ॐMantra.Tips
subhashitanitiwisdomhypocrisy

Paropadeshe Panditeyam

परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम् in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Anytime for self-reflection, especially before advising or judging others·📜 Subhashita (Sanskrit niti tradition)
Share:

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగుதமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംગુજરાતીবাংলাଓଡ଼ିଆਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

This pithy and widely quoted Subhashita points out a universal human failing: it is effortless to lecture others on what is right, but genuinely difficult to follow that righteousness oneself. The verse honours the rare 'mahatma' who actually lives the dharma he speaks of, rather than merely advising it. It is a timeless caution against hypocrisy and a call to practise what we preach.

Origin & Story

Subhashita (Sanskrit niti tradition) · Anonymous (traditional Subhashita) · Classical Sanskrit literature

The Subhashita tradition gathers thousands of polished verses on wisdom, ethics and worldly conduct, passed down through anthologies and oral teaching. This verse belongs among the niti-shlokas that hold up a mirror to human nature. Its enduring popularity comes from a truth everyone recognises — that giving advice is far easier than following it.

✦ As told in scripture

It is often remarked that the moment a person genuinely takes this verse to heart, their habit of correcting others softens into the harder, nobler work of correcting themselves — the very mark of the rare mahatma the verse praises.

The Mantra

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

paropadeśe pāṇḍityaṁ sarveṣāṁ sukaraṁ nṛṇām। dharme svīyam anuṣṭhānaṁ kasyacit tu mahātmanaḥ॥

Meaning:Displaying cleverness in advising others is easy for everyone; but to actually practise righteousness oneself belongs only to some rare, great soul. With gentle irony the verse exposes the gap between preaching virtue and living it, reminding us that wisdom shown in words is common, while wisdom lived in deeds is rare.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

paropadeśe🔊in advising others, in instructing others
pāṇḍityam🔊scholarliness, cleverness, expertise
sarveṣām🔊of all, for everyone
sukaram🔊easy to do, effortless
nṛṇām🔊for men, for people
dharme🔊in (the practice of) righteousness, in duty
svīyam🔊one's own, personal
anuṣṭhānam🔊practice, actual performance, observance
kasyacit🔊of some (rare) one
tu🔊but, however
mahātmanaḥ🔊of a great soul, of a noble person

Benefits of Chanting परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम्

✦

Cultivates self-awareness and guards against hypocrisy

✦

Reminds the reciter to practise the values they advise to others

✦

Encourages integrity — aligning one's words with one's deeds

✦

A sharp, memorable verse for ethical reflection and self-correction

✦

Inspires admiration for those rare souls who truly live their principles

✦

Excellent for value education and honest self-examination

How to Chant परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम्

Repetitions3times
Best TimeAnytime for self-reflection, especially before advising or judging others

Recite the verse and turn its mirror upon yourself: where do I preach more easily than I practise? Use it as a gentle check before offering advice to others, and as encouragement to embody the dharma you speak of. It is meant for honest contemplation rather than ritual repetition.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम् 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 means that being clever or scholarly when advising others is easy for everyone, but actually practising righteousness oneself is achieved only by some rare great soul. It is a witty observation on the difference between preaching and living virtue.
It is a well-known Subhashita (wise saying) from the broad Sanskrit Subhashita tradition, often cited in collections of niti (ethical) verses for its sharp and universal insight.
That integrity lies in practising what we preach. Anyone can give good advice; only the truly noble live by the dharma they recommend to others. It is a caution against hypocrisy and a call to walk one's talk.

You May Also Like

विद्या ददाति विनयम्विद्या ददाति विनयम्सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात्सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात्यस्यास्ति वित्तं स नरः कुलीनःयस्यास्ति वित्तं स नरः कुलीनःभवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमैःभवन्ति नम्रास्तरवः फलोद्गमैःअयं निजः परो वेतिअयं निजः परो वेतिसुखस्य मूलं धर्मःसुखस्य मूलं धर्मःविपदि धैर्यमथाभ्युदये क्षमाविपदि धैर्यमथाभ्युदये क्षमा

Found this helpful? Share it with loved ones 🙏

Share:

ॐ

Read the full परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम् with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts

Full परोपदेशे पाण्डित्यम् (Devanagari)All MantrasFind by Purpose