Lubdhasya Naśyati — Seven Self-Destructions
लुब्धस्य नश्यति यशः
Subhāṣitāni · NCERT Class 7 Sanskrit · Ruchira Part 2 · Chapter 1
Source: Nīti Śataka (classical Sanskrit wisdom literature)
Key Points to Remember
- ▸नश्यति = √naś (to perish) — 3rd singular present; used as the main verb throughout
- ▸लुब्धस्य, पिशुनस्य... = Ṣaṣṭhī (6th) vibhakti — "of the greedy person"
- ▸7 pairs: character flaw → what it destroys (reputation, friendship, lineage, dharma, learning, happiness, kingdom)
- ▸कृपणः from √kṛp (to grieve) — the miser grieves over every rupee spent
The Verse
लुब्धस्य नश्यति यशः पिशुनस्य मैत्री नष्टक्रियस्य कुलमर्थपरस्य धर्मः। विद्याफलं व्यसनिनः कृपणस्य सौख्यं राज्यं प्रमत्तसचिवस्य नराधिपस्य॥
lubdhasya naśyati yaśaḥ piśunasya maitrī naṣṭa-kriyasya kulam artha-parasya dharmaḥ | vidyā-phalaṃ vyasaninaḥ kṛpaṇasya saukhyaṃ rājyaṃ pramatta-sacivasya narādhipasya ||
The reputation of the greedy perishes. The friendship of the backbiter perishes. The family honour of the inactive perishes. The dharma of the wealth-obsessed perishes. The fruit of learning of the addicted perishes. The happiness of the miser perishes. The kingdom of the king with a careless minister perishes.
— Nīti Śataka
Word-by-Word Meaning
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| लुब्धः | lubdhaḥ | greedy person | √lubh (to be greedy, to covet) — Ṣaṣṭhī (6th case): "of the greedy one" |
| नश्यति | naśyati | perishes, is destroyed | √naś (to perish, to be destroyed) — 3rd person singular present |
| यशः | yaśaḥ | reputation, fame, glory | √yaś (to be glorious) — neuter noun, Prathamā singular |
| पिशुनः | piśunaḥ | backbiter, slanderer, tale-bearer | piśuna — one who whispers malice (negative character type in Sanskrit literature) |
| मैत्री | maitrī | friendship | mitra (friend) → maitrī — the quality of being a friend (abstract feminine noun) |
| धर्मः | dharmaḥ | righteousness, duty, moral order | √dhṛ (to uphold, to hold) — that which upholds the moral order |
| व्यसनी | vyasanī | addicted person, one with a harmful habit | vyasana (addiction, vice) — vi + √as (to throw/cast down) |
| कृपणः | kṛpaṇaḥ | miser, miserly person | √kṛp (to be miserable, to grieve) — one who grieves over spending anything |
| सौख्यम् | saukhyam | happiness, well-being, comfort | sukha (happiness, ease) → saukhyam — the state of being at ease |
| प्रमत्त | pramatta | careless, negligent, intoxicated with power | pra + √mad (to be intoxicated, to be heedless) |
This shloka lists 7 pairs: character flaw → what it destroys. Notice the structure: each pair uses the Ṣaṣṭhī (genitive) case — "of the greedy person [perishes] the reputation."
Exercises (3)
Exercise 1: Match the Column
Match the character type with what they lose
1. लुब्धः (lubdhaḥ) — greedy
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यशः (yaśaḥ) — reputation
2. पिशुनः (piśunaḥ) — backbiter
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मैत्री (maitrī) — friendship
3. व्यसनी (vyasanī) — addicted
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विद्याफलम् (vidyā-phalam) — fruit of learning
4. कृपणः (kṛpaṇaḥ) — miser
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सौख्यम् (saukhyam) — happiness
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct answer
1. The root of "naśyati" (perishes) is:
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√naś
2. "Maitrī" (friendship) is derived from:
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mitra
3. The shloka uses which vibhakti consistently for the person who loses something?
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Ṣaṣṭhī (6th)
Exercise 3: Short Answer
Analyse the grammar
1. The shloka uses Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (लुब्धस्य, पिशुनस्य...) throughout. What question does Ṣaṣṭhī answer? (Hint: "whose?" or "of whom?")
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2. Pick one of the 7 character types in the shloka. Explain in 2 sentences why that character flaw specifically destroys that particular thing.
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