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April 2025

पय:पानं भुजङ्गानां केवलं विषवर्धनम्

By C. N. Vaze, Chartered Accountant
Reading Time 3 mins

This proverbial line describes a very commonly experienced fact of life, especially in the modern times. Although it is an age old reality, it is more prominently observed in last few decades. With the advancement of technology, degeneration of values and pollution of culture, its gravity is increasing day-by-day.

The stanza reads as follows:-

उपदेशो हि मूर्खाणाम्    Advice rendered to a stupid or undeserving person.

प्रकोपाय न शान्तये  results in his anger. (resistance) and not in peace.

पय:पानं भुजङ्गानां  If you feed milk to a snake,

केवलं विषवर्धनम्  It only adds to its poison.

This is from Panchtantra (1.420) and Hitopadesh 3.4

There is another version of this shloka –

उपकारोSपि नीचानाम्  Help offered to a bad person,

अपकारो हि जायते  Is taken otherwise by him (he treats it as a trouble with bad motive.

पय:पानं भुजङ्गान

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