Indian wisdom: quotes and aphorisms

India is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Colourful, distinctive and mysterious. It is a country of contrasts, where people of different castes coexist. It is also renowned for its ancient history and culture, which carries deep wisdom.

The people of India channel all their energy into self-discovery and personal development, rather than pursuing external achievements. Wisdom in Hinduism means knowing oneself as the truth, the foundation of all creation.

In an exclusive interview with TV BRICS, Aleksey Yakovlev, head of marketing at an outsourcing company, shares his experience of learning Indian wisdom through interacting with foreign employees, including highly skilled personnel from India.

He cited several aphorisms similar to Russian ones:

"Real wisdom lies not in knowledge, but in understanding." - Chanakya

Chanakya is a famous in Indian history brahman and teacher from Taxila, who stood at the origins of the Mauryan Empire, which for the first time in history united a large part of India. He played a key role in the ascension of Chandragupta Maurya to the throne of the kingdom of Magadha (321 BC).

“Happiness comes not to those who wait for it, but to those who go towards it.” - Rabindranath Tagore

"Be a candle to illuminate others, do not extinguish yourself to extinguish darkness." - Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian writer, poet, composer, artist and social activist. His work has shaped the literature and music of Bengal. He was the first non-European writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

"It's better to see once than to hear a hundred times". - Indian proverb

"The darkest night passes and the sun shines again." - Mahatma Gandhi

"Love and compassion are the language that the deaf hear and the blind see". - Mahatma Gandhi, was a world-famous Indian politician and public activist.

"The highest form of wisdom is knowing yourself." - Sri Ramana Maharshi

Sri Ramana Maharshi is a famous Indian philosopher and sage. Creator of a philosophical doctrine based on Advaita Vedanta*. His philosophy of self-knowledge focuses on the concept of the self and on questions to the self: "Who am I?", "What am I?" 

"Truth always wins, regardless of time or circumstance." - Chandrashekhar Azad

Chandrashekhar Azad was one of the prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement.

"Do good and throw it into the water - it will spread throughout the river." - Kabir

Kabir was a medieval Indian mystic poet, an important reformer of the bhakti movement and a classic of Hindi literature.