The Wealth That Grows When It Is Shared — Traditional Sanskrit subhashita

It cannot be stolen by thieves or seized by kings; it cannot be divided among brothers; it is no burden to carry. When it is spent it only grows. The wealth of knowledge is the chief of all wealth.

न चोरहार्यं न च राजहार्यं न भ्रातृभाज्यं न च भारकारि । व्यये कृते वर्धत एव नित्यं विद्याधनं सर्वधनप्रधानम् ॥

na cora-haryam na ca raja-haryam na bhratri-bhajyam na ca bhara-kari | vyaye krite vardhata eva nityam vidya-dhanam sarva-dhana-pradhanam ||
How to say it: na cho-ra-HAAR-yam na cha raa-ja-HAAR-yam, na bhraa-tri-BHAAJ-yam na cha bhaa-ra-KAA-ri. vya-ye KRI-te var-DHA-ta e-va NI-tyam, vid-yaa-DHA-nam sar-va-dha-na-pra-DHAA-nam.

It cannot be stolen by thieves or seized by kings; it cannot be divided among brothers; it is no burden to carry. When it is spent it only grows. The wealth of knowledge is the chief of all wealth.

The verse names the five troubles of ordinary wealth: theft, taxation, family division, weight and loss by spending. Knowledge escapes all five, and it is the one treasure that increases when it is shared. A teacher who explains something twice understands it better the second time.