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subhashitawisdomdharmachanakya

සුඛස්ය මූලං ධර්මඃ

सुखस्य मूलं धर्मः in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning reflection, or while contemplating one's conduct and responsibilities·📜 Chanakya Niti
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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగుதமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംગુજરાતીবাংলাଓଡ଼ିଆਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

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

Chanakya, the legendary strategist and minister who helped found the Mauryan empire, compiled terse aphorisms (sutras) distilling his philosophy of ethics, governance and the good life. This chain of sutras is among his most famous, tracing the entire edifice of human happiness down to its foundation in self-control, humility and reverent service of the wise.

✦ As told in scripture

Students of niti have long marvelled that this short chain contains a whole philosophy of life: trace any happiness to its source and you arrive at humility before the wise. Teachers say that one who truly grasps it will guard humility above all, knowing that upon it the entire structure of a good life rests.

The Mantra

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සුඛස්ය මූලං ධර්මඃ. ධර්මස්ය මූලම් අර්ථඃ. අර්ථස්ය මූලං රාජ්යම්. රාජ්යස්ය මූලම් ඉන්ද්රියජයඃ. ඉන්ද්රියජයස්ය මූලං විනයඃ. විනයස්ය මූලං වෘද්ධෝපසේවා..

sukhasya mūlaṁ dharmaḥ। dharmasya mūlam arthaḥ। arthasya mūlaṁ rājyam। rājyasya mūlam indriya-jayaḥ। indriya-jayasya mūlaṁ vinayaḥ। vinayasya mūlaṁ vṛddhopasevā॥

Meaning:सुख का मूल धर्म है। धर्म का मूल अर्थ (न्यायपूर्वक अर्जित धन) है। अर्थ का मूल सुव्यवस्थित राज्य है। राज्य का मूल इन्द्रियों पर विजय (आत्मसंयम) है। इन्द्रियजय का मूल विनय (नम्रता) है। और विनय का मूल वृद्धजनों एवं ज्ञानियों की सेवा है। यह श्लोक सुख को चरण-दर-चरण ज्ञानी-वृद्धजनों की विनम्र सेवा तक पहुँचाता है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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සුඛස්ය🔊sukhasyaof happiness, of well-being
මූලම්🔊mūlamthe root, the foundation
ධර්මඃ🔊dharmaḥrighteousness, virtuous conduct, duty
ධර්මස්ය මූලම්🔊dharmasya mūlamthe root of righteousness
අර්ථඃ🔊arthaḥwealth, material resources, prosperity
අර්ථස්ය මූලම්🔊arthasya mūlamthe root of wealth
රාජ්යම්🔊rājyam(a well-governed) kingdom, an ordered state
රාජ්යස්ය මූලම්🔊rājyasya mūlamthe root of a well-governed kingdom
ඉන්ද්රියජයඃ🔊indriya-jayaḥmastery over the senses, self-control
ඉන්ද්රියජයස්ය මූලම්🔊indriya-jayasya mūlamthe root of mastery over the senses
විනයඃ🔊vinayaḥhumility, discipline, good conduct
විනයස්ය මූලම්🔊vinayasya mūlamthe root of humility
වෘද්ධෝපසේවා🔊vṛddhopasevāservice of and attendance upon the elders / the wise

Benefits of Chanting सुखस्य मूलं धर्मः

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Reveals the hidden chain that links happiness to humble service of the wise

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Establishes dharma (righteousness) as the very foundation of well-being

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Teaches that self-control and humility underlie all worldly success

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A profound guide for both personal conduct and good leadership

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Encourages reverence toward elders and learning from the experienced

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A concise, memorable sutra ideal for daily reflection and value-based living

How to Chant सुखस्य मूलं धर्मः

Repetitions3times
Best TimeMorning reflection, or while contemplating one's conduct and responsibilities

Recite the aphorisms slowly, following the chain from 'the root of happiness is dharma' down to 'the root of humility is service of the wise.' Then trace it back upward and reflect on how humble service builds character, character builds self-mastery, and self-mastery upholds a good and happy life. It is traditionally studied as part of Chanakya's teachings on ethics and statecraft.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete सुखस्य मूलं धर्मः 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 a celebrated set of aphorisms (sutras) attributed to Chanakya (Kautilya), the ancient teacher of statecraft and ethics, and preserved in the Chanakya Niti tradition. It is among the most quoted teachings on the foundations of a good life.
That happiness ultimately rests on a chain of virtues: dharma, rightly earned wealth, good governance, self-control, humility, and the service of the wise. Each is the foundation of the one above it, so cultivating the base virtues secures the whole structure of well-being.
Because humility and good conduct are learned by honouring and serving those who are wise and experienced. Chanakya places vriddhopaseva — attending upon elders — as the deepest root, since from it grows humility, and from humility every higher good follows.

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