सन्तप्तायसि संस्थितस्य पयसो नामापि न ज्ञायते
मुक्ताकारतया तदेव नलिनीपत्रस्थितं राजते ।
स्वात्यां सागरशुक्तिमध्यपतितं सन्मौक्तिकं जायते
प्रायेणोत्तममध्यमाधमदशा संसर्गतो जायते ॥
santaptāyasi saṁsthitasya payaso nāmāpi na jñāyate
muktākāratayā tad eva nalinī-patra-sthitaṁ rājate |
svātyāṁ sāgara-śuktim adhyapatitaṁ san-mauktikaṁ jāyate
prāyeṇottama-madhyamādhama-daśā saṁsargato jāyate ||
(Nīti-śatakam of Bhartṛhari: 67)
“Water placed on a red-hot iron cannot even be recognized [i.e., it evaporates immediately without a trace and becomes invisible]. When situated on a lotus leaf, [however,] it shines with the appearance of a pearl. And when it falls onto an oyster shell during Svāti [i.e., the lunar mansion during which oysters open their shells], it becomes an actual pearl. Generally [speaking], excellent, moderate, and low conditions [of people] arise from association.”