मित्रं प्रीतिरसायनं नयनयोरानन्दनं चेतसः
पात्रं यत्सुखदुःखयोः सह भवेन्मित्रेण तद्दुर्लभम् ।
ये चान्ये सुहृदः समृद्धिसमये द्रव्याभिलाषाकुला-
स्ते सर्वत्र मिलन्ति तत्त्वनिकषग्रावा तु तेषां विपत् ॥
mitraṁ prīti-rasāyanaṁ nayanayor ānandanaṁ cetasaḥ
pātraṁ yat sukha-duḥkhayoḥ saha bhaven mitreṇa tad durlabham|
ye cānye suhṛdaḥ samṛddhi-samaye dravyābhilāṣākulās
te sarvatra milanti tattva-nikaṣa-grāvā tu teṣāṁ vipat ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.224)
“A friend is a pleasing elixir for the eyes and a joy to the heart. A friend who is a sharer with us in happiness and distress is rare to find. Others who are well-wishes in times of prosperity and full of desire for wealth can be found everywhere. Adversity is the touchstone test of their nature.”