अप्रधानः प्रधानः स्यात्सेवते यदि पार्थिवम्

अप्रधानः प्रधानः स्यात्सेवते यदि पार्थिवम्।

प्रधानोऽप्यप्राधानः स्याद्यदि सेवाविवर्जितः॥

१७२ इन्द् स्प्रुचे पञ्चतन्त्रे

apradhānaḥ pradhānaḥ syātsevate yadi pārthivam|

pradhāno'pyaprādhānaḥ syādyadi sevāavivarjitaḥ||172 ind spru pañcatantre

When a person is employed in the service of the king or the State, he would become very important, very respected and very much noticed even if he is a person of average importance and capacity. However, once a person is divested of his services under the state, he becomes a big zero, even if he was a shining star during his service days.