विद्या नाम नरस्य रूपमधिकं | Vidya (knowledge) as the supreme essence | from Bhartrihari's Nitisataka

Описание: Vidya as an immortal treasure, superior to material wealth and transient beauty. Knowledge as a divine companion, guru, and path to true fulfillment and honor. Philosophically, it urges transcendence from ignorance, equating the unlearned to mere animals in a quest for enlightened humanity.

ॐ विद्या नाम नरस्य रूपमधिकं
प्रच्छन्नगुप्तं धनम् ।
विद्या भोगकरी यशस्सुखकरी
विद्या गुरूणां गुरुः ।
विद्या बन्धुजनो विदेशगमने
विद्या परा देवता ।
विद्या राजसु पूज्यते न हि धनं
विद्याविहीनः पशुः ॥

विद्या मनुष्य का सबसे बड़ा रूप (सौंदर्य) है, वह छिपा हुआ गुप्त धन है। विद्या भोग प्रदान करने वाली है, यश और सुख देने वाली है, विद्या गुरुओं की भी गुरु है। विद्या विदेश यात्रा में बंधु (साथी) है, विद्या परम देवता है। विद्या राजाओं में पूजनीय है, धन नहीं। विद्या से रहित व्यक्ति पशु के समान है।

Viday (Knowledge) is the supreme beauty of a person, a hidden and secret wealth. Knowledge bestows enjoyment, fame, and happiness; knowledge is the guru of gurus. Knowledge is a companion in foreign lands, knowledge is the supreme deity. Knowledge is worshipped among kings, not mere wealth. One devoid of knowledge is like an animal.

Philosophically, this shloka from Bhartrihari's Nītiśataka encapsulates the Vedic ethos of Vidya as the ultimate liberator of the human spirit. In a world obsessed with ephemeral pursuits, Vidya emerges as an indestructible adornment—far superior to physical allure, which fades with time. It is a "hidden treasure" (prachanna-gupta dhana), impervious to theft or decay, symbolizing the inner wealth that accrues through self-cultivation. This resonates with Upanishadic teachings, where knowledge (jnana) pierces illusion (maya), revealing the Atman (self) as eternal.

Vidya is portrayed as bhogakari (bestower of enjoyment), yashas-sukhakari (giver of fame and bliss), underscoring its role in holistic fulfillment. Unlike sensory pleasures that bind one to samsara (cycle of rebirth), true Vidya leads to ananda (divine joy), aligning with Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, where discernment (viveka) yields liberation. As "guru of gurus," it transcends even enlightened teachers, implying self-reliance in the quest for truth, echoing the Bhagavad Gita's call to inner wisdom.

Finally, the stark declaration—vidyavihinah pashuh—philosophically demotes the ignorant to beastly existence, devoid of viveka (discrimination). This mirrors Aristotle's "rational animal" but in Vedantic terms: without Vidya, one remains trapped in prakriti (nature), unable to realize Brahman (ultimate reality). Thus, the mantra is a clarion call for intellectual and spiritual awakening, urging humanity to pursue Vidya as the path to transcendence, dignity, and cosmic harmony. In essence, it philosophizes life as a pilgrimage from animalistic instinct to divine realization through the light of knowledge.