Degradation

yatra vidvaj-jano nāsti

yatra vidvaj-jano nāsti ślāghyas tatrālpa-dhīr api |
nirasta-pādape deśe eraṇḍo’pi drumāyate ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-lābha, 70; Subhāṣita-ratna-samuccaya)

“Where there is no wise person, even someone of little intelligence becomes venerable. In a land devoid of trees, even a castor-oil plant seems like [i.e., is considered to be] a tree.”

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apātraṁ pātratā yāti

apātraṁ pātratā yāti yatra pātraṁ na vidyate |
asmin deśe drumo nāsti eraṇḍo’pi drumāyate ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 1985)

“An unfit person attains fitness when a fit person is not present. In a land where there are no trees, even a castor-oil plant is considered a tree.”

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