एका भूरुभयोरैक्यमुभयोर्दलकाण्डयोः ।
शालिश्यामाकयोर्भेदः फलेन परिचीयते ॥
ekā bhūr ubhayor aikyam ubhayor dala-kāṇḍayoḥ |
śāliśyāmākayor bhedaḥ phalena paricīyate ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha; Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)
“Both have the same soil, and both have identical shoots and stalks. The difference between rice and millet is known by the result.”
Commentary
Two otherwise identical plants are recognized to be different by examining their products. The phrase phalena paricīyate gives rise to a rule of thumb that the nature of any object either can or is to be known from its effect.