Bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitaya cha

Bahujana sukhaya bahujana hitaya cha (translates to "for the happiness of the many, for the welfare of the many") is a dictum or aphorism enunciated in the Rigveda in Sanskrit.

Hinduism defines five basic traditional philosophical concepts and the fifth concept enjoined to be followed is the concept of "welfare of the many, the happiness of the many".

Gautama Buddha in the fifth century B.C. suggested his disciples to work for the welfare and happiness of the masses under the same dictum. Numerous others such as the nineteenth-century Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda and Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher Sri Aurobindo also spoke on this aphorism.

This aphorism is the motto of the All India Radio (AIR) a National Public Service Broadcaster and its emblem depicts the motto.

Vishnugupta, popularly known as Chanakya or Kautilya, the architect of the Mauryan Empire in the Fourth century BC, theorized further, working on this basic dictum, and brought out a treatise called “Kautilya’s Arthashastra” meaning a treatise on Public Administration the first such document in India. Kautilya’s approach enshrined the "State as an institutional necessity for human advancement” and then prescribed in details all the actions to be taken by the ruler of the state. His elaboration of the main dictum of the Hindu philosophy “bahujan sukhaya bahujan hitaya” i.e. "public welfare lies in the happiness of the masses" was interpreted with the following theory.

Sanskrit sloka: Praja sukhe sukham rajyaha prajanamcha hitehitam,
Natma priyyam hitam rajanaha prajanam cha hitam priyam.

English translation: “In the happiness of his public rests the king’s happiness, in their welfare his welfare
He shall not consider as good only that which pleases him but treat as beneficial to him whatever pleases his public.

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Wikipedia