ॐMantra.Tips
subhashitawisdomchanakyaniti

𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍇𑌷𑍁

Vidya Mitram Pravaseshu (The True Friends in Life) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning reflection, or while contemplating life's supports and priorities·📜 Chanakya Niti
Share:

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగుதமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംગુજરાતીবাংলাଓଡ଼ିଆਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Chanakya Niti · Chanakya (Vishnugupta / Kautilya) · Ancient India (c. 4th–3rd century BCE)

Chanakya, a master of practical wisdom, often reduced life's truths to memorable pairings. In this verse he matches each condition of life with its truest friend — learning for the traveller, the spouse for the householder, medicine for the sick, and dharma for the departed — and in doing so quietly teaches that righteousness is the one friend that never abandons the soul.

✦ As told in scripture

Elders recite this verse to comfort the dying and to counsel the living, for it reveals that while every earthly friend is left behind at the end, the dharma one has gathered walks on with the soul — a companion that death itself cannot part.

The Mantra

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

𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌭𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌚। 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌧𑌿𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯𑍗𑌷𑌧𑌂 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌮𑍋 𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌚॥

vidyā mitraṁ pravāseṣu bhāryā mitraṁ gṛheṣu ca। vyādhitasyauṣadhaṁ mitraṁ dharmo mitraṁ mṛtasya ca॥

Meaning:Knowledge is one's friend while travelling in foreign lands; the wife is one's friend in the home; medicine is the friend of the sick; and dharma (righteousness) is the friend of the one who has died. Chanakya names the true companion suited to each situation of life, showing that the help we need changes with our circumstances.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

𑌵𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌯𑌾🔊vidyāknowledge, learning
𑌮𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊mitramfriend
𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍇𑌷𑍁🔊pravāseṣuin foreign lands, while travelling / living away from home
𑌭𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌾🔊bhāryāwife, spouse
𑌗𑍃𑌹𑍇𑌷𑍁🔊gṛheṣuin the home, in household life
𑌚🔊caand
𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌧𑌿𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯🔊vyādhitasyaof the sick person, of one who is ill
𑌔𑌷𑌧𑌮𑍍🔊auṣadhammedicine, remedy
𑌧𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌃🔊dharmaḥrighteousness, virtuous conduct, merit
𑌮𑍃𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯🔊mṛtasyaof the dead, of one who has died

Benefits of Chanting Vidya Mitram Pravaseshu (The True Friends in Life)

✦

Clarifies which support truly helps in each situation of life

✦

Exalts knowledge as a companion in unfamiliar places

✦

Honours the spouse as the friend of household life

✦

Reminds that dharma alone accompanies the soul after death

✦

Encourages cultivating learning, harmony, health and righteousness

✦

A concise, memorable verse for reflection on life's real friends

How to Chant Vidya Mitram Pravaseshu (The True Friends in Life)

Repetitions3times
Best TimeMorning reflection, or while contemplating life's supports and priorities

Recite the verse slowly and consider each pairing — knowledge for travel, the spouse for home, medicine for illness, dharma for the journey beyond death. Let it guide you toward cultivating these true friends. It is traditionally studied among Chanakya's teachings on the conduct of life.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Vidya Mitram Pravaseshu (The True Friends in Life) 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.
It is a famous verse from the Chanakya Niti (Niti Darpana), the collection of aphorisms attributed to Chanakya (Kautilya / Vishnugupta), the ancient Indian teacher of ethics, statecraft and the good life.
Knowledge (vidya) is the friend in foreign lands; the wife (bharya) is the friend in the home; medicine (aushadha) is the friend of the sick; and dharma (righteousness) is the friend of the one who has died — the only companion that follows the soul beyond this life.
Because all worldly relations and possessions are left behind at death, but the merit of one's righteous deeds (dharma) accompanies the soul on its onward journey. Chanakya thus points to dharma as the truest and most lasting friend of all.

You May Also Like

Na Kashchit Kasyachin Mitram (None Is Born a Friend or Foe)न कश्चित्कस्यचिन्मित्रंKah Kalah Kani Mitrani (Questions for Constant Self-Reflection)कः कालः कानि मित्राणिPustakastha Tu Ya Vidya (Knowledge in a Book Is of No Use)पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्याSarva Dharman Parityajya (Bhagavad Gita 18.66)सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्यSaraswati Vandanaसरस्वती वंदनाGuru Stotram — Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnuगुरु स्तोत्रम् — गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः

Found this helpful? Share it with loved ones 🙏

Share:

ॐ

Read the full Vidya Mitram Pravaseshu (The True Friends in Life) with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts

Full Vidya Mitram Pravaseshu (The True Friends in Life) (Devanagari)All MantrasFind by Purpose