscripts also associate it with the Jain teacher Vimala or with King Amoghavarsha, but the Advaita tradition holds it as Shankara's.
✦ ਸ਼ਾਸਤਰਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਦੱਸੇ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ
It is traditionally said that whoever keeps this 'gem-garland' at the throat — committing its question-and-answer verses to heart — is adorned more truly than by any jewel, for its wisdom quietly guards him from folly and ripens, verse by verse, into the discrimination that leads to liberation.
ਅਰਥ ਸਹਿਤ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਾਠ
ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਪੰਗਤੀ ਜਾਂ ▶ ਬਟਨ ਨੂੰ ਛੂਹ ਕੇ ਸੁਣੋ
ਕਃ ਖਲੁ ਨਾਲਙ੍ਕ੍ਰਿਯਤੇ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਟਾਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਟਾਰ੍ਥਸਾਧਨਪਟੀਯਾਨ੍। ਅਮੁਯਾ ਕਣ੍ਠਸ੍ਥਿਤਯਾ ਪ੍ਰਸ਼੍ਨੋਤ੍ਤਰਰਤ੍ਨਮਾਲਿਕਯਾ॥੧॥
kaḥ khalu nālaṅkriyate dṛṣṭādṛṣṭārtha-sādhana-paṭīyān | amuyā kaṇṭha-sthitayā praśnottara-ratna-mālikayā ||1||
ਅਰਥ:Who, indeed, skilled in attaining the goals both of this world and the next, is not adorned by this gem-garland of questions and answers, worn ever at the throat (kept in memory)? (1)
ਭਗਵਨ੍ ਕਿਮੁਪਾਦੇਯਂ ਗੁਰੁਵਚਨਂ ਹੇਯਮਪਿ ਕਿਮਕਾਰ੍ਯਮ੍। ਕੋ ਗੁਰੁਰਧਿਗਤਤਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਃ ਸ਼ਿਸ਼੍ਯਹਿਤਾਯੋਦ੍ਯਤਃ ਸਤਤਮ੍॥੨॥
bhagavan kim upādeyaṃ guru-vacanaṃ heyam api kim akāryam | ko gurur adhigata-tattvaḥ śiṣya-hitāyodyataḥ satatam ||2||
ਅਰਥ:O Lord, what is worth accepting? — the word of the guru. What ought to be shunned? — every forbidden deed. Who is a true guru? — one who has realized the Truth and is ever intent on the welfare of his disciples. (2)
ਤ੍ਵਰਿਤਂ ਕਿਂ ਕਰ੍ਤਵ੍ਯਂ ਵਿਦੁਸ਼ਾਂ ਸਂਸਾਰਸਨ੍ਤਤਿਚ੍ਛੇਦਃ। ਕਿਂ ਮੋਕ੍ਸ਼ਤਰੋਰ੍ਬੀਜਂ ਸਮ੍ਯਗ੍ਜ੍ਞਾਨਂ ਕ੍ਰਿਯਾਸਿਦ੍ਧਮ੍॥੩॥
tvaritaṃ kiṃ kartavyaṃ viduṣāṃ saṃsāra-santati-cchedaḥ | kiṃ mokṣa-taror bījaṃ samyag-jñānaṃ kriyā-siddham ||3||
ਅਰਥ:What should the wise do without delay? — cut through the chain of birth and death. What is the seed of the tree of liberation? — right knowledge fulfilled in action. (3)
ਕਃ ਪਥ੍ਯਤਰੋ ਧਰ੍ਮਃ ਕਃ ਸ਼ੁਚਿਰਿਹ ਯਸ੍ਯ ਮਾਨਸਂ ਸ਼ੁਦ੍ਧਮ੍। ਕਃ ਪਣ੍ਡਿਤੋ ਵਿਵੇਕੀ ਕਿਂ ਵਿਸ਼ਮਵਧੀਰਣਾ ਗੁਰੁਸ਼ੁ॥੪॥
kaḥ pathyataro dharmaḥ kaḥ śucir iha yasya mānasaṃ śuddham | kaḥ paṇḍito vivekī kiṃ viṣam avadhīraṇā guruṣu ||4||
