क्व कस्य कर्म संवीक्ष्य करोत्यन्योऽपि गर्हितम् ।
गतानुगतिको लोको न लोकः पारमार्थिकः ॥
kva kasya karma saṁvīkṣya karoty anyo’pi garhitam |
gatānugatiko loko na lokaḥ pāramārthikaḥ ||
(Pañcatantra: 373)
“After observing the contemptible act of someone somewhere, another also does it. People are imitative [lit., they just follow, that is, blindly copy, those who have gone before them]. People are not seekers of a higher object [alt., the ultimate attainment, i.e., they do not really care for virtue, truth, ideals, or a spiritual end].”