वृद्धचाणक्य - विषकृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम्

विप्रास्मिन्नगरे महान् कथय कस्तालद्रुमाणां गणः
को दाता, रजको ददाति वसनं प्रातर्गृहीत्वा निशि ।
को दक्षः, परदारवित्तहरणे सर्वोऽपि दक्षो जनः
कस्माज्जीवसि हे सखे, विषकृमिन्यायेन जीवाम्यहम् ॥

- वृद्धचाणक्य

viprAH asmin nagare mahAn kathaya kaH tAladrumANAm gaNaH
ko dAtA, rajako dadAti vasanam prAtaH gRuhItvA nishi ।
ko dakShaH, paradAra vitta haraNe sarvaH api dakShaH janaH
kasmAt jIvasi he sakhe, viShakrimi nyAyena jIvAmi aham ॥

- vRuddha chANakya

Oh Brahmin! tell me who is the tallest (in stature) in this city? Only the palm trees here can be called tall. Who is the greatest giver? The washer man is the only person who gives; that too at night he gives the clothes he took in the morning. Who is efficient? Everyone is efficient when it comes to stealing money from other people's wives. Then how do you live here? I follow the principles of a poisonous bacteria to survive here; do everything to live and not care about anything else.

- Vruddha Chanakya