कटु क्वणन्तो मलदायकाः खला-
स्तुदन्त्यलं बन्धनशृङ्खला इव ।
मनस्तु साधुध्वनिभिः पदे पदे
हरन्ति सन्तो मणिनूपुरा इव ॥
kaṭu kvaṇanto maladāyakāḥ khalās
tudanty alaṁ bandhana-śṛṅkhalā iva |
manas tu sādhu-dhvanibhiḥ pade pade
haranti santo maṇi-nūpurā iva ||
(Kādambarī: 6)
“The wicked, like shackles,
Sound strident, wound severely, and leave marks.
On the contrary,
The good, like jeweled anklets,
At every step [alt., with every word],
Captivate the mind with excellent sounds [alt., implied meanings].”