All Shlokas | Sanskrit.Today

उपकाराय या पुंसां न परस्य न चात्मनः।
पत्रसंचयसंभारैः किं तया भारविद्यया॥

What value lies in knowledge that burdens rather than benefits? A skill or expertise that neither aids the self nor serves others is like a tree whose...

service (114) utility (42) ethics (803) selflessness (65) purpose (66) knowledge (279) burden (40) benevolence (15) social-good (1) action (258)

उपकारिणमपि पूज्यं हन्ति महान्तं खलोऽत्रपोऽवसरे।
धृष्टद्युम्नो मध्ये-
वीरं हतवान् गुरुं शान्तम्॥

Even the noble who have conferred great service fall prey to the vile when arrogance and opportunity converge. Just as Dhrishtadyumna, once protected ...

gratitude (60) betrayal (168) arrogance (135) opportunity (37) virtue (726) war (144) treachery (6) nobility (253) downfall (265) irony (348)

उपकारिणि विक्षीणे शनैः केदारवारिणि।
सानुक्रोशतया शालिर् अभूत् पाण्डुरवा मुखः॥

The field that once quenched the thirst of rice plants now dries with the waning generosity of its stream. And in silent sympathy, the grain turns pal...

sympathy (2) decline (52) nature (950) kindness (75) fading (8) emotion (652) subtlety (175) metaphor (1632) gratitude (60) drought (8)

उपकारिणि विश्रब्धे शुद्धमतौ यः समाचरति पापम्।
तं जनमसत्यसंधं भगवति वसुधे कथं वहसि॥

How does the sacred Earth bear the weight of one who, in full trust, sins against their benefactor — one who breaks sacred bonds with treachery? When ...

betrayal (168) trust (112) treachery (6) sanctity (34) deception (224) ethics (803) moral-failure (1) purity (356) reverence (112) justice (151)

उपकारिणि वीतमत्सरे वा सदयत्वं यदि तत्र कोऽतिरेकः।
अहिते सहसापराद्धलब्धे सघृणं
यस्य मनः सतां स धुर्यः॥

To show compassion to the kind is ordinary, but when one who has erred still receives empathy — that is the crown of virtue. The noble are those who c...

compassion (359) magnanimity (4) forgiveness (114) nobility (253) virtue (726) empathy (61) equanimity (38) grace (359) humility (596) ethics (803)

उपकारिषु यः साधुः साधुत्वे तस्य को गुणः।
अपकारिषु यः साधुः स साधुः सद्भिरुच्यते॥

True virtue shines not in returning kindness but in remaining kind to the unkind. Goodness that depends on reciprocation is transactional. Only those ...

virtue (726) saintliness (7) ethics (803) forgiveness (114) character (259) test-of-goodness (1) integrity (74) patience (122) nobility (253) reciprocity (9)

उपकारे कृतज्ञत्वम् अपकारे कृतघ्नता।
विषयस्य गुणावेतौ कर्तुः स्यातां विपर्ययौ॥

Gratitude in favor and ingratitude in harm — these are the natural responses of the wise and the base, respectively. But when the grateful are forgott...

gratitude (60) ingratitude (16) justice (151) discernment (142) ethics (803) reaction (24) duality (134) virtue (726) character (259) social-values (1)

उपकारेण दूयन्ते न सहन्तेऽनुकम्पिताम्।
आपत्स्वपि दुराराध्या नित्यदुःखा मनस्विनः॥

The proud-hearted, even in misery, resist kindness; their suffering deepens not for lack of help but for the unbearable weight of receiving it. Their ...

pride (317) honor (131) help (35) resistance (13) suffering (358) self-respect (18) nobility (253) emotion (652) pathos (10) complexity (11)

उपकारेण नीचानाम् अपकारो हि जायते।
पयःपानं भुजंगानां केवलं विषवर्धनम्॥

To the ignoble, kindness is a toxin. Like feeding milk to serpents only nourishes their venom, so does goodness towards the base breed harm. Thus, one...

discernment (142) base-nature (1) harm (53) metaphor (1632) snake (40) kindness (75) danger (229) wisdom (1611) charity (128) ethics (803)

उपकारेण वीरस्तु प्रतिकारेण युज्यते।
अकृतज्ञोऽप्रतिकृतो हन्ति सत्त्ववतां मनः॥

A true warrior repays kindness with honor, never allowing debt to linger. Yet the ungrateful — those who fail to reciprocate — wound the hearts of the...

warrior-ethos (1) gratitude (60) honor (131) nobility (253) hurt (7) betrayal (168) valour (1) reciprocity (9) humanism (1) emotion (652)