All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

दिक्कालाद्यनवच्छिन्नानन्तचिन्मात्रमूर्तये ।
स्वानुभूत्येकनामाय नमः शान्ताय तेजसे ॥ १॥

This shloka is a salutation to the Supreme Consciousness, which is beyond the limitations of space, time, direction, and causality. It describes the e...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) supreme consciousness (7) infinite (2) timeless (4) spaceless (1) causeless (1) self-realization (37) svanubhuti (1) transcendence (83) peace (171) radiance (209) self-luminous (1) ultimate reality (4) nameless (1) formless (4) divine essence (4)

यां चिन्तयामि सततं मयि सा विरक्ता
साप्यन्यमिच्छति जनं स जनोऽन्यसक्तः ।
अस्मत्कृते च परिशुष्यति काचिदन्या
धिक् तां च तं च मदनं च इमां च मां च ॥ २॥

The poet laments the painful cycle of unfulfilled love. He thinks constantly of a beloved who is disinterested in him, as she desires another man, who...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) unrequited love (14) longing (690) rejection (86) misplaced affection (3) cycle of desire (1) suffering (358) curse (24) frustration (39) lament (41) passion (501) heartbreak (65) relationships (94) madana (7) despair (67) self-reproach (1)

अज्ञः सुखमाराध्यः सुखतरमाराध्यते विशेषज्ञः ।
ज्ञानलवदुर्विग्धं ब्रह्मापि नरं न रञ्जयति ॥ ३॥

This shloka explains the paradox of dealing with people of different levels of knowledge. The ignorant person is easy to please because they do not qu...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) ignorance (301) wisdom (1611) arrogance (135) half-knowledge (1) humility (596) easy to please (1) experts (1) pride (317) dissatisfaction (14) human nature (88) knowledge (279) brahma (37) difficult people (1) understanding (28) arrogance of learning (2)

प्रसह्य मणिमुद्धरेन्मकरवक्त्रदंष्ट्राङ्कुरा-
त्समुद्रमपि संतरेत्प्रचलदुर्मिमालाकुलम् ॥
भुजङ्गमपि कोपितं शिरसि पुष्पवद्धारये-
न्न तु प्रतिनिविष्टमूर्खजनचित्तमाराधयेत् ॥ ४॥

The verse stresses the impossibility of pacifying a stubborn fool. It says one may forcibly extract a gem from the jaws of a crocodile, cross a violen...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) fools (12) stubbornness (6) futility (143) ignorance (301) obstinacy (2) impossible task (1) crocodile (2) stormy sea (1) serpent (37) reasoning (10) wisdom (1611) arrogance (135) foolish mind (1) futility of effort (1) human behavior (15)

लभेत सिकतासु तैलमपि यत्नतः पीडयन्
पिबेच्च मृगतृष्णिकासु सलिलं पिपासार्दितः ।
कदाचिदपि पर्यटन्शशविषाणमासादयेन्
न तु प्रतिनिविष्टमूर्खजनचित्तमाराधयेत् ॥ ५॥

Continuing the theme of folly, this shloka states that one may extract oil from sand by pressing it, or quench thirst by drinking from a mirage, or ev...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) futility (143) fools (12) ignorance (301) impossibility (7) rabbit horn (1) mirage (11) sand oil (1) obstinacy (2) wasted effort (3) human folly (7) unteachable (2) hopeless (1) stubborn mind (1) wisdom (1611) futility of reasoning (1)

व्यालं बालमृणालतन्तुभिरसौ रोद्धुं समुज्जृम्भते
छेत्तुं वज्रमणीं शिरीषकुसुमप्रान्तेन सन्नह्यति ।
माधुर्यं मधुबिन्दुना रचयितुं क्षाराम्बुधेरीहते
नेतुं वाञ्छति यः खलान्पथि सतां सूक्तैः सुधास्यन्दिभिः ॥ ६॥

This verse compares the futility of reforming wicked people to absurd tasks. Trying to restrain a wild elephant with a thread of lotus fiber, cutting ...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) futility (143) wicked people (2) evil minds (1) wisdom (1611) reform (3) impossibility (7) diamond (3) elephant (117) lotus thread (2) salty ocean (1) honey drop (1) saints (30) futility of teaching (1) unreformable (1) wisdom wasted (1)

स्वायत्तमेकान्तगुणं विधात्रा
विनिर्मितं छादनमज्ञतायाः ।
विशेषतः सर्वविदां समाजे
विभूषणं मौनमपण्डितानाम् ॥ ७॥

This verse extols silence as a great quality. Created by the Creator himself, silence becomes the natural cover for ignorance. Particularly in the com...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) silence (94) wisdom (1611) ignorance (301) restraint (226) dignity (146) humility (596) protection (293) speech (345) virtue (726) knowledge (279) foolishness (88) self-awareness (37) humility in speech (1) cover (1) ornament (58)

यदा किञ्चिज्ज्ञोऽहं गज इव मदान्धः समभवम्
तदा सर्वज्ञोऽस्मीत्यभवदवलिप्तं मम मनः ।
यदा किञ्चित्किञ्चिद्बुधजनसकाशादवगतम्
तदा मूर्खोऽस्मीति ज्वर इव मदो मे व्यपगतः ॥ ८॥

This reflective verse describes the journey of humility in learning. When the poet first gained a little knowledge, he became arrogant like a mad elep...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) knowledge (279) humility (596) arrogance (135) wisdom (1611) partial knowledge (1) learning (126) ignorance (301) arrogance of learning (2) humility through wisdom (1) self-realization (37) journey (57) mad elephant (1) pride (317) awareness (73) self-reflection (17)

कृमिकुलचितं लालाक्लिन्नं विगन्धि जुगुप्सितं
निरूपमरसं प्रीत्या खादन्नरास्थि निरामिषम् ।
सुरपितमपि श्वा पार्श्वस्थं विलोक्य न शङ्कते
न हि गणयति क्षुद्रो जन्तुः परिग्रहफल्गुताम् ॥ ९॥

The verse gives a vivid image of a dog chewing a dry, foul-smelling, saliva-covered bone with worms, finding delight where there is no taste. Even whe...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) greed (141) pettiness (4) ignorance (301) attachment (102) worthless possession (1) dog (22) bone (3) worms (2) blind attachment (1) selfishness (62) false joy (2) narrow mind (1) missed opportunity (5) human folly (7) materialism (37) clinging (2)

शिरः शार्वं स्वर्गात्पशुपतिशिरस्तः क्षितिधरं
महीध्रादुत्तुङ्गादवनिमवनेश्चापि जलधिम् ।
अधोऽधो गङ्गेयं पदमुपगता स्तोकमथवा
विवेकभ्रष्टानां भवति विनिपातः शतमुखः ॥ १०॥

The descent of the Ganga is used as a metaphor here. From the head of Shiva, the river flows down to the mountains, then the plains, and finally reach...

नीतिशतकम् - Nitishatakam (110) ganga (83) fall (63) downfall (265) wisdom (1611) discrimination (65) loss of viveka (1) shiva (328) mountain (48) ocean (160) descent (5) ruin (53) human fall (1) stages of decline (1) spiritual collapse (1) metaphor (1632)

Contribute to the Collection

Help us expand this library of wisdom! If you know a Shloka or Subhashitam that isn't yet featured, please share it with our community.

Submit Your Shloka

Your contributions are greatly appreciated. 🙏