Guṇā Guṇajñeṣu — Qualities Need the Right Audience
गुणा गुणज्ञेषु
Subhāṣitāni · NCERT Class 7 Sanskrit · Ruchira Part 2 · Chapter 1
Source: Classical Sanskrit Nīti literature
Key Points to Remember
- ▸गुणा (guṇā) — qualities; from guṇa meaning thread or virtue
- ▸भवन्ति (bhavanti) — 3rd person plural present of √bhū (to become)
- ▸निर्गुणम् — nir (without) + guṇa: one who is without qualities
- ▸The shloka uses the ocean gem as a metaphor: same gem, different context = different value
The Verse
गुणा गुणज्ञेषु गुणा भवन्ति ते निर्गुणं प्राप्य भवन्ति दोषाः। सुरेन्द्रमौलिव्यवहारयोग्याः समुद्रशुक्त्या मणयो मणिश्च॥
guṇā guṇajñeṣu guṇā bhavanti te nirguṇaṃ prāpya bhavanti doṣāḥ | surendra-mauli-vyavahāra-yogyāḥ samudra-śuktyā maṇayo maṇiś ca ||
Qualities become virtues in those who know qualities. Those same qualities, reaching one without qualities, become faults. The gems worthy of Indra's crown come from the oyster of the ocean.
— Classical Sanskrit Nīti literature
Word-by-Word Meaning
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| गुणाः | guṇāḥ | qualities, virtues | guṇa — thread, virtue (noun) |
| गुणज्ञेषु | guṇajñeṣu | in those who know qualities | guṇa + √jñā (to know) — Saptamī vibhakti plural |
| भवन्ति | bhavanti | they become | √bhū (to be/become) — 3rd person plural present |
| ते | te | those (same) | tat — demonstrative pronoun, Prathamā plural |
| निर्गुणम् | nirguṇam | one without qualities | nir (without) + guṇa — Dvitīyā singular |
| प्राप्य | prāpya | having reached/arrived at | pra + √āp (to reach) — absolutive (ktvānta) |
| दोषाः | doṣāḥ | faults, defects | √duṣ (to be defective) — Prathamā plural |
| मणयः | maṇayaḥ | gems, jewels | maṇi (gem) — Prathamā plural |
The core insight: the same quality appears as virtue or fault depending on who receives it — just as ocean gems are precious in a crown and worthless in mud.
Exercises (3)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the meaning of each Sanskrit word
1. गुणाः (guṇāḥ) means:
Hint: Think of "guṇa yoga" — the three qualities in Bhagavad Gita
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qualities, virtues
2. भवन्ति (bhavanti) means:
Hint: From √bhū — the same root as "be" in English via Proto-Indo-European
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they become
3. दोषाः (doṣāḥ) means:
Hint: The opposite of guṇāḥ
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faults, defects
4. मणयः (maṇayaḥ) means:
Hint: Found in "maṇipura chakra" — the jewel city
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gems, jewels
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct answer
1. What happens when qualities reach someone without qualities (nirguṇam)?
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They become faults
2. What does "guṇajñeṣu" mean?
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In those who know qualities
3. The gems in the shloka come from:
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The ocean oyster
Exercise 3: Short Answer
Answer in your own words
1. What is the main lesson of this shloka? Give a modern example.
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2. Why does the poet use the image of a gem from an oyster? What does it teach?
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