Punar Vittam Punar Mitram
पुनर्वित्तं पुनर्मित्रम्
Also known as: punar vittam punar mitram · punarvittam punarmitram punarbharya punarmahi · chanakya niti shloka on life · human body is not regained shloka · etat sarvam punar labhyam na shariram punah punah
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✦ Meaning
Punar Vittam Punar Mitram is a famous verse from the Chanakya Niti reflecting on the rare value of human life. It observes that wealth, friends, a spouse and land, once lost, can all be regained — but the human body and this birth cannot be had again so easily. The verse is a powerful call to use one's precious life wisely and not squander it on the merely transient.
Origin & Story
Chanakya Niti · Chanakya (Kautilya / Vishnugupta) · Ancient India (c. 4th century BCE)
The Chanakya Niti is a celebrated compendium of aphorisms on ethics, prudence and practical living attributed to Chanakya, the legendary teacher and minister who guided the rise of the Mauryan empire. Among its many reflections, this verse on the irreplaceable value of human life stands out as one of the most quoted, urging the wise to spend their rare birth well.
✦ As told in scripture
This verse has long served as a wake-up call on the spiritual path; seekers recount that meditating on the non-repeatable nature of human life shook them from complacency and spurred them to pursue dharma and self-knowledge with new urgency.
The Mantra
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पुनर्वित्तं पुनर्मित्रं पुनर्भार्या पुनर्मही। एतत्सर्वं पुनर्लभ्यं न शरीरं पुनः पुनः॥
punar vittaṁ punar mitraṁ punar bhāryā punar mahī। etat sarvaṁ punar labhyaṁ na śarīraṁ punaḥ punaḥ॥
Meaning:Wealth can be gained again, a friend can be found again, a spouse and land can be obtained again — all of this is regainable; but this body is not obtained again and again. Therefore the rare gift of human life should not be wasted, for it does not return so easily.
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting Punar Vittam Punar Mitram
Awakens awareness of the rare and precious value of human life
Inspires the wise and purposeful use of one's limited time
Cultivates healthy detachment from transient gains and losses
Encourages prioritising the eternal over the merely material
A sobering reminder to pursue higher goals (dharma and self-realisation)
Helps reframe setbacks — most losses are recoverable, life is not
How to Chant Punar Vittam Punar Mitram
Recite the verse slowly and reflect on the unique, non-repeatable gift of human birth. Let it temper anxiety over material losses, which are recoverable, and renew your resolve to use your life for what truly matters. It is especially valuable as a daily contemplation on purpose and detachment.