आत्मा नदी संयमपुण्यतीर्था
सत्योदका शीलतटा दयोर्मिः ।
तत्राभिषेकं कुरु पाण्डुपुत्र
न वारिणा शुष्यति चान्तरात्मा ॥
ātmā nadī saṁyama-puṇya-tīrthā
satyodakā śīla-taṭā dayormiḥ |
tatrābhiṣekaṁ kuru pāṇḍu-putra
na vāriṇā śuṣyati cāntarātmā ||
(Hitopadeśa: Sandhi, 93)
“The self is a river: discipline is its auspicious bathing places, truth its water, character its banks, and compassion its waves. Bath there, O son of Pāṇḍu. The inner self is not purified by water.”