Happiness Health and Peace for all

The Shloka

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सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः

सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।

सर्वे भद्राणि विषयंतु

मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ॥

———

Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah.

Sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu, mā kaścidduḥkhabhāgbhavet.

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka is a powerful and universal prayer for the well-being of all living beings. It encapsulates the essence of altruism and compassion, wishing for happiness, health, prosperity, and freedom from suffering for everyone, not just oneself or a select group. Its significance lies in promoting a mindset of collective welfare and universal brotherhood, which is a cornerstone of many spiritual and ethical traditions.

May all be happy, may all be free from illness. May all see auspiciousness, may none suffer from grief.

This is a universal prayer wishing for the happiness, health, prosperity, and freedom from sorrow for all beings.

This is one of the most recited and cherished prayers in Hinduism, often chanted at the end of religious ceremonies, yoga sessions, and educational gatherings. It is a profound expression of selfless love and universal compassion. The prayer begins by wishing happiness (‘sukhinah’) for everyone, emphasizing that true happiness is experienced when it is shared and extended to all. It then moves to wishing freedom from illness (‘niramayah’), recognizing that health is a fundamental prerequisite for happiness and well-being. The second part extends this wish to encompass seeing auspiciousness or good fortune (‘bhadraani’) in life, suggesting a life filled with positive experiences and divine grace. Finally, it concludes with a strong plea that no one should ever have to experience suffering or sorrow (‘duḥkhabhāg’), reinforcing the desire for a world free from pain and misery. The inclusive nature of the words ‘Sarve’ (all) and ‘Kaścit’ (anyone) highlights the deeply empathetic and humanitarian spirit embedded in this ancient verse.

Sentence - 1

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सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।

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Meaning

May all be happy, may all be free from illness.

Meaning of Words

सर्वे

Sarve

All

This word means ‘all’, ‘everyone’, or ‘every being’. It signifies inclusivity and encompasses all living entities without any exception.

भवन्तु

Bhavantu

May become

This is a verb in the subjunctive mood, meaning ‘may they become’, ‘may they be’, or ‘may they exist’. It expresses a fervent wish or prayer for a particular state to come into being for all.

सुखिनः

Sukhinaḥ

Happy

This adjective means ‘happy’, ‘prosperous’, or ‘joyful’. It refers to a state of well-being, contentment, and absence of suffering.

सन्तु

Santu

May be

Similar to ‘bhavantu’, this verb in the subjunctive mood means ‘may they be’ or ‘may they exist’. It is used here to express a prayer for the state of being free from illness.

निरामयाः

Niramayah

Free from illness

This word is composed of ‘nir’ (without) and ‘amaya’ (illness, disease, suffering). Thus, it means ‘free from disease’, ‘healthy’, or ‘without ailment’. It conveys a wish for complete physical and mental well-being.

Sentence - 2

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सर्वे भद्राणि विषयंतु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग्भवेत् ।

———

Meaning

May all see auspiciousness, may none suffer from grief.

Meaning of Words

भद्राणि

Bhadrāṇi

Auspicious things

This means ‘good things’, ‘auspiciousness’, ‘welfare’, ‘prosperity’, or ‘things that are beneficial’. It refers to experiencing positive and fortunate events and circumstances.

विषयंतु

Paśyantu

May see

This is a verb in the subjunctive mood, meaning ‘may they see’ or ‘may they behold’. It is a prayer that all beings experience or witness auspiciousness in their lives.

मा

Not

A negative particle, meaning ‘not’, used to express prohibition or negation. Here it negates the following condition.

कश्चिद्

Kaścit

Anyone

This means ‘anyone’, ‘any person’, or ‘any being’. When preceded by ‘mā’, it means ‘not anyone’.

दुःखभाग्

Duḥkhabhāg

Share of sorrow

This word is a compound of ‘duḥkha’ (sorrow, suffering, pain) and ‘bhāg’ (one who has a share in, partaker). It means ‘one who experiences sorrow’ or ‘a sufferer’.

भवेत्

Bhavet

May become

Another verb in the subjunctive mood, meaning ‘may become’ or ‘may be’. It is used here to express the prayer that no one becomes a partaker of sorrow.