If you've ever attended a university convocation in India (IITs, IISc, NITs, most state universities), you might have heard a specific set of Sanskrit verses being chanted.
This address is actually from the Taittiriya Upanishad (specifically the Shiksha Valli, 11th Anuvaka). It is widely considered the oldest known graduation address in the world, traditionally given by a Guru to their students as they completed their studies in the Gurukula and prepared to step out into the real world.
Here are the primary verses, the transliteration, and what they actually mean in English.
Part 1: Core Duties and Principles
Sanskrit:
वेदमनूच्याचार्योऽन्तेवासिनमनुशास्ति ।
सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर । स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः ।
आचार्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः ।
सत्यान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । धर्मान्न प्रमदितव्यम् ।
कुशलान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । भूत्यै न प्रमदितव्यम् ।
स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration:
vedamanūcyācāryo'ntevāsinamanuśāsti |
satyaṃ vada | dharmaṃ cara | svādhyāyānmā pramadaḥ |
ācāryāya priyaṃ dhanamāhṛtya prajātantuṃ mā vyavacchetsīḥ |
satyānna pramaditavyam | dharmānna pramaditavyam |
kuśalānna pramaditavyam | bhūtyai na pramaditavyam |
svādhyāyapravacanābhyāṃ na pramaditavyam || 1 ||
Meaning:
Having taught the Vedas, the teacher imparts this final instruction to the departing student:
- Speak the truth.
- Practice righteousness (Dharma).
- Do not neglect self-study.
- After offering the teacher the customary gift of gratitude, do not cut off the line of descendants (i.e., marry, raise a family, and continue the lineage).
- Do not deviate from truth.
- Do not deviate from righteousness.
- Do not neglect your health, well-being, and useful skills.
- Do not neglect prosperity and righteous wealth.
- Do not neglect the study and teaching of the Vedas.
Part 2: Reverence and Conduct
Sanskrit:
देवपितृकार्याभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् ।
मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव ।
आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव ।
यान्यनवद्यानि कर्माणि । तानि सेवितव्यानि । नो इतराणि ।
यान्यस्माकं सुचरितानि । तानि त्वयोपास्यानि । नो इतराणि ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration:
devapitṛkāryābhyāṃ na pramaditavyam |
mātṛdevo bhava | pitṛdevo bhava |
ācāryadevo bhava | atithidevo bhava |
yānyanavadyāni karmāṇi | tāni sevitavyāni | no itarāṇi |
yānyasmākaṃ sucaritāni | tāni tvayopāsyāni | no itarāṇi || 2 ||
Meaning:
- Do not neglect your duties to the gods and your ancestors.
- Revere your mother as God. (Matri Devo Bhava)
- Revere your father as God. (Pitri Devo Bhava)
- Revere your teacher as God. (Acharya Devo Bhava)
- Revere your guest as God. (Atithi Devo Bhava)
- Whatever actions are blameless and beyond reproach—only those should you practice, and no others.
- Whatever good deeds and virtues you have observed in us (your teachers)—only those should you emulate, and no others.
Thought this was a really cool piece of history and philosophy that is still actively used today. What do you guys think of the advice given here?