Udyogam purusha lakshanam...What does it mean exactly?who said it first and where and when?

Question

It is a famous quote in India.Sanatana dharma too some times quotes it.It is part of a Sanskrit verse please.The Indians who know may reply.
I ask pardon of others th whom the language is not familiar.Sorry.

Dear Aum,Mayandi ,Anil ....please give your opinion.

Dear Uppaluri , does the sentense mean only that?it is posted under R & S.Can you think in in any other line too?Please.

Good reply Dear Deep ,God Bless you, and God bless you Mayandi. You are agreeing with Deep.Let me wait for further replies still deeper for the benifit of all.

Dear Aum,Thanks for great answer,May I ask you to kindly explain Purusha and Udyogam in another way too?You know it.For the benefit of all please enlighten more.

Answer 1

594

UDYOGAM Purusha Lakshanam, it is said. Ud-yoga means, as is commonly understood, employment in some job, something that is worth doing. No, it means Ud (Higher) Yoga (spiritual discipline): a Sadhana which has assumed the status of a job. All jobs that you take up are Ud-yogas, higher disciplines, which mark out (Lakshanam) the Purusha (the man/woman). When Artha is sought through Dharma, the Purushartha deserves the name, "Paramapurushartha", for it is Parama oriented towards the Para or the higher eternal values.

Athreya says that after creating markets, it is harder to retain them. He says that entrepreneurs should draw inspiration from the shloka, ' Udyogam purusha lakshanam' which means that industriousness is the hallmark of a person. Timely and satisfactory service to the direct industrial customer, or the dealer who delivers to the end customer, is critical for export markets where high standards are expected. Athreya says that an attitude of seva or service should be adopted by the exporter. This will be strengthened by a rini bhava, i.e., a feeling of indebtedness to the customer. If an exporter is able to feel this way for his customer,then providing satisfactory service will come naturally to him.

Answer 2

Purusha Lakshanam

Answer 3

No person should be idle. Everyperon has to do some work. A person who dose not work is not considered a proper Human. In the middle ages, there were some people who started to be idle and say that God will look after everything, and started encouraging Begging. Begging was considered the worst in India. So this quote "Udyogam Purusha Lakshnam"came into existence. There is no denying God will look after everything, But u still have to work unless u r a gyani, and no gyani will boast himself as one.

Roughly quoting an equivalent english proverb, it would be "Work is Worship".

Answer 4

VISHADAM Is sorrow. In Kurukshetra war Arjuna wept in sorrow to Lord Krishna & there Karma Yogam, Bakthi Yogam, & Jnanaya Yogam were given by Lord Krishna.
Literal meaning is ,' doing work is the duty of man'
Esoteric meaning is ,'for the evolution of SOUL(purusha) higher forms of yoga techniques are given' and through which self realizes God.

Answer 5

Sir,
" Udyogam purusha lakshanam" is in tamil language too. It means that husbands have to work for the family and that's the beauty of husband's. It is what means. If anything special other than this, I am awaiting to hear it from others too. I don't know who said first, where and when.Let me wait for answers..

Deep that was beautifull answer. Now i also understand it is also in sanskrit. Nice explanation Aum. :)

Thanks senthil sir, again you let me know this is not tamil. :))

Answer 6

I have no clue about who said this or when but I do know what it means. The highest form of yoga, which is to reach God should be a person's main goal in life

Answer 7

Oh yes I have, haven't we all? Part of being human is making mistakes and saying things you don't really mean! I have done both yes when meaning no and no when meaning yes! Everything is alright in the end and These mistakes help us learn!

Answer 8

Thanks Radhakrishnana ji for asking such deep and beautiful question. Thanks to Deep.... yr reply is gr8

This single verse has so many explantions that pages can be filled. Its root lies in Geeta where shri Krishna says - I do not need anything in this universe, but still i do Karma, as if i stop karma, the whole nature will collapse.

Purusha here does not mean a male... purusha is used for individual soul. A soul being a spark of the divine must do karma (udyog), like god as param-atma is doing

It means the soul must always do karma (but should not bind himself with karma).

It also means the utmost duty of the soul is to do hard work to know its true self

It also means that individual soul should not sit idle on the mercy of god or nature, to get him food or get him Moksha

A purusha is a purusha only If he works hard for both his physical life as well as spiritual life.... this quality of Karma separates him from animals and plants...they rely on mother nature for their needs.

I dont know where this verse appeared first...manu-smiriti or mahabharat ? my knowledge of scriptures is very limited.

UDYOG also means Ud -to rise Ayog - to arrange. this verse also means, individual human souls should always work to rise above their present circumstances...both physically and spiritually.

Human beings should never be satisfied with what ever they have accompalished... and this dissatisfication has been responsible for all scientific researches and spiritual upliftment of thousands of rishis.

Answer 9

Good Question Ji. I would say its "One Line explanation" of GEETHA., Donot be afraid to due your duties/Karma and donot escape from the cycle of Karma.
As MayandiJi said its popluarly used in Tamil as a quote to motivate Adult male to seek a Job, but, MayandiJi as you should also be aware its not Tamil as all these words are Vadamozhi words, means derived from sanskrit and the real meaning well explained by AumJi and DeepJi.
I would also say the only persons who escape from this would be the mentally challenged as i guess they donot generate any new Karma in that birth!!!

Answer 10

Great Deep Sir! You lighted deepam in this forum and enlightened us! Though I knew the indvidual words and their meaning in Sanskrit I somehow never got to this paramartha! One of the best spiritual answers ever !