subhashitawisdombhartrhariniti-shataka

යස්ය න විද්යා න තපෝ න දානම්

Yasya Na Vidya Na Tapo Na Danam in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning for self-reflection, or during study of niti and ethical texts·📜 Niti Shataka of Bhartrhari

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Niti Shataka of Bhartrhari · Bhartrhari · Classical Sanskrit literature (c. 5th century CE)

The Niti Shataka is the first of Bhartrhari's three famous centuries of verse, a collection of a hundred polished couplets on right conduct, wisdom and the ways of the world. In this verse Bhartrhari turns his sharp moral gaze upon the difference between the form of a human and the substance of one, declaring that without the inner riches of learning and virtue a person is no better than a beast that happens to wear a human shape.

✦ As told in scripture

Teachers of niti often note that this verse alone, taken to heart, has turned idle minds toward learning and virtue — for once a person truly fears being a mere 'burden upon the earth,' he begins in earnest to gather the inner wealth that makes a human worthy of the name.

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The Mantra

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

යස්ය න විද්යා න තපෝ න දානං ජ්ඤානං න ශීලං න ගුණෝ න ධර්මඃ. තේ මර්ත්යලෝකේ භුවි භාරභූතා මනුෂ්යරූපේණ මෘගාශ්චරන්ති..

yasya na vidyā na tapo na dānaṁ jñānaṁ na śīlaṁ na guṇo na dharmaḥ। te martyaloke bhuvi bhārabhūtā manuṣyarūpeṇa mṛgāś caranti॥

Meaning:Those who possess neither knowledge, nor austerity, nor charity, nor wisdom, nor good character, nor virtue, nor righteousness — they are but a burden upon the earth in the world of mortals, wandering about as beasts in the guise of human beings. This stern verse measures true humanity not by outward form but by inner worth.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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යස්ය🔊yasyaof whom, whoever has

න විද්යා🔊na vidyāno knowledge, no learning

න තපඃ🔊na tapaḥno austerity, no penance

න දානම්🔊na dānamno charity, no giving

ජ්ඤානම්🔊jñānamspiritual wisdom, discernment

න ශීලම්🔊na śīlamno good character, no moral conduct

න ගුණඃ🔊na guṇaḥno virtue, no merit

න ධර්මඃ🔊na dharmaḥno righteousness, no observance of duty

තේ🔊tethey, those people

මර්ත්යලෝකේ🔊martyalokein the world of mortals

භුවි🔊bhuvion the earth

භාරභූතාඃ🔊bhārabhūtāḥbeing a burden, existing as a load (on the earth)

මනුෂ්යරූපේණ🔊manuṣyarūpeṇain the form of a human being

මෘගාඃ🔊mṛgāḥbeasts, animals

චරන්ති🔊carantiwander, roam about, move

Benefits of Chanting Yasya Na Vidya Na Tapo Na Danam

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Inspires the cultivation of genuine inner virtues over mere outward appearance

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Names seven essential human qualities worth striving for in a single verse

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Serves as a sobering reminder to use the rare gift of human birth meaningfully

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Motivates students and seekers to pursue knowledge, character and righteousness

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A succinct measure for self-examination and personal growth

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Encourages charity, discipline and wisdom as the true marks of humanity

How to Chant Yasya Na Vidya Na Tapo Na Danam

Repetitions3times

Best TimeMorning for self-reflection, or during study of niti and ethical texts

Recite the verse thoughtfully and let it serve as a mirror for self-examination. Consider each of the seven qualities it names — knowledge, austerity, charity, wisdom, character, virtue and righteousness — and ask how each may be strengthened in your own life. Use it as a daily resolve to live as a true human being and not merely in human form.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Yasya Na Vidya Na Tapo Na Danam written in the Sinhala 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 from the Niti Shataka of Bhartrhari, the renowned Sanskrit poet-philosopher whose three centuries of verses (Shatakatraya) on ethics, love and renunciation are among the most quoted in Sanskrit literature.

That a human being is truly human only by inner worth — knowledge, austerity, charity, wisdom, character, virtue and righteousness. One devoid of all these is, in the poet's words, merely a beast in human form and a burden upon the earth.

Because it draws a sharp and memorable contrast between outward human form and inner human worth, urging every person to earn their humanity through real virtues rather than to assume it by appearance alone.