विकृतिं नैव गच्छन्ति

विकृतिं नैव गच्छन्ति सङ्गदोषेण साधवः।
आवेष्टितं महासर्पैश्चन्दनं न विषायते॥
vikṛtiṁ naiva gacchanti saṅgadoṣeṇa sādhavaḥ|
āveṣṭitaṁ mahāsarpaiścandanaṁ na viṣāyate||
Changes (negative changes/bad habits) are not induced by bad company in a great people.
[Just as] A sandalwood tree enveloped by great serpents does not turn poisonous.
Neverthless, one must always stay away from bad company. See दुर्जनेन समं सख्यम्

अकुर्वन्तोऽपि पापानि

अकुर्वन्तोऽपि पापानि शुचयः पापसंश्रयात्।
परपापैर्विनश्यन्ति मत्स्या नागहृदे यथा॥
akurvanto’pi pāpāni śucayaḥ pāpasaṁśrayāt|
parapāpairvinaśyanti matsyā nāgahṛde yathā||
Innocent persons, though they may not commit any sinful acts, are punished as a consequence of their mere association with evil-doers;
Just as the fishes in a serpent-pond are destroyed [by the snake destroyers] along with the snakes.

असज्जनेन सम्पर्कात्

असज्जनेन सम्पर्कादनयं यान्ति साधवः।
मधुरं शीतलं तोयं पावकं प्राप्य तप्यते॥
asajjanena samparkādanayaṁ yānti sādhavaḥ|
madhuraṁ śītalaṁ toyaṁ pāvakaṁ prāpya tapyate||
By close association with the bad, [even the] good people get corrupted.
The sweet and cool water, by association with fire, boils.

[Posted on 9 MAY]