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subhashitawisdomnitihitopadesha

𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾

यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning reflection, or while studying and seeking to understand·📜 Hitopadesha (Subhashita)
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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగుதமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡമലയാളംગુજરાતીবাংলাଓଡ଼ିଆਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Hitopadesha (Subhashita) · Narayana Pandita (compiler of the Hitopadesha) · Classical Sanskrit literature (c. 9th–12th century CE)

The Hitopadesha is a collection of instructive animal fables in prose interspersed with verse, composed to teach princes wisdom and statecraft through delightful stories. This verse appears among its niti-shlokas, using the memorable image of a mirror useless to the blind to declare that scripture profits only the one already endowed with native intelligence.

✦ As told in scripture

Teachers of old loved to quote this verse to awaken thinking in their pupils; it is said that a student who grasps its meaning stops studying merely to memorise and begins to study in order to understand, and so makes every book he reads truly his own.

The Mantra

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𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾 𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌂 𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌕𑌰𑍋𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌿𑌮𑍍। 𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌾𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌹𑍀𑌨𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌃 𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿॥

yasya nāsti svayaṁ prajñā śāstraṁ tasya karoti kim। locanābhyāṁ vihīnasya darpaṇaḥ kiṁ kariṣyati॥

Meaning:जिसके पास स्वयं की प्रज्ञा (बुद्धि) नहीं है, उसके लिए शास्त्र क्या कर सकता है? जैसे जो आँखों से रहित है, उसके लिए दर्पण क्या करेगा? यह श्लोक सिखाता है कि शास्त्र-ज्ञान तभी फलदायी होता है जब वह अपनी सहज बुद्धि और विवेक से युक्त हो।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯🔊yasyaof whom, for the one who
𑌨𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌿🔊nāstithere is not, does not exist
𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌮𑍍🔊svayamone's own, innate, by oneself
𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌾🔊prajñāwisdom, native intelligence, discernment
𑌶𑌾𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑍍🔊śāstramscripture, the science or treatise, book-learning
𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌕𑌰𑍋𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌿𑌮𑍍🔊tasya karoti kimwhat can it do for him? (it is of no use)
𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌾𑌭𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊locanābhyāmwith the two eyes
𑌵𑌿𑌹𑍀𑌨𑌸𑍍𑌯🔊vihīnasyaof one who is devoid (deprived), of the one lacking
𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌣𑌃🔊darpaṇaḥa mirror
𑌕𑌿𑌂 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌷𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿🔊kiṁ kariṣyatiwhat will it do? (it serves no purpose)

Benefits of Chanting यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा

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Highlights that native intelligence and discernment are essential to learning

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Warns that book-knowledge alone, without understanding, is fruitless

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Encourages the cultivation of one's own reasoning and judgement

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Offers a memorable simile to grasp the limits of mere information

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A valuable lesson for students that learning must be understood, not just read

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A short, witty verse for reflection on wisdom versus rote knowledge

How to Chant यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा

Repetitions3times
Best TimeMorning reflection, or while studying and seeking to understand

Recite the verse thoughtfully, dwelling on its simile of the mirror useless to the eyeless. Reflect that knowledge bears fruit only when met by one's own intelligence and discernment, and resolve to truly understand rather than merely memorise. It is often quoted to students as a reminder that learning is meant to awaken thinking, not replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा 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 celebrated niti-shloka (subhashita) from the Hitopadesha, the classical Sanskrit collection of moral fables compiled by Narayana Pandita, and it is widely quoted in the broader Subhashita tradition on intelligence.
That scripture and book-learning are of no use to a person who lacks his own wisdom and discernment — just as a mirror is useless to someone without eyes. Native intelligence is essential for knowledge to be of any value.
No. It does not belittle scripture but stresses that its benefit depends on the learner's own intelligence and understanding. Study is fruitful only when joined to discernment, so the verse encourages cultivating both.

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