Source of “Satyameva Jayate”

Thank you for your appreciation and for noticing the error in my transcription.

1. “Satyameva Jayate” (Satyam eva Jayate: Truth alone triumphs) – from Mundaka Upanishad (MU).

Since I have learned the Mundaka Upanishad in Samskrit language (Devanagari lipi), here are the exact four lines of the sloka (MU 3.1.6: 3rd Mundaka, 1st khanda, Sixth sloka):

Satyameva jayate naanritam
Satyena pantha vitato deveyanah l
Yena akramantyarishayo hyaaptakaamaa
Yatra tat satyasha paramam nidhaanam ll 6 ll

English meaning:
Truth alone prevails, not falsehood. By truth the path is laid out, the Way of the Gods, on which the seers, whose every desire is satisfied, proceed to the Highest Abode of the True. (Translation by Swami Nikhilananda)

You may enjoy other translations too:
Truth alone triumphs, not untruth. By truth divine way is pervaded on which, rishis of yore fulfilled in their desires attain the Supreme truth.
OR
Truth alone wins, not untruth. The path of the gods is thrown open by Truth, by which path, the sages who have attained their desires, go along and reach that highest pedestal, which is the abode of the true one.

2. “Satyameva Jayate” statement is the national motto of Bharat (not many Bharatiya knows it), appearing in the national emblem having four lions. It is inscribed in Devanagari lipi at the base of the national emblem, which is an adaptation of the Buddhist Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath (near Varanasi, UP).

3. It surprises me, Shantanu named his blog ‘Satyameva Jayate’ even without knowing the source of that great time-tested Vedic statement. But I appreciate his honest words (…I hit upon the source of …). Every discovery brings us pleasure, so Shantanu Congratulations. Anyway, it is not your fault for knowing the source a bit late. It is faults of our colonial anti-Bharatiya education system. I am afraid even 1% Hindus (forget other Bharatiya) know its source and source of many other beautiful great Vedic statements (like Vasudvaiva kutumbakam, Tamasho maa jyotir gamaya, Sarve bhavantu shukhino, etc.)

4. Besides the Bhagavad Gita, please all read the 11 or 13 main Upanishads (preferably in Samskrit, else good translations by Bharatiya scholars/authorities). There’s none in this world of knowledge which will satisfy one’s hunger (physical, mental, spiritual…) to understand the very existence of ours, the Self, the Supreme Reality, without studying and practicing Vedanta philosophy (BG, Upanishads).

AUM TAT SAT !!

Shantanu: I mean no fault of yours in naming the blog without knowing the source. Most Bharatiya knows the meaning of the statement, Satyameva Jayate, but very few knows the source. I also discovered it oneday, as you did now. Some will discover tomorrow and the day after. It is a process.

We are learning everyday, every moment. That is the most beautiful thing in us, the mankind. The moment learning stops, our brain functioning stops. Learning is a process and it need to continue to keep us active and dynamic.

You did a wonderful job, by starting a blog. And that too with a beautiful name. Its educating, benefiting all who visits, reads and writes. Keep up the high spirit, as blog names!

Dharma rakshati rakshitah (Dharma protects those who protects dharma).

Bharat

@ Bharat: No offence taken. Thanks for your compliments.

***

@ Patriot: Read the story of BhArat here:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/iml/iml14.htm

Note: The name has nothing to do with Lord Shri Ram’s younger brother “Bharat” (not BhArat)

Some of you will find this article interesting:

http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19970822/23450443.html

Let India become Bharat by M. Rama Jois (former Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court).

Excerpts:

“…A single name `Bharat’ was given to the whole territory from times immemorial is equally an interesting fact of history.

The name `Bharat’ is our rich national heritage. It reminds us of our cultural values, the great epics, our literatures, saints, heroes, philosophers and our glorious history as well as our unity in diversity.

It was the Britishers who had the desire to destroy the nation’s identity so that they may rule this country for ever. They started their scheme with changing the name of the country. They called it India.

The difference between the two names has been pointed out by the greatest historian Radhakumud Mukherji in his book Fundamental Unity of India,.

``The first expression they appear to have given to this sense of unity was their description of the entire country by the single name of Bharatvarsha. The name India was given to the country by foreigners… The name Bharatavarsha is not a mere geographical expression like the term India, having only a physical reference. It has deep, historical significance symbolising a fundamental unity which was certainly perceived and understood by those who invented the name”, he wrote.

It is an undisputable fact that in our struggle for freedom it was the single slogan `Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ that united the people of this country.

Vishnupurana has devoted a whole chapter for eulogising the name and special quality of this land: “The country which lies to the north of the seas and south of the Himalayas is `Bharat’ and inhabitants of this land are `Bharatiyas’.

“This land is great because it is a `Karmabhoomi’ (land of duty), whereas other countries are `Bhogabhoomi’ (land of enjoyment)”.

There is another verse, in praise of Bharat which says: “Even Gods sing the glory of Bharat saying blessed is this part of the earth called `Bharat”’.

Having such an attachment to our motherland, it is essential in national interest to retain the name Bharat and delete the name India.

But, unfortunately, the very first article of our Constitution gave the name of the land as `India that is Bharat’.

Why two names for our motherland?

…If `India’ is the name of our country, then our national anthem should have said “India Bhagya Vidhata”, but it says “Bharath Bhagya Vidhata”. What is the need to substitute Bharat for India?

Is not retaining the name `India’ an act of mental slavery?

