Meaning of Keyurani Na Bhushayanti

Keyuraani Na Bhushayanti Purusham Haaraa Na ChandrojjwalaH
Na Snaanam Na Vilepanam Na Kusumam Naalankrutaa MurdhajaH
Vaanyekaa Samalamkaroti Purusham Yaa Samskrutaa Dhaaryate
Ksheeyante Khalu Bhushanani Satatam Vaagbhushanam Bhushanam

केयूराणि न भूषयन्ति पुरुषं हारा न चन्द्रोज्वला 

न स्नानं न विलेपनं न कुसुमं नालङ्‌कृता मूर्धजा ।

वाण्येका समलङ्‌करोति पुरुषं या संस्कृताधार्यते 

क्षीयन्ते खलु भूषणानि सततं वाग्भूषणं भूषणम्‌॥ 



केयूराणि (केयुरम्‌ - एक वचनम्‌) Keyuram = bracelet worn around arm - also known as bhuja keerti (भुज कीर्ति:); न (na) = without; भूषयन्ति (bhushayanti) = decorated; पुरुषम्‌ (purusham) = to persons (men); हार: (haaraha) = necklace; चन्द्र: (Chandra) = moon; उज्ज्वल (ujjwala) = shining; स्नानम्‌ (snaanam) = bath; विलेपनम्‌ (vilEpanam) = smearing /anointment; कुसुमम्‌ (kusumam) = flower(s); अलङ्‌कृ (alaMkRuta) = decorated; *Urdhajah = hair; vani = voice/word/speech; Eka = alone; Samalamkaroti = highly embellished; Yaa = which; Samskruta = cultured/groomed; Dhaaryate = is worn/upheld; Kshiyante = destroyed/reduced; Khalu = indeed/truely; Satatam = always/constantly; Vaak = speech; Bhushanam = ornament.


Meaning: It is not the bracelets (kEyUra) a person is adorn (bhushyanti) with, not the necklaces (haaraa) as shiny (ujjwala) as the moon (chandra), not a nice bath (snaanam), not the smearing or anointing (vilepanam) he receives, not the flowers (kusumam) he is  decorated hair which are indeed destryoed over a period of time.  However, a person's well cultured speech is greatly upheld by everybody which is the real decoration for that person.