न स्वल्पमप्यध्यवसायभीरोः
करोति विज्ञानविधिर्गुणं हि ।
अन्धस्य किं हस्ततलस्थितोऽपि
प्रकाशयत्यर्थमिह प्रदीपः ॥
na svalpam apy adhyavasāya-bhīroḥ
karoti vijñāna-vidhir guṇaṁ hi |
andhasya kiṁ hasta-tala-sthito’pi
prakāśayaty artham iha pradīpaḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.165)
“Application of knowledge [alt., of the faculty of discrimination] does not do even a little good for one who is afraid of determined action [i.e., putting one’s knowledge and conclusions into practice in the face of obstacles]. What object in this world does even a lamp present in the palm of the hand illuminate for a blind person?”