Qualities are respected everywhere.

Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. But the real respect and greatness comes from one's own deeds. 

Yes, there were times, and in some countries still, when you inherited your father's chair. Even in England, around the time of the World Wars, there were as many as about 20% MPs who were related, uncles-nephews, father-sons etc. Now it is down to single digits.

And, yes it still happens in India's movie industry, politics, and businesses. Be it the Kapoor dynasty in the movies (is it their family business?), or the Nehru/Gandhi family (is it their family business?) or the Ambani-s (yes, it is their family business, but why do they keep fighting after the father died?). People know exactly who is a good actor, leader or business person. And we have seen that happen in US politics too. And people know exactly who is the good one.

Some day it was a birthright, now a days it is called networking. people go to elite schools and colleges not because they have greater education, but a much better networking.

But, legends are not made because of their fathers, or fathers-in-law. They are made by their own deeds. You can have the best networking, but at the end it is your own actions that will make you great. Networking, lineage etc are only helpful instruments on the way, but the success, name and fame depends upon your own deeds.

Lord Krishna (Vaasudeva, वासुदेव ) is worshiped by almost  billion people, but no one worships his father (Vasudeva, वसुदेव ). Rama (raama, राम) is worshiped, not his father Dasharatha (dasha-ratha, दशरथ).

Qualities are respected everywhere, father's dynasty is meaningless.

People bow to Lord Krishna, not to his father.

guṇāḥ sarvatra pūjyanté, pitṛivaṃśho nirarthakaḥ |

vāsudévam namasyanti, vasudévam na mānavāḥ ||

 

guNAH sarvatra pUjyante pitRivaMsho nirarthakaH |

vasudevam namasyanti, vasudevam na mAnavAH ||

There is another verse that goes - The best attain fame by their own name, the medium by their father's name, the average by their mother's name and the worst by their father-in-law's name!

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And now the language aspects -

गुणाः = guNAH = qualities

सर्वत्र = sarvatra = everywhere (sarva = all)

पूज्यन्ते = pUjyante = are worshiped, respected

पितृवंशो = pitRivaMshao = father's lineage

pitRi = father (from which comes pater, padre, father etc.)

vaMshaH = lineage. (due to sandhi it becomes vaMsho)

निरर्थकः = nirarthakaH = one (-kaH) without (nir-) meaning (artha)

वासुदेवं = vAsudevam = to the son of vasudeva = to kRiShNa

नमस्यन्ति = they bow, salute (respect)

वसुदेवं = vasudevam = to vasudeva (kRiShNa's father)

न = na = not [worship]

मानवाः = mAnavAH = humans

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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