peaise the good but be silent about defects in others

 

गुणदोषौ बुधो गृह्णन् इन्दुक्षेडाविवेश्वरः।

शिरसा श्लाखते पूर्वं परं कण्ठे नियच्छति॥

सुभाषितशतकत्रये॥

guṇadoṣau budho gṛhṇan indukṣeḍāviveśvaraḥ|

śirasā ślākhate pūrvaṁ paraṁ kaṇṭhe niyacchati||

subhāṣitaśatakatraye||

A wise man gives the similar treatment to good and bad just as how Lord Shiva treats the crescent moon, and the poison

Shiva gave an honourable place to moon by keeping its crescent in his matted locks, as an adornment. However, when Shiva saw the poison of Vasuki flowing out during the churning of milky ocean, he just swallowed it and fixed it in His throat, ensuring that it never comes out.

Similarly, when a wise person sees good things, he praises them very high

Nevertheless, when he sees bad things, he just keeps it safe under his throat, keeping quiet and by never talking about it.

Here the poet compares to the Moon and compares the bad to the poison.

We can be lavish in praising and patronising good things.

However, we have to suppress bad things, bad thoughts and bad actions.