महासुभाषितसंग्रहः
Mahasubhashita Sangraha
A monumental modern compilation of Sanskrit aphorisms drawn from hundreds of classical texts. Preserves countless subhashitas from oral tradition across topics from generosity and power to cosmic order — a standard academic reference.
7
Subhashitams
Subhashitams from this grantha
gauravaṃ prāpyate dānāt na tu vittasya sañcayāt | sthitiruccaiḥ payodānāṃ payodhīnāmadhaḥ sthitiḥ ||
Glory is attained through giving, not through accumulation of wealth. The rain-giving clouds dwell on high; the oceans that merely collect water remain below.
akāraṇaṃ vyākaraṇaṃ tantrīśabdo'pyakāraṇam | akāraṇaṃ trayo vedāstaṇḍulāstatra kāraṇam ||
Grammar matters not, the sound of the lute matters not, the three Vedas matter not — rice alone is what truly matters to a hungry person.
akiñcanatvaṃ rājyaṃ ca tulayā samatolayat | akiñcanatvamadhikaṃ rājyādapi jitātmanaḥ ||
When poverty and kingship were weighed on a balance, for one who has conquered the self, poverty outweighs even kingship.
akṛtapremaiva varaṃ na punaḥ sañjātavighaṭitapremā | uddhṛtanayanastāmyati yathā hi na tateha jātāndhaḥ ||
Better never to have loved than to have loved and lost — just as one born blind suffers less than one whose eyes have been gouged out.
arthī karoti dainyaṃ labdhārtho garvamaparitoṣaṃ ca | naṣṭadhano'sti saśokaḥ sukhamāste niḥspṛhaḥ puruṣaḥ ||
The seeker of wealth becomes degraded, the one who gains it turns proud and dissatisfied, the one who loses it grieves — only the desireless person lives in happiness.
aśvaṃ naiva gajaṃ naiva vyāghraṃ naiva ca naiva ca | ajāputraṃ baliṃ dadyāt devo durbalagḥātakaḥ ||
Not the horse, not the elephant, not the tiger — only the lamb is offered as sacrifice in a ritual. God too strikes down only the weak.
aṅgena gātraṃ nayanena vaktraṃ nyāyena rājyaṃ lavaṇena bhojyaṃ | dharmeṇa hīnaṃ khalu jīvitaṃ ca na rājate candramasā vinā niśā ||
Body is graced by its limbs, face by the eyes, kingdom by justice, food by salt. Indeed, a life devoid of Dharma does not shine — just as a night does not shine without the moon.