The essence of goodness*

प्रियप्राया वृत्तिर्विनयमधुरो वाचि नियमः प्रकृत्या कल्याणी मतिरनवगीतः परिचयः / पुरो वा पश्चाद्वा तदिदमविपर्यासितरसं रहस्यं साधूनामनुपधि विशुद्धं विजयते

kimathrOchyathE /priyaprAyA vrththirvinayamaDHurO vAchi niyamaha prakrthyA kalyANI mathiranavagIthaha parichayaha / purO vA pashchAdhvA thadhidhamaviparyAsitharasam rahasyam sADHUnAmanupaDHi vishudhDHam vijayathE

A likeable disposition is one that is made sweet by humility, restraint in speech, a mind which is by nature virtuous, a tendency not to abuse familiarity. At all times [in the future or in the past], this ageless secret, which is the pure essence of goodness, triumphs [over all else]

*From Act II of Bhavabhuti’s Uttararamacharitam.