Previous Year Question
The national motto of India, ‘Satyameva Jayate’, inscribed below the Emblem of India, is taken from:
Correct Answer: D
Detailed Solution
India's national motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad. The official Government of India description of the National Emblem also identifies the phrase as a quotation from the Mundaka Upanishad and translates it as “Truth Alone Triumphs.”
The original expression occurs in Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.6:
“Satyameva Jayate Nanritam”
It conveys the idea that truth alone triumphs, not falsehood. The Government of India's Vedic Heritage Portal records the expression in the Third Mundaka, First Khanda, Mantra 6.
The Mundaka Upanishad is associated with the Atharvaveda. The Vedic Heritage Portal itself presents the text as an Atharvavedic Upanishad.
Another important fact is that ‘Satyameva Jayate’ forms an integral part of the State Emblem of India, appearing in Devanagari below the Lion Capital. The Ministry of Home Affairs regulates the official use of the State Emblem under the relevant Act and Rules.