हंसः क्षीरमिवांभसः

प्राज्ञोऽपि जल्पतां पुंसां श्रुत्वा वाचः शुभाशुभाः।

गुणवद्वाक्यमादत्ते हंसः क्षीरमिवांभसः॥

सुभाषितमञ्जरी ११-६२

prājño'pi jalpatāṁ puṁsāṁ śrutvā vācaḥ śubhāśubhāḥ|

guṇavadvākyamādatte haṁsaḥ kṣīramivāṁbhasaḥ||

subhāṣitamañjarī 11-62

A person with enlightenment and wisdom would patiently hear the words and opinions uttered or expressed by all men, whether such utterances are nice or not so nice, but would take into account for guidance and action only the good things..

It is like the swan, drinking a mixture of water and milk, but taking in only the milk content would just reject all the extra water..

The same imagery of the swan - milk-water has been used by Kalidass in his Abhijnanashakuntalam..

हंसो हि क्षीरं आदत्ते तन् मिश्रा वर्जयत्यपः..

hamso hi ksheeram aadatte tan mishraa varjayatyapaH.

The swan swallows the milk but rejects the water mixed with it..

Yes, our eyes, ears and mind are all created by the good god to received all sorts of signals.. without evaluating their merits..

But then an additional faculty .. called intellect or discretion too is give by that same God..

We have to use our discretion..

Else, we will reach nowhere..

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan