विद्वत्त्वं च नृपत्वं च नैव तुल्ये कदाचन ।
स्वदेशे पूज्यते राजा विद्वान्सर्वत्र पूज्यते ॥
vidvattvaṁ ca nṛpatvaṁ ca naiva tulye kadācana |
svadeśe pūjyate rājā vidvān sarvatra pūjyate ||
(Hitopadeśa)
“Being wise and being a ruler are never comparable [i.e., equal]. A king is honored in his own country. A wiseman is honored everywhere.”