Yato Dharmastato Jayah
Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ (Sanskrit: यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः) is a Sanskrit shloka that occurs a total of 13 times in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It means "Where there is Dharma, there will be Victory".[1][2]It is also the official motto of The Supreme Court of India. The phrase underscores a fundamental principle in Hindu thought: righteousness leads to true success. It symbolizes the belief that ethical conduct ultimately ensures triumph, even in the face of adversity.
| Translations of Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ | |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः |
| Assamese | যতো ধৰ্মস্ততো জয়ঃ |
| Balinese | ᬬᬢᭀ ᬥᬭ᭄ᬫᬲ᭄ᬢᬢᭀ ᬚᬬ᭄ ᬄ |
| Bengali | যতো ধর্মস্ততো জয়ঃ |
| Hindi | यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः |
| Javanese | ꦪꦠꦺꦴ ꦣꦫ꧀ꦩꦱ꧀ꦠꦠꦺꦴ ꦗꦪ꧀ ꦃ |
| Kannada | ಯತೊ ಧರ್ಮಸ್ತತೊ ಜಯ್ಃ |
| Malayalam | യതോ ധർമസ്തതോ ജയഃ |
| Marathi | यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः |
| Meitei | ꯌꯇꯣ ꯙꯔꯃꯁꯇꯇꯣ ꯖꯌ꯫ |
| Odia | ଯତୋ ଧର୍ମସ୍ତତୋ ଜୟଃ |
| Punjabi | ਯਤੋ ਧਰ੍ਮਸ੍ਤਤੋ ਜਯਃ |
| Tamil | யதோ தர்மஸ்ததோ ஜய: |
| Telugu | యతో ధర్మస్తతో జయః |
| Urdu | یَتو دھرمَستَتو جَیَہ |
| Gujarati | યતો ધર્મસ્તતો જયઃ |
| Glossary of Hinduism terms | |
Meaning
[edit]The phrase comes from the Mahabharata verse 13.153.39.[3]
"उक्तवानस्मि दुर्बुद्धिं मन्दं दुर्योधनं पुरा ।
यतः कृष्णस्ततो धर्मो यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः ॥ ३९ ॥"
"uktavānasmi durbuddhiṃ mandaṃ duryodhanaṃ purā |
yataḥ kṛṣṇastato dharmo yato dharmastato jayaḥ || 39 ||"
- Yataḥ (यतो) = where/whence
- Dharmaḥ (धर्माह) = righteousness, duty, moral order
- Tataḥ (ततो) = there/then
- Jayaḥ (जयः) = victory
"...acts of good will. That foremost of righteous men then set himself to earn the substantial blessing of the Brahmanas, of the foremost military officers, and the leading citizens. The blessed monarch having passed fifty nights in the capital recollected..."
On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, during the Kurukshetra War, when Arjuna tries to shake the despondency of Yudhisthira;[4] he states "victory is ensured for the side standing with Dharma".[5] It occurs again when Gandhari, the mother of Kauravas, having lost all her sons in the war, utters it with the intent: "Where there is Dharma, there is Victory".
It follows a concise poetic meter that makes it memorable and spiritually resonant. The phrase's simplicity belies its profound philosophical implications. It is both declarative and predictive—a law of the moral universe.
Philosophical Significance
[edit]In the Mahabharata, Dharma is not just law but cosmic order, ethics, and duty. The phrase captures the moral vision of the text: that actions aligned with Dharma, even if seemingly disadvantaged, will ultimately prevail. This is embodied in the victory of the Pandavas over the Kauravas, despite their material weaknesses.
The phrase also acts as a moral compass. It compels one to question not just the outcome of actions but their righteousness. In a world where power often overshadows ethics, Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ offers a counterpoint: that true power is moral authority.
This concept also finds echoes in other Indian philosophies. Jain and Buddhist traditions, while differing in cosmology, also emphasize ethical conduct as the path to liberation and ultimate truth. The phrase is thus not only a Vaishnava or Hindu ideal but a pan-Indic ethical maxim. The Mahabharata reinforces the point that Dharma is not always obvious—it is often complex, context-sensitive, and requires wisdom to discern. Characters like Yudhishthira are not perfect, but their striving toward Dharma is what ultimately guarantees their success. The phrase challenges rigid definitions and invites constant reflection on moral conduct in evolving situations.
Reference in Hindu scriptures
[edit]The phrase is often complemented with another shloka in the Mahabharata. [6] Dhritarashtra is warned using this phrase by Vyasa to discourage the unrighteous ways of his sons.[7] It again occurs in the Stri Parva of Hindu Itihasa Mahabharata.[8] It is also told by Bhishma to Duryodhana in Bhagavad Gita Parva. Yato Dharmastato Jayah occurs a total of eleven times in the Mahabharata.[4]
In Karna-Upanivada Parva, Karna while accepting his mistakes in front of Krishna, also said this.
