Our sources

What we quote

• The Bhagavad Gita and the wider Mahabharata
• The Upanishads and selected verses of the Vedas, such as the Gayatri and Mahamrityunjaya mantras
• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
• The Ramayana and the Puranas
• Classical works of ethics and statecraft, such as the Chanakya Niti and the Panchatantra
• The Thirukkural
• The poet-saints, such as Kabir, Rahim, Dadu Dayal and others
• Traditional prayers and shlokas recited in homes and temples

Our rules

1. Name the source.Every verse shows its text and, where one exists, its chapter and verse number.
2. Translate it ourselves.The English and Hindi meanings on this site are our own renderings, checked against the original Sanskrit or Hindi and standard editions.
3. Say when we’re unsure.Where the origin of a popular verse is uncertain, or a saying is often misattributed, we say so plainly.
4. Respect interpretation.Where the great commentators read a verse differently, we show the main readings rather than pick one silently.
5. Fix mistakes.If you spot an error, write to support.satyavani@gmail.com. We correct it and update the page’s review date.