subhashitabhartrhariniti-shatakawealth

Yasyasti Vittam Sa Narah Kulinah

Yasyasti Vittam Sa Narah Kulinah in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Anytime for reflection, especially when contemplating values, wealth and society·📜 Niti Shataka of Bhartrhari (Subhashita)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This famous Subhashita from Bhartrhari's Niti Shataka is a sharp satire on a society that measures every human worth by wealth. It declares, with deliberate sarcasm, that whoever possesses money is automatically deemed noble, learned, eloquent and even good-looking, because in the world's eyes 'all virtues cling to gold.' The verse remains startlingly relevant as a critique of judging people by their riches rather than their true character.

Origin & Story

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

Bhartrhari, according to tradition a king who renounced his throne for the contemplative life, composed three Shatakas — collections of a hundred verses each — on ethics (Niti), love (Shringara) and renunciation (Vairagya). The Niti Shataka gathers his keen observations on human conduct, fate, wealth and wisdom. This verse stands among his most quoted, a withering commentary on a world that confuses gold with greatness.

✦ As told in scripture

Though a worldly observation rather than a devotional hymn, this verse has guided countless readers across the centuries to a single liberating insight — that the soul's true riches are virtue and wisdom, which no amount of gold can buy or counterfeit.

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The Mantra

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yasyāsti vittaṁ sa naraḥ kulīnaḥ sa paṇḍitaḥ sa śrutavān guṇajñaḥ। sa eva vaktā sa ca darśanīyaḥ sarve guṇāḥ kāñcanam āśrayanti॥

Meaning:The man who has wealth is considered well-born; he is called learned, scripturally wise and a connoisseur of merit; he alone is the eloquent speaker and even the handsome one — for all virtues take refuge in gold. With biting irony, Bhartrhari observes how the world heaps every imagined excellence upon the rich, simply because they are rich.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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yasya🔊of whom, the one who

asti🔊there is, possesses

vittam🔊wealth, money, riches

sa naraḥ🔊that man, he

kulīnaḥ🔊well-born, of noble family

paṇḍitaḥ🔊learned, a scholar

śrutavān🔊well-versed in scriptures, knowledgeable

guṇajñaḥ🔊a connoisseur, one who appreciates merit

sa eva vaktā🔊he alone is the eloquent speaker

darśanīyaḥ🔊handsome, worth looking at

sarve guṇāḥ🔊all virtues, all good qualities

kāñcanam🔊gold, wealth

āśrayanti🔊take refuge in, depend upon, cling to

Benefits of Chanting Yasyasti Vittam Sa Narah Kulinah

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Cultivates discernment to judge people by character rather than wealth

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A powerful reminder that virtues attributed to the rich are often illusory

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Sharpens awareness of social hypocrisy and flattery toward the wealthy

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Encourages humility in prosperity and dignity in modest means

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A memorable verse for teaching ethics, value education and critical thinking

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Inspires the seeker to value true merit over outward riches

How to Chant Yasyasti Vittam Sa Narah Kulinah

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAnytime for reflection, especially when contemplating values, wealth and society

Recite the verse slowly, savouring its irony, and reflect on how often the world's praise follows money rather than merit. Read it as a mirror for one's own attitudes — do we respect people for who they are or for what they own? It is best contemplated rather than ritually repeated, used as a daily reminder to honour genuine character over wealth.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Yasyasti Vittam Sa Narah Kulinah written in the English 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 celebrated poet-philosopher whose three Shatakas (Niti, Shringara and Vairagya) are masterpieces of Sanskrit didactic poetry. This verse appears among his reflections on wealth and worldly conduct.

It is satire, not praise. Bhartrhari uses irony to expose how society wrongly showers every virtue — nobility, learning, eloquence, even beauty — upon a person merely because they are rich. The closing line, 'all virtues take refuge in gold,' is a critique, urging us to look beyond riches.

That true worth lies in character, knowledge and conduct, not in wealth. The verse warns against the human tendency to flatter the rich and to mistake money for merit.