In Vidura Niti, when Dhritarashtra is interacting with Vidura, he uses this phrase. He says, "though I know that victory lies on the path of Dharma, even then I cannot forsake my son Duryodhana".[9]
Dharma Viveka, a Sanskrit poem composed by Halayudhvi, ends with this phrase.[10]
In studies
[edit]In Bala Vihar, an educational activity for children, Chinmaya Mission uses this message to supplement the concept of Karma.[11] Scholar Alf Hiltebeitel takes this up in detail in his study of Dharma and Bhagwat Gita.[4] Before Alf, the scholar Sylvain Lévi is known to have studied this phrase in detail with varying interpretations.[4][12] In an article of the Indian Defence Review journal, it is characterized as "best sums up the Indian thought", here meaning, "If we are righteous, then victory will be ours [India's]".[13] In the study of ethics, it is taken to convey that "ultimate victory is that of righteousness".[14]
Cultural Impact
[edit]The enduring popularity of Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ reveals India’s deep cultural commitment to Dharma as a civilizational value. It has inspired generations to see righteousness not as optional but as the basis for all success. In literature, cinema, court rulings, and religious sermons, the phrase recurs as a reminder of India's moral heritage.[15]
It has also inspired foreign scholars to explore its depth, becoming a subject of discourse in comparative philosophy and ethics. Plays, murals, and songs have used the phrase to evoke a timeless sense of justice.
The phrase has influenced Indian cinema and television as well. Shows like Mahabharat (1988 and 2013 adaptations) conclude episodes with the phrase, imprinting its moral message into popular consciousness. In literature, modern Indian authors like Amish Tripathi and Devdutt Pattanaik use the shloka to explore ethical dilemmas faced by mythological characters, bridging ancient thought with contemporary storytelling.[16]
See also
[edit]- Dharma
- Karma
- Dharmo Rakshati Rakshitah, another shloka about dharma
References
[edit]- ^ "Why Justices Broke the Code of Silence - Mumbai Mirror -". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ Joseph, Kurian (2017). "यतो धर्मस्ततो जयः". Nyayapravah. XVI (63): 7.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2021-09-17). "Mahabharata Verse 13.153.39 [Sanskrit text]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- ^ a b c d Hiltebeitel, Alf (2011). Dharma: Its Early History in Law, Religion, and Narrative. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 545547. ISBN 9780195394238.
- ^ Sharma, Rambilas (1999). Bhāratīya saṃskr̥ti aura Hindī-pradeśa (in Hindi). Kitabghar Prakashan. p. 352. ISBN 9788170164388.
- ^ Sharma, Arvind (2007). Essays on the Mahābhārata. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 409. ISBN 9788120827387.
- ^ Pandey, Kali Charan (2011). Ethics and Epics: Reflections on Indian Ethos. Readworthy. p. 20. ISBN 9789350180334.
- ^ The Mahábhárata: an epic poem (in Hindi). Education Committee's Press. 1837. p. 349.
- ^ Satyaketu (19 January 2021). Vidur Neeti (in Hindi). Prabhat Prakashan. p. 108. ISBN 9789350481615.
- ^ Haeberlin, John (1847). Kavya-Sangraha: a sanscrit anthology (in Sanskrit). p. 506.
- ^ Yato Dharmah Tato Jayah. Chinmaya Mission. pp. Chapter 1.
- ^ Lévi, Sylvain (1996). Mémorial Sylvain Lévi (in French). Motilal Banarsidass. p. 295. ISBN 9788120813434.
- ^ Athale, Anil (2010-10-06). "Defence Research : India's Achilles Heel". Indian Defense Review. 25 (3). Lancer Publishers: 32. Archived from the original on 2021-10-18. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
All nations and civilisations have a peace constituency, but nowhere is it as dominant as in India. The Sanskrit saying Yato Dharma, Tato Jaya (If we are righteous, then victory will be ours) best sums up the Indian thought.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Pandey, Kali Charan (2011). Ethics and Epics: Reflections on Indian Ethos. Readworthy. p. 19. ISBN 9789350180334.
- ^ News, Bismillah (2024-05-31). "**Yato Dharmastato Jayah: The Triumph of Righteousness in Modern Times** - By Ahmed Sohail Siddiqui". Huda Taha | Latest updates. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Mustonen, Yakim (2024-11-20). "The Mahabharata's Legacy in Modern Cinema and Literature". Hindu Mythology. Retrieved 2025-04-04.