ਅਰਥ:Which is the most wholesome dharma? (that which harms none). Who is pure here? — one whose mind is pure. Who is learned? — the man of discrimination. What is poison? — disrespect toward one's teachers. (4)
ਕਿਂ ਸਂਸਾਰੇ ਸਾਰਂ ਬਹੁਸ਼ੋऽਪਿ ਵਿਚਿਨ੍ਤ੍ਯਮਾਨਮਿਦਮੇਵ। ਕਿਂ ਮਨੁਜੇਸ਼੍ਵਿਸ਼੍ਟਤਮਂ ਸ੍ਵਪਰਹਿਤਾਯੋਦ੍ਯਤਂ ਜਨ੍ਮ॥੫॥
kiṃ saṃsāre sāraṃ bahuśo'pi vicintyamānam idam eva | kiṃ manujeṣv iṣṭatamaṃ sva-para-hitāyodyataṃ janma ||5||
ਅਰਥ:What, though pondered again and again, is the (only) essence in worldly life? — just this (the wisdom taught here). What is most worth having among men? — a birth devoted to the good of oneself and others. (5)
ਮਦਿਰੇਵ ਮੋਹਜਨਕਃ ਕਃ ਸ੍ਨੇਹਃ ਕੇ ਚ ਦਸ੍ਯਵੋ ਵਿਸ਼ਯਾਃ। ਕਾ ਭਵਵਲ੍ਲੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਣਾ ਕੋ ਵੈਰੀ ਯਸ੍ਤ੍ਵਨੁਦ੍ਯੋਗਃ॥੬॥
madireva moha-janakaḥ kaḥ snehaḥ ke ca dasyavo viṣayāḥ | kā bhava-vallī tṛṣṇā ko vairī yas tv anudyogaḥ ||6||
ਅਰਥ:What attachment intoxicates and deludes like wine? — excessive fondness. Who are the thieves? — the objects of the senses. What is the creeper of worldly bondage? — craving. Who is the (true) foe? — one's own lack of effort. (6)
ਕਸ੍ਮਾਦ੍ਭਯਮਿਹ ਮਰਣਾਦਨ੍ਧਾਦਿਹ ਕੋ ਵਿਸ਼ਿਸ਼੍ਯਤੇ ਰਾਗੀ। ਕਃ ਸ਼ੂਰੋ ਯੋ ਲਲਨਾਲੋਚਨਬਾਣੈਰ੍ਨ ਚ ਵ੍ਯਥਿਤਃ॥੭॥
kasmād bhayam iha maraṇād andhād iha ko viśiṣyate rāgī | kaḥ śūro yo lalanā-locana-bāṇair na ca vyathitaḥ ||7||
ਅਰਥ:Of what should one be afraid here? — of death (i.e. of the bondage that leads to repeated death). Who is more blind than the blind? — the passion-driven man. Who is the (real) hero? — he who is not wounded by the arrow-like glances of women. (7)
ਪਾਤੁਂ ਕਰ੍ਣਾਞ੍ਜਲਿਭਿਃ ਕਿਮਮ੍ਰਿਤਮਿਹ ਯੁਜ੍ਯਤੇ ਸਦੁਪਦੇਸ਼ਃ। ਕਿਂ ਗੁਰੁਤਾਯਾ ਮੂਲਂ ਯਦੇਤਦਪ੍ਰਾਰ੍ਥਨਂ ਨਾਮ॥੮॥
pātuṃ karṇāñjalibhiḥ kim amṛtam iha yujyate sad-upadeśaḥ | kiṃ gurutāyā mūlaṃ yad etad aprārthanaṃ nāma ||8||
ਅਰਥ:What nectar is fit to be drunk through the cupped hands of the ears? — good counsel. What is the root of (true) greatness? — to ask nothing (of anyone). (8)
ਕਿਂ ਗਹਨਂ ਸ੍ਤ੍ਰੀਚਰਿਤਂ ਕਸ਼੍ਚਤੁਰੋ ਯੋ ਨ ਖਣ੍ਡਿਤਸ੍ਤੇਨ। ਕਿਂ ਦੁਃਖਮਸਨ੍ਤੋਸ਼ਃ ਕਿਂ ਲਾਘਵਮਧਮਤੋ ਯਾਚ੍ਞਾ॥੯॥
kiṃ gahanaṃ strī-caritaṃ kaś caturo yo na khaṇḍitas tena | kiṃ duḥkham asantoṣaḥ kiṃ lāghavam adhamato yācñā ||9||
