असतोऽपि भवति गुणवान्

असतोऽपि भवति गुणवान् सद्भ्योऽपि परं भवन्त्यसद्वृत्ताः।
पङ्कादुदेति कमलं क्रिमयः कमालादपि भवन्ति॥
asato’pi bhavati guṇavān sadbhyo’pi paraṁ bhavantyasadvṛttāḥ|
paṅkādudeti kamalaṁ krimayaḥ kamālādapi bhavanti||
A virtuous person may spring even from a bad source and one of bad conduct even from the virtuous. The (beautiful) lotus springs from (dirty) mud, but worms are seen to spring even from a lotus.