satyameva-jayatemundaka-upanishadtruthnational-motto

𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌜𑌯𑌤𑍇

Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ upanishad·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Morning, or before undertakings requiring honesty and courage·📜 Mundaka Upanishad, Verse 3.1.6

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Mundaka Upanishad, Verse 3.1.6 · Traditional (Upanishadic) · Vedic / Upanishadic

The third Mundaka of the Mundaka Upanishad turns to the realization of the Self and the means to attain it. In this section comes the famous verse, 'Satyam eva jayate nanritam — truth alone triumphs, not falsehood,' declaring that the very path to the divine (devayana) is laid out by truth, and that sages who are free of craving travel it to the supreme abode where Truth, that is Brahman, abides. In 1947 the opening words 'Satyameva Jayate' were adopted as the national motto of India and inscribed in the State Emblem beneath the lions of Ashoka's Sarnath capital.

✦ As told in scripture

The Upanishad promises that those who hold fast to truth and tread its path — the desireless sages — ascend by it to the highest treasury of Truth, attaining Brahman itself; thus truth is shown to be not only victorious in the world but the very gateway to immortality.

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The Mantra

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

𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍇𑌵 𑌜𑌯𑌤𑍇 𑌨𑌾𑌨𑍃𑌤𑌂 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌨 𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌥𑌾 𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌤𑍋 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌃 । 𑌯𑍇𑌨𑌾𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍃𑌷𑌯𑍋 𑌹𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍 ॥

satyam eva jayate nānṛtaṁ satyena panthā vitato devayānaḥ yenākramanty ṛṣayo hyāptakāmā yatra tat satyasya paramaṁ nidhānam

Meaning:Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood. By truth is laid out the path of the gods (devayana), by which the sages whose desires are fulfilled ascend to where that supreme treasure of Truth abides.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍🔊satyamTruth

𑌏𑌵🔊evaAlone, only

𑌜𑌯𑌤𑍇🔊jayateTriumphs, prevails, is victorious

𑌨 𑌅𑌨𑍃𑌤𑌮𑍍🔊na anṛtamNot falsehood (untruth does not prevail)

𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍇𑌨🔊satyenaBy truth, through truth

𑌪𑌨𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌃 𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌤𑌃🔊panthāḥ vitataḥThe path is laid out, spread open

𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌃🔊devayānaḥThe path of the gods (the bright path leading to the divine, to liberation)

𑌯𑍇𑌨🔊yenaBy which (path)

𑌆𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌤𑌿🔊ākramantiThey ascend, travel upward, advance

𑌋𑌷𑌯𑌃🔊ṛṣayaḥThe sages, seers

𑌆𑌪𑍍𑌤𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌃🔊āptakāmāḥThose whose desires are fulfilled (the fully contented, free of craving)

𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌰🔊yatraWhere

𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌸𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊tat satyasya paramaṁ nidhānamThat supreme treasure/abode of Truth (Brahman, the goal)

Benefits of Chanting Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs)

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Affirms the eternal victory of truth (satya) over falsehood, inspiring integrity and moral courage.

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The national motto of India, a daily reminder of dharma in personal and public life.

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Strengthens the resolve to live truthfully even amid difficulty, trusting that truth ultimately prevails.

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Reveals truth as the very path (devayana) that leads the seeker to liberation and the supreme Reality.

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Cultivates the inner purity and contentment (aptakama) by which the sages ascend to Brahman.

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Recited to invoke strength, righteousness and confidence in the triumph of the good.

How to Chant Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs)

Repetitions11times

Best TimeMorning, or before undertakings requiring honesty and courage

FaceEast or North

Recite 'Satyameva Jayate' with full conviction, reflecting that truth is not merely an ideal but the very path to the Divine. Use it to renew a vow of honesty in thought, word and deed, and to draw courage when truth is hard to uphold. Contemplate the second line — that desireless sages travel the bright path paved by truth — and let it turn your aspiration toward the supreme abode of Truth, which is Brahman.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs) written in the Grantha 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.

Satyameva Jayate means 'Truth alone triumphs'. The full verse adds that not falsehood but truth prevails, and that the divine path of the gods is laid out by truth, leading sages to the supreme abode of Truth, Brahman.

It is from the Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.6), which belongs to the Atharva Veda. It was adopted as the national motto of India and appears beneath the Lion Capital of Ashoka in the State Emblem.

Devayana means 'the path of the gods' — the bright, upward path that leads the soul toward liberation and union with Brahman. The verse says this path is paved by truth and is travelled by sages who have fulfilled all desires.

It is both. Originally a sacred verse of the Mundaka Upanishad about truth as the road to the Supreme, it was chosen as independent India's national motto, expressing the timeless principle that truth ultimately prevails.