namanti phalino vṛkṣāḥ namanti guṇino janāḥ |
śuṣka-kāṣṭhaś ca mūrkhaś ca na namanti kadācana ||
(Unknown source)
“Trees full of fruits bow down.
People full of qualities bow down.
Dry wood and fools [however]
Never bow down.”
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?”
