आत्मौपम्येन यो वेत्ति दुर्जनं सत्य-वादिनम् । स तथा वञ्च्यते धूर्तैर्ब्राह्मणश्छागतो यथा ॥
ātmaupamyena yo vetti durjanaṃ satya-vādinam | sa tathā vañcyate dhūrtairbrāhmaṇaśchāgato yathā ||
He who, judging others by himself, takes a rogue to be truthful is cheated by tricksters, just as the brahmin was cheated of his goat.
जो अपने जैसा समझकर दुष्ट को भी सच्चा मान लेता है, वह धूर्तों से वैसे ही ठगा जाता है जैसे ब्राह्मण बकरे से ठगा गया।
Meaning today and contextआज के लिए अर्थ और संदर्भ
Honest people often assume others are honest too. Kindness is good, but check people by what they do, not by what you would do in their place.
ईमानदार लोग अक्सर मान लेते हैं कि दूसरे भी ईमानदार होंगे। भलाई अच्छी है, पर लोगों को उनके कामों से परखें, यह सोचकर नहीं कि आप उनकी जगह क्या करते।
Meghavarṇa says the minister saw through him at first sight, but the noble king did not; he quotes this and then tells the story of the brahmin and the goat.