Tyaja Durjana Samsargam
त्यज दुर्जनसंसर्गम्
Also known as: tyaja durjana samsargam · tyaja durjana samsargam bhaja sadhu samagamam · kuru punyam ahoratram smara nityam anityatam · subhashita on good company and right living
Read in your language / script
✦ Meaning
Tyaja Durjana Samsargam is a beloved subhashita that distils right living into four commands: forsake bad company, keep the company of the good, do good deeds day and night, and always remember the impermanence of the world. Compact and memorable, it is treasured as a complete rule of life and a guide to spiritual progress.
Origin & Story
Subhashita (classical Sanskrit niti verse) · Unknown (traditional subhashita) · Classical Sanskrit literature
This verse is one of the gems of the Subhashita tradition — short, elegant Sanskrit sayings on wisdom and right living recited for generations and gathered in countless anthologies. With its four crisp imperatives covering company, conduct and contemplation, it has become a cherished summary of the whole art of living well, often taught as a daily rule for both worldly and spiritual life.
✦ As told in scripture
This verse has guided many onto the path of virtue; teachers recount that those who adopt its fourfold counsel as a daily vow gradually find their company purified, their deeds ennobled and their hearts steadied by the constant remembrance that all things pass.
The Mantra
Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited
त्यज दुर्जनसंसर्गं भज साधुसमागमम्। कुरु पुण्यमहोरात्रं स्मर नित्यमनित्यताम्॥
tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam। kuru puṇyam aho-rātraṁ smara nityam anityatām॥
Meaning:Give up the company of the wicked; seek the company of the good. Perform meritorious deeds day and night, and ever remember the impermanence of all things. In four brief commands the verse lays out a complete path of right living and spiritual wisdom.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Tyaja Durjana Samsargam
Offers a complete, easily remembered rule for righteous living
Encourages forsaking harmful company and cultivating good association (satsang)
Inspires continual performance of good and meritorious deeds
Fosters spiritual wisdom through remembrance of impermanence
A guiding verse for seekers, students and householders alike
A short, profound verse ideal for daily reflection and resolve
How to Chant Tyaja Durjana Samsargam
Recite the verse each morning as a fourfold vow for the day — to shun bad company, seek good company, do good deeds, and remember life's impermanence. Reflect on each command in turn and let it shape your conduct and outlook. It is often taught as a compact rule of life, easy to memorise and powerful to live by.