What Is the Motto of India? Meaning of Satyameva Jayate, Origin, Use, and Misconceptions

Sep, 22 2025

Every Indian note, passport, and courtroom carries a quiet promise: four Sanskrit words that set a standard higher than power or pride. That promise is India’s national motto. If you’re here to find the exact phrase, its meaning, and why it’s everywhere from coins to the Parliament, you’ll get a clear, friendly walk-through-plus how to write it correctly and avoid the usual misunderstandings.

Satyameva Jayate सत्यमेव जयते is the national motto of the Republic of India; it means “Truth alone triumphs,” and it comes from the Sanskrit text Mundaka Upanishad (3.1.6). It appears below the State Emblem and on official documents, currency, and government seals.

TL;DR

• India’s national motto is Satyameva Jayate: “Truth alone triumphs.”
• Source: Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.6 (Sanskrit).
• Adopted with the State Emblem on 26 January 1950; used on currency, passports, and court backdrops.
• Written in Devanagari: सत्यमेव जयते; transliteration: Satyameva Jayate.
• It’s different from the anthem (Jana Gana Mana) and the national song (Vande Mataram).

What exactly is the national motto?

The national motto of India is motto of India “Satyameva Jayate.” Word by word, “satya” means truth, “eva” means only/alone, and “jayate” means triumphs. Put together, it says truth alone wins in the end. This isn’t a slogan about quick wins. It’s a standard about ultimate outcomes-truth outlasting force, fear, or spin.

Republic of India is a sovereign country in South Asia that adopted Satyameva Jayate as its national motto on 26 January 1950, the day its Constitution took effect.

Where does “Satyameva Jayate” come from?

The phrase comes from an ancient scripture, not from a political speech. The exact line appears in the Mundaka Upanishad an Upanishad (Vedic-era philosophical text), traditionally dated to the first millennium BCE. The phrase “Satyameva Jayate” appears in 3.1.6. The verse contrasts truth with falsehood, saying truth leads to the divine path while untruth fails.

Sanskrit is the classical language of the text; the motto is written in Devanagari as “सत्यमेव जयते” and transliterated as “Satyameva Jayate.” If you’ve seen it on the Emblem, it’s the same sentence-just in the original script.

How and when did India adopt the motto?

India adopted the motto formally when it adopted the State Emblem on 26 January 1950. The Constituent Assembly had already finalized the emblem design weeks earlier, and the Government notified its use as the official seal for the new republic.

State Emblem of India is the official seal of the Government of India. It features the Lion Capital of Ashoka and the motto “सत्यमेव जयते” below it in Devanagari. The combination of the Lion Capital and the motto is what you see behind judges in courts, on ministry letterheads, and on Indian passports.

What does the emblem show-and why?

The emblem is based on the Lion Capital of Ashoka a polished sandstone sculpture from around 250 BCE, originally on top of a pillar at Sarnath, built by Emperor Ashoka. It shows four lions back to back, a circular abacus with animals, and a wheel (Dharma Chakra). The lions face the four directions; the wheel symbolizes the rule of law and moral order.

Ashoka was a Mauryan emperor (reigned c. 268-232 BCE) who spread principles of governance grounded in dharma (moral duty) after the Kalinga war. Using his capital as the emblem links the republic to an older Indian idea: the state should rest on ethical law, not just might. With “Satyameva Jayate” below those lions, the emblem says the quiet part out loud-truth is the test of power.

Where do you see the motto in daily life?

You’re probably seeing it more than you realize. Common places include:

• Indian currency: the emblem with the motto appears on notes and coins.
• Passports: printed on the cover and key pages alongside the emblem.
• Courts and government buildings: the seal sits behind judges and on official notices.
• Ministry letterheads, gazette notifications, and government tenders.
• Police and armed forces insignia that use the State Emblem.

Government of India is the national government that uses the State Emblem and motto across its ministries, agencies, and official publications. If you’re wondering whether you can print the motto on your startup logo-hold that thought; there are rules.

Is it legally okay to use the motto on private logos?

Short answer: no, not alongside the emblem. The law protects the emblem and its elements from misuse. The phrase by itself in a book or classroom is fine; using it to look “official” is not.

The State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 restricts who can use the emblem, how, and where. While the Act focuses on the emblem, using the motto in a way that suggests government endorsement can still get you in trouble.

Tip: if you’re designing for a school project, you can write the motto as text and explain its meaning. Just don’t copy the emblem or present your design as government-issued.

How to write and say it correctly

Script: Devanagari. Spelling: सत्यमेव जयते. Transliteration: Satyameva Jayate. Pronunciation: roughly “sut-yuh-may-va juh-yuh-tay.” If you want a phonetic guide: sat-ya-ME-va ja-ya-TE (the final “te” is long). Capitalization in English isn’t fixed, but “Satyameva Jayate” is common in print.

If you’re handwriting it, keep the line over the letters continuous (the shirorekha). Avoid adding English-style serifs or stylized loops; simple, clean Devanagari is easiest to read and looks closest to how it appears under the emblem.