One can say what is there in a name, so long as the country is the same. On the other hand, from the point of view of our national identity, honour, unity, cultural heritage, the name has a great potentiality. The very declaration that the name of this country is Bharat and the deletion of name `India’ from the Constitution and the laws and giving up its use everywhere bring about a psychological change so essential for establishing our national identity.

***

And here is a great post by Apollo on this: http://catapult.nationalinterest.in/2007/09/21/what-about-bharata/ and another one: http://moralstories.wordpress.com/2006/08/11/bharata-dushyanta-putra/

I might make a post compiling all this.

@Nandan: Thanks for clarifying.

***

@Patriot: Sorry. I now realise I’d misunderstood your question.

To add to previous message:

Our nation’s official name is Bharat Ganarajya (Republic of India).

Origin of Bharat word:
The word Bharat, Bharata, Bharatavarsh(a) came from the Maharaj (Emperor) Bharata. Bharata was a legendary king, first to conquer all of Greater India, uniting it into a single entity which was named after him as Bharatavashsa. The region of Bharatvarsha, according to Mahabharata, comprising the total Indian subcontinent including most part of Mynmer/Burma, todays Afganistan, Persia). His dynasty later known as Bharata-vansha or Bharata-dynasty. Sri Ram’s (of Ayodhya) dynasty was decendents of Bharata dynasty, that is why we call Sri Ram as Bharata-vanshi.

According to Mahabharata Adi Parva, Bharata was the son of King Dushyanta and Shakuntala and thus a descendeant of Chandra-vansha (Lunar-dynasty) of the Kshatriya Varna. Originally, he was named as Sarvadamana (subduer of all); Mahabharata traces the events in his life by which he came to be known as Bharata (‘the cherished’).
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Here is a good site, which gives info on meaning of the word Bharat, Bharatvarsh, and Sanatan Dharma.

Definition of Bharatvarsh
http://www.thevedicfoundation.org/bhartiya_history/definition.htm

I agree with Ashish. I was about to ask the same to Shantanu to remove that site [(Copyright © 1999 Piero Scaruffi)- colonial western-biased materials]

Here are few good sites, Shantanu may add as links.

1. Chronology in the history of India
Dr Dinesh Agarwal
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=70&page=36
http://www.yogacara.net/node/14701

Based on Vedic testimonies, Puranic references, archaeological evidences, and all the accounts presented here and above, the most realistic and accurate chronological events of the pre-historic period of India should be fixed as follows:

Vedic age – 7000-4000 b.c.
End of Rig Vedic age – 3750 b.c.
End of Ramayana – Mahabharata period – 3000 b.c.
Development of Saraswati-Indus civilisation – 3000-2000 b.c.
Decline of Indus and Saraswati civilisation – 2200-1900 b.c.
Period of complete chaos and migration – 2000-1500 b.c.
Period of evolution of syncretic Hindu culture – 1400-250 b.c.
******

2. Comparative Timeline of Indian and World History
http://in.geocities.com/sarabhanga/timeline.html
This site gives much better information (Indo-centric way).

3. Another good site (Its an encyclopedic book, so general information online):
The true history and religion of India
http://www.thetruehistoryandthereligionofindia.org/

Satya/Truth must prevail!
Bharat

“Besides the Bhagavad Gita, please all read the 11 or 13 main Upanishads (preferably in Samskrit, else good translations by Bharatiya scholars/authorities).”

Bharat, do you have any suggestions on good translated works?

Chandra

To Chandra and others:

Here are few references, hope helpfull to you.

A.. Bhagavad Gita (good translations and purport/commetary):

There are several, but you may read (note: always good to read in book form than online):

1. The Bhagavad Gita as translated by Sri Aurobindo
http://intyoga.online.fr/bg_idx.htm

Book: Sri Aurobindo’s “Essays on the Gita”.
http://www.amazon.com/Essays-Gita-New-U-S-Paperback/dp/0914955187

2.. You may read Swami Chinmayananda ji’s translations and commentary. It is one of the excellent works. You may read portions here:
Guidance through Bhagavad Gita
http://www.chinmaya-chicago.com/guide.htm

3.. Book: Bhagavad Gita as it is (by Srila Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON). Another very good translations and purport.
You may read Bhagavad GIta as It Is free online:
http://vedabase.net/bg/
http://www.asitis.com/

B. Main Upanishads:

A few good translations/ with purport.

1. The Upanishads by Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.

2. The Principal Upanishads (Paperback)
by Swami Nikhilananda (Editor), Ramakrishna mission

Book Description: This volume comprises the major Upanishads, regarded as the basis of the Vedanta philosophy and the outstanding contribution of Hindu thinkers to the philosophical thought of the world. A comprehensive glossary addresses the Sanskrit terms contained in this volume — it provides a variety of meanings for each word.

3. “The Upanishads – A New Translation” by Swami Nikhilananda

You may read and download as PDF. This is one of the good translations.

A translation of 11 Upanishads by Swami Nikhilananda
http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/upanishads.htm

4. Isa Upanishad (translation and purport by Srila Prabhupada)
http://vedabase.net/iso/en

Please share with others!!

AUM TAT SAT.
Bharat

the copy, i have, reads – “satyameva jayati” which makes sense, since in parasmaipadi (transitive) verbs, the form is “paThati”, “charati”, “jayati” etc.

http://practicalsanskrit.blogspot.com

good to know that someone else from the has been studying hitopadesh 🙂 i had made an audio CD of the first unit mitralAbha back in 2002, and got this book from my grandfather back in 1982!