अनन्तपारं किल शब्दशास्त्रं
स्वल्पं तथायुर्बहवश्च विघ्नाः ।
सारं ततो ग्राह्यमपास्य फल्गु
हंसैर्यथा क्षीरमिवाम्बुमध्यात् ॥
ananta-pāraṁ kila śabda-śāstraṁ
svalpaṁ tathāyur bahavaś ca vighnāḥ |
sāraṁ tato grāhyam apāsya phalgu
haṁsair yathā kṣīram ivāmbum adhyāt ||
(Pañcatantra: Kathā-mukham, 6)
“Endless indeed are words and texts. Life is short, and obstacles are numerous. Therefore, the essence is to be grasped and the insubstantial set aside, just as milk can be extracted from water by swans.”