दण्डो दमयतामस्मि नीतिरस्मि जिगीषताम् ।मौनं चैवास्मि गुह्यानां ज्ञानं ज्ञानवतामहम् ॥
daṇḍo damayatām asmi nītir asmi jigīṣatām | maunaṃ caivāsmi guhyānāṃ jñānaṃ jñānavatām aham ||
- दण्डः · daṇḍaḥ
- the rod, punishment
- दमयताम् · damayatām
- among tamers, rulers
- नीतिः · nītiḥ
- policy, prudence
- जिगीषताम् · jigīṣatām
- among those seeking victory
- मौनम् · maunam
- silence
- गुह्यानाम् · guhyānām
- among secrets
- ज्ञानम् · jñānam
- knowledge
- ज्ञानवताम् · jñānavatām
- among knowers
“Among tamers I am the rod; among seekers of victory, prudence. Among secrets I am silence, and among knowers, knowledge.”
— Original plain-language translation
Rule and hiddenness close the catalogue: punishment that orders, counsel that wins, silence that keeps, knowing that crowns. The deepest secret is wordlessness. The deepest knower-hood is knowing itself.
— Reader's notes (original)