ਅਰਥ:What is unfathomable? — the ways of the deceitful. Who is (really) clever? — he who is not deceived by them. What is sorrow? — discontent. What is (real) degradation? — begging from a base person. (9)
ਕਿਂ ਜੀਵਿਤਮਨਵਦ੍ਯਂ ਕਿਂ ਜਾਡ੍ਯਂ ਪਾਠਤੋऽਪ੍ਯਨਭ੍ਯਾਸਃ। ਕੋ ਜਾਗਰ੍ਤਿ ਵਿਵੇਕੀ ਕਾ ਨਿਦ੍ਰਾ ਮੂਢਤਾ ਜਨ੍ਤੋਃ॥੧੦॥
kiṃ jīvitam anavadyaṃ kiṃ jāḍyaṃ pāṭhato'py anabhyāsaḥ | ko jāgarti vivekī kā nidrā mūḍhatā jantoḥ ||10||
ਅਰਥ:What life is blameless? — (one free of fault). What is dullness? — failure to practise even what one has studied. Who is awake? — the man of discernment. What is the sleep of a creature? — its delusion. (10)
ਨਲਿਨੀਦਲਗਤਜਲਵਤ੍ਤਰਲਂ ਕਿਂ ਯੌਵਨਂ ਧਨਂ ਚਾਯੁਃ। ਕਥਯ ਪੁਨਃ ਕੇ ਸ਼ਸ਼ਿਨਃ ਕਿਰਣਸਮਾਃ ਸਜ੍ਜਨਾ ਏਵ॥੧੧॥
nalinī-dala-gata-jalavat taralaṃ kiṃ yauvanaṃ dhanaṃ cāyuḥ | kathaya punaḥ ke śaśinaḥ kiraṇa-samāḥ sajjanā eva ||11||
ਅਰਥ:What is as fickle as a water-drop on a lotus leaf? — youth, wealth and life. And tell again, who are cool and gracious as the rays of the moon? — the virtuous, and they alone. (11)
ਸ਼ਬਦ-ਸ਼ਬਦ ਅਰਥ
ਉਚਾਰਨ ਸੁਣਨ ਲਈ ਕਿਸੇ ਵੀ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਉੱਤੇ ਕਲਿੱਕ ਕਰੋ
Prasnottara Ratna Malika ਪਾਠ ਦੇ ਲਾਭ
Imparts practical wisdom and ethical discrimination (viveka) in an easy question-and-answer form
Each verse is a memorable maxim, ideal for daily reflection on right conduct and values
Guides the seeker toward the 'seed of liberation' — right knowledge fulfilled in action
Cultivates contentment, self-effort and dispassion by naming the real enemy, foe and sorrow
Excellent for teaching children and students the essentials of dharma and discernment
Steadies the mind in sattvic values and turns it gently toward the goal of moksha
Prasnottara Ratna Malika ਪਾਠ ਵਿਧੀ
Read or recite the question-and-answer verses slowly, pausing after each to absorb the lesson it teaches. Because the work is meant to be 'worn at the throat' (kept in memory), it is best learned by heart a few verses at a time and recalled through the day as a guide to conduct. Reflect on each answer and apply it to your own life; a single thoughtful reading is more valuable than rapid repetition.
ਅਕਸਰ ਪੁੱਛੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਸਵਾਲ
ਇਹ ਵੀ ਪੜ੍ਹੋ
ॐ
ਪੂਰਾ Prasnottara Ratna Malika ਸ਼ਲੋਕ-ਦਰ-ਸ਼ਲੋਕ ਅਰਥ ਸਹਿਤ ਪੜ੍ਹੋ, ਜਾਂ ਹੋਰ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਪਾਠ ਵੇਖੋ