रे रे चातक सावधानमनसा मित्र क्षणं श्रूयता-
मम्भोदा बहवो वसन्ति गगने सर्वेऽपि नैतादृशाः ।
केचिद्वृष्टिभिरार्द्रयन्ति वसुधां गर्जन्ति केचिद्वृथा
यं यं पश्यसि तस्य तस्य पुरतो मा ब्रूहि दीनं वचः ॥
re re cātaka sāvadhāna-manasā mitra kṣaṇaṁ śrūyatām
ambhodā bahavo vasanti gagane sarve’pi naitādṛśāḥ |
kecid vṛṣṭibhir ārdrayanti vasudhāṁ garjanti kecid vṛthā
yaṁ yaṁ paśyasi tasya tasya purato mā brūhi dīnaṁ vacaḥ ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 51)
“Oh! Oh! Cātaka! My friend, listen with an attentive mind for a moment. Certainly many clouds reside in the sky, although all of them are not like this [i.e., not all of them are supporters of cātakas, as the cātaka stated in the previous verse]. Some saturate the earth with their showers, and some [merely] rumble frivolously [and do not shower any rain at all]. [So,] Do not speak piteous words before every single one you see.”
Commentary
One who is in need should not beg from any prospective supporter but should carefully identify and approach a proper benefactor of good character and avoid demeaning oneself.