All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

उत्तमस्यापि वर्णस्य नीचोऽपि गृहमागतः।
पूजनीयो यथायोग्यं सर्वदेवमयोऽतिथिः॥

Even if from a lower caste, a guest entering one's home must be respected appropriately—being akin to all the gods.

guest (23) respect (164) caste (24) dignity (146) devotion (933) hospitality (42) dharma (540) inclusivity (3) reverence (112) social ethics (8)

उत्तमस्यापि वर्णस्य नीचोऽपि गृहमागतः।
बालो वा यदि वा वृद्धः सर्वस्याभ्यागतो गुरुः॥

Be it a child or elder, noble or low-born, any guest who arrives must be treated as a guru—worthy of honor and attention.

guest (23) guru (43) respect (164) child (24) elder (2) social norms (31) honor (131) dharma (540) humility (596) tradition (283)

उत्तमाः स्वगुणैः ख्याता मध्यमाश्च पितुर्गुणैः।
अधमा मातुलस्यापि श्वशुरस्याधमाधमाः॥

The best are known by their own virtues, the average by their father's, while the worst gain fame through uncles or in-laws.

character (259) virtue (726) lineage (79) fame (166) self-worth (35) identity (65) hierarchy (46) family (165) judgment (94) society (152)

उत्तमाः स्वार्जितैर्द्रव्यैः
पितुर्वित्तेन मध्यमाः।
अधमा मातृवित्तेन स्त्रीवित्तेनाधमाधमाः॥

The best earn their own wealth, the average rely on paternal wealth, the worst depend on maternal or women's wealth.

wealth (447) self-reliance (26) independence (29) hierarchy (46) economy (11) judgment (94) family (165) tradition (283) values (171) gender bias (1)

उत्तमा आत्मनः ख्याताः पितुः ख्याताश्च मध्यमाः।
अधमा मातुलात् ख्याताः श्वशुराच् चाधमाधमः॥

The best are known by themselves, the average through fathers, and the worst via maternal or in-law connections.

reputation (56) identity (65) self-earned (2) comparison (402) hierarchy (46) society (152) judgment (94) worth (34) lineage (79) tradition (283)

उत्तमा गोद्भवाज् ज्यैष्ठ्याद्
ब्रह्मणश्चैव धारणात्।
सर्वस्यैवास्य सर्गस्य धर्मतो ब्राह्मणः प्रभुः॥

A Brahmin is supreme due to divine birth, seniority, and embodiment of the Vedas—governor of creation by dharma.

brahmin (50) supremacy (14) creation (117) veda (6) dharma (540) seniority (2) divine (346) authority (35) tradition (283) spiritual hierarchy (1)

उत्तमाधममध्यानां श्रोतव्यं वचनं बुधैः।
तत्र चात्महितं ग्राह्यं वस्तवाक्यं यथा नृपः॥

Wise men must listen to the good, bad, and average—accepting truth as a king accepts relevant counsel.

wisdom (1611) discernment (142) speech (345) listening (10) judgment (94) advice (48) neutrality (13) leadership (279) intellect (106) truth (300)

उत्तमाधममध्यानि बुद्ध्वा कार्याणि पार्थिवः।
उत्तमाधममध्येषु पुरुषेषु नियोजयेत्॥

A king should recognize and appropriately assign duties to the best, average, and worst individuals.

leadership (279) governance (214) merit (120) delegation (3) judgment (94) wisdom (1611) ranking (3) suitability (2) administration (16) social order (10)

उत्तमाधमसंसक्तौ जानन् सदृशवृत्तिताम्।
नारीणां शुचिबाह्यानाम् अ गनाख्यां व्यधाद् विधिः॥

Aware of varied temperaments, the Creator designed marriage for pure women to ensure compatibility with different male dispositions.

marriage (104) creation (117) compatibility (8) temperament (7) divine design (7) purity (356) society (152) ethics (803) gender (19) balance (185)

उत्तमानां स्वभावोऽयं परदुःखासहिष्णुता।
स्वयं दुःखं च संप्राप्तं मन्यतेऽन्यस्य वार्यते॥

The noble are defined by their inability to bear others’ suffering and their effort to ease it, even while suffering themselves.

compassion (359) empathy (61) nobility (253) selflessness (65) suffering (358) nature (950) ethics (803) kindness (75) virtue (726) sacrifice (146)