maunam sarvaartha saadhanam - Sanskrit sloka

[K.N.RAMESH]

आत्मनो मुखदोषेण बध्यन्ते शुकसारिकाः ।
बकास्तत्र न बध्यन्ते मौनं सर्वार्थ साधनम् ॥

शब्दार्थ

आत्मन् = self
मुख = mouth
दोष = fault
शुक = parrot
सारिका = a bird (nightingale / cuckoo ? )
बक = stork
बध् = to trap, to tie down.
मौन = silence
सर्व = all
अर्थ = objective
साधन = instrument
भावार्थ
Nightingales and parrots are trapped because of the fault of their own mouths.
However, storks are not caught. Silence is indeed the instrument that
achieves all ends.