Vana Parva 216.16
Rahular Itihasa / M. N. Dutt · Vana Parva Chapter 216 · Verse 16
Sanskrit Original
अनिष्टसम्प्रयोगाच्च विप्रयोगात् प्रियस्य च। मनुष्या मानसैर्दुःखैर्युज्यन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः॥ गुणैर्भूतानि युज्यन्ते वियुज्यन्ते तथैव च। सर्वाणि नैतदेकस्य शोकस्थानं हि विद्यते॥ अनिष्टं चान्वितं पश्यंस्तथा क्षिप्रं विरज्यते। ततश्च प्रतिकुर्वन्ति यदि पश्यन्त्युपक्रमात्॥
Men of low intelligence are overpowered with grief at the occurrence of something which is not agreeable to them or nonoccurrence of something which is good or much desired. Every creature is subject to this (law). It is not merely a single creature or a class, that is subject to misery. Congnisant of this evil people quickly mend their ways, if they perceive it at the very out-set, they succeed in curing it altogether.