different kinds of wealth - विदेशेषु धनं विद्या

Most of us aspire for wealth. And while it is important to live in society, it doesn't always have to be in the form we know of.

In today's world, we all know of immigrants, people moving from one country to another. Many come to US for jobs. How do they get a job in a different country? By their knowledge and ability. Knowledge is a great friend and wealth in a new place. By our knowledge we can already know how to move around and mix and gel in the new place, people, custom, rules. Or this could be within the country, like India where customs change from state to state. Or within countries of Europe.

In a foreign land, our knowledge is our greatest asset.

In difficult times, while friends and money can be of lot of help, it is ultimately our presence of mind, intelligence that helps us out of it. It helps us to not get into bad times to begin with, but even if we get due to unforeseen factors, we get out of it by our own intelligence.

The true wealth in difficult times is our wisdom, which makes best use of all resources (including money or how to get it) and finds a solution.

In the after life, we get heaven or hell based on the deeds, the karma (कर्म) we did here. The credit and debit system works in the KBA (Karma Bank of Almighty). What comes handy there is what we did here. If we followed dharma(धर्म), the right conduct at right time, then we accumulated wealth for the other world. Dharma is not religion, but the way of just life that upholds the basic interests of all the members of the society. It is law, morality, duty all rolled in one.

And above all these, good character (decency, humility, nobility) is appreciated in all situations. It is the wealth for all times, anytime, anywhere. Being a gentleman or lady never goes unappreciated.

Everything starts with a good character. Everyone seeks good character in other person - be it employee, teacher, doctor, service personnel, prospective spouse.

And the shloka goes -



विदेशेषु धनं विद्या व्यसनेषु धनं मतिः ।
परलोके धनं धर्मः शीलं तु निखिलं धनम् ॥

vidéshéṣhu dhanam vidyā, vyasanéṣhu dhanam matiḥ |
paraloké dhanam dharmaḥ, shīlam tu nikhilam dhanam ||

videsheShu dhanam vidyA, vyasaneShu dhanam matiH |
paraloke dhanam dharmaH, shIlam tu nikhilam dhanam || In foreign lands knowledge is wealth, in difficult times the intelligence.following dharma here is wealth in afterlife, and good character is wealth anywhere.


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and now the language aspects of the shloka -

videsheShu = in foreign lands
desha = region, country
videsha = different region, foreign country
-Shu suffix = in (plural)

dhanam = money

vidyA = knowledge

vyasaneShu = in difficult times
vyasana = troubles, difficult times
-Shu suffix = in (plural)

dhanam = money

matiH = intelligence

paraloke = in other (next) world
para = other
loka = world
-e suffix = in (singular)

dhanam = money

dharmaH = that which upholds, social conduct, right action at right time and space.

shIlam = right conduct, moral conduct, modesty
tu = used for emphasis and filler
nikhilam = complete, whole, in all situations
dhanam = money

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