Shloka 8
Governance and Policy — Chanakya Niti
दाने तपसि शौर्ये वा विज्ञाने विनये नये ।
विस्मयो नहि कर्तव्यो बहुरत्ना वसुन्धरा ॥
dāne tapasi śaurye vā vijñāne vinaye naye |
vismayo nahi kartavyo bahuratnā vasundharā ||
Do not marvel at generosity, austerity, valor, learning, humility, or prudent conduct; the earth is rich with many gems—many kinds of excellence.
FAQs
In the broader Nīti-śāstra tradition, such verses function as compact observations about social life and political-ethical ideals in early/classical South Asia. This statement reflects a literary milieu where virtues (learning, discipline, courage, prudent policy) were treated as widely distributed human capacities rather than exclusive traits, aligning with didactic collections aimed at courts, administrators, and educated households.
Here, “naya” appears in a list of valued capacities alongside learning and humility, suggesting an understanding of naya as practical judgment or prudent strategy within social and political conduct. The verse does not provide a technical definition, but its placement implies naya as an acknowledged excellence comparable to other cultivated virtues.
The phrase “bahuratnā vasundharā” employs a conventional metaphor: the earth/world as “many-jeweled,” where “jewels” signify rare or admirable qualities. Linguistically, the locative series (dāne, tapasi, śaurye, vijñāne, vinaye, naye) frames a catalogue of domains in which excellence can be encountered, supporting the concluding claim that “vismaya” (astonishment) is unwarranted because diversity of merit is a normal feature of the world.