[subhāṣita/apophthegm] Does association really play a role?

[Vyom A. Shah]

शुभा वा लोकस्य प्रकृतिरशुभा वा सहभवा

परेषां संसर्गान्न खलु गुणदोषौ प्रभवतः।

अपां पत्युर्मध्ये सततमधिपवासेऽपि मृदुतां

न यान्ति ग्रावाणः स्पृशति न च पाथः परुषताम्॥

[शुभा। वा। लोकस्य। प्रकृतिः। अशुभा। वा। सहभवा। 

परेषाम्। संसर्गाद्। न। खलु। गुणदोषौ। प्रभवतः।

अपाम्। पत्युः। मध्ये। सततम्। अधिवासे। अपि। मृदुताम्। 

न। यान्ति। ग्रावाणः। स्पृशति। न। च। पाथः। परुषताम्॥]

{śubhā vā lokasya prakṛtiraśubhā vā sahabhavā
pareṣāṃ saṃsargānna khalu guṇadoṣau prabhavataḥ.
apāṃ patyurmadhye satatamadhipavāse'pi mṛdutāṃ
na yānti grāvāṇaḥ spṛśati na ca pāthaḥ paruṣatām..}

Whether the conduct of people be auspicious or inauspicious or both together, the virtues and vices do not emerge due to course of their association. Though continuously inhabited in the ocean, neither do the gravels become soft, nor does the water become coarse.

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This verse is from

Text name: Nalavilāsa

Author of text: Rāmacandrasūri

Text description: A drama based on love story of life of Nala and Damayantī in 7 acts. Edited by Lalchandra Gandhi under Gaekwad Oriental Series No. 29.

Publishers: Central Library, Baroda (1926)