न सा सभा यत्र न सन्ति वृद्धा । वृद्धा न ते ये न वदन्ति धर्मम् । धर्मः स नो यत्र न सत्यमस्ति । सत्यं न तद्यच्छलमभ्युपैति ॥
na sā sabhā yatra na santi vṛddhā | vṛddhā na te ye na vadanti dharmam | dharmaḥ sa no yatra na satyamasti | satyaṃ na tadyacchalamabhyupaiti ||
That is no assembly where there are no elders; they are no elders who do not speak what is right; that is no righteousness where there is no truth; that is no truth which slides into deceit.
वह सभा, सभा नहीं जहाँ बड़े-बुज़ुर्ग न हों; वे बड़े नहीं जो धर्म की बात न कहें; वह धर्म, धर्म नहीं जिसमें सत्य न हो; और वह सत्य, सत्य नहीं जिसमें छल मिला हो।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
A meeting, family council or board is only worth something if experienced people are there and are willing to say what is right, truthfully and without tricks. Seniority alone is not wisdom; speaking up honestly is.
कोई बैठक, परिवार की पंचायत या बोर्ड तभी सार्थक है जब अनुभवी लोग हों और वे सच्चाई से, बिना छल के, सही बात कहें। केवल उम्र बड़प्पन नहीं; ईमानदारी से बोलना ही बड़प्पन है।
The parrot envoy insolently orders King Hiraṇyagarbha to submit; the angry king wants him thrown out and the crow offers to kill him, but Sarvajña calms them both with this verse.