Motto vs. anthem vs. national song vs. emblem

People often mix these up. Here’s a quick comparison to keep things straight.

What the words actually say (and don’t say)

“Truth alone triumphs” is precise. It doesn’t say “truth always wins quickly.” It doesn’t promise that polite truth beats loud lies in today’s news cycle. It says: in the end, only truth prevails. That’s a moral claim and a civic expectation. It sets the compass, not the weather forecast.

You might hear people say it comes from the Rigveda. It doesn’t. It comes from the Mundaka Upanishad. Also, it’s “Satyam-eva,” not “Satyam veva” or “Satyamev.” Small spelling slips are common on posters-so if you’re making a banner, double-check the Devanagari.

Why pair the Lion Capital with the verse?

Because together they say something bigger. The Lion Capital ties the republic to a lineage of rule by law and ethical duty. The motto says what gives law its legitimacy: truth. That pairing wasn’t accidental. The Constituent Assembly wanted symbols that reflected constitutional values in a recognizably Indian way: ancient roots, modern purpose.

Connected ideas you’ll bump into

Two ideas often travel with the motto in civic discussions:

• Satya (truth) as a virtue in public life, echoed in court oaths and investigative norms.
• Rule of law (Dharma Chakra on the emblem) as a check on arbitrary power.

In independence-era politics, these show up in nonviolent protest built on truth-telling. That’s why you’ll often see the motto mentioned alongside Gandhian methods.

Mahatma Gandhi a leader of India’s independence movement who centered “satya” (truth) and “ahimsa” (nonviolence) in public action. His technique of Satyagraha a method of nonviolent resistance that means “holding fast to truth.” It treats truth as power. isn’t the source of the motto, but it resonates with it.

Common places people get stuck

Three typical issues:

1. Legal confusion: printing the emblem (with or without the motto) on business materials. Avoid it unless you’re authorized by a government department. The 2005 law on improper use of the emblem is strict.
2. Spelling errors: “सत्यमेव जयते,” not “सत्यमेव जयेते” or “सत्यमेव जयति.” Double-check the vowels and keep the headline bar continuous.
3. Source mix-ups: it’s from the Upanishads, not the Rigveda or Mahabharata.

A quick mini-lesson for students and teachers

If you’re prepping for a quiz or essay:

• Phrase: Satyameva Jayate (सत्यमेव जयते)
• Meaning: Truth alone triumphs
• Source: Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.6 (Sanskrit)
• Year of adoption: 1950 (with the State Emblem)
• Where used: currency, passports, government seals, courts

One-sentence summary you can memorize: “Satyameva Jayate, from the Mundaka Upanishad, is India’s national motto, adopted in 1950 and printed under the State Emblem-meaning ‘Truth alone triumphs.’”

How this fits into India’s bigger symbol set

Think of national symbols as a cluster: the flag says unity and law (Chakra), the anthem says collective voice, the emblem says state authority under law, and the motto sets the moral bar. Together, they shape the republic’s identity: lawful, plural, and answerable to truth.

Related entities and quick definitions

Here are the key entities you’ll see referenced, defined once so you have them straight:

Constituent Assembly of India the body that framed the Constitution (1946-1950) and settled national symbols, including the emblem and motto placement.

Devanagari a script used for Sanskrit, Hindi, and other languages; it’s the script in which the motto appears on the emblem.

Examples that make the relationships clear

• When a court backdrop shows the State Emblem with “सत्यमेव जयते,” it visually ties truth to justice. Subject → Predicate → Object: Motto underpins legitimacy of judgment.
• A currency note with the emblem and motto signals state guarantee: Truth and law stand behind this value.
• A passport bearing the motto indicates the state’s representation of the citizen under a standard of truth and lawful conduct.

Using the motto in your work (safely)

For school posters and reports, write “सत्यमेव जयते” in Devanagari or “Satyameva Jayate” in English. Add the meaning right beneath. Credit the source-Mundaka Upanishad, 3.1.6. If you need a visual, draw a simple Dharma Chakra rather than tracing the entire emblem to stay clear of misuse rules.

For businesses and NGOs, avoid pairing the phrase with any design that resembles the State Emblem. If you need a theme of truth or integrity, write the English translation and your own graphic, not lions or the exact arrangement used by the government.

Contemporary notes and design updates

When the emblem appears in new buildings or artworks, artists sometimes interpret lion proportions differently. Debates usually come down to style versus fidelity to the original Sarnath capital. Through these updates, the motto stays the same-positioned below in Devanagari, unaltered in wording.

Quick quiz (answer mentally)

• Is “Satyameva Jayate” from the Rigveda? (No, the Mundaka Upanishad.)
• Can a private company print the State Emblem with the motto on its website? (No.)
• Does the motto promise fast wins? (No, it speaks to ultimate triumph.)

Where to go next

If you’re curious about context, read about the Lion Capital of Ashoka, Ashoka’s edicts, the Preamble’s values (Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity), the story of the national flag’s Ashoka Chakra, and how the anthem and national song were chosen in 1950. All of these are parts of the same national story about values, identity, and duty.