अपकारदशायामप्युपकुर्वन्ति साधवः ।
छिन्दन्तमपि वृक्षः स्वछायया किं न रक्षति ॥
apakāra-daśāyām apy upakurvanti sādhavaḥ |
chindantam api vṛkṣaḥ sva-chāyayā kiṁ na rakṣati ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 1876)
“Even in a condition of [receiving] harm, sādhus help [those who harm them]. Does a tree even while being chopped down not offer protection [to those who are cutting it] with its own shade?”