when the chips are down

गते हि दुर्दशां लोके क्षुद्रोप्यहितमाचरेत्।

पङ्के निमग्ने करिणि भेको भवति मूर्द्धगः॥

कवितामृतकूप

gate hi durdaśāṁ loke kṣudropyahitamācaret|

paṅke nimagne kariṇi bheko bhavati mūrddhagaḥ||

kavitāmṛtakūpa 

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Meaning

when a person is experiencing bad times, even the silly and worthless fellows would do things that are againt his wishes and would irritate him.

When an elephant is stuck in a muddy pool, even a frog would jump on him and perch on his head victoriously..

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ഗതേ ഹി ദുര്ദശാം ലോകേ ക്ഷുദ്രോപി അഹിതം ആചരേത്‍

പങ്കേ നിമഗ്നേ കരിണി ഭേകോ ഭവതി മൂര്‍ദ്ധഗ:

(കവിതാമൃതകൂപം ) 

ഒരാള്‍ക്ക്‌ കഷ്ടകാലം വന്നുപെട്ടാല്‍ ഒന്നിനും കൊള്ളാത്തവനും അയാളെ ഉപദ്രവിക്കും.. പരിഹസിക്കും

ചെളിയില്‍ ആണ്ടുപോയ ആനയുടെ തലയില്‍ ചാടിക്കയറി ഇരിക്കും തവള ‍

It is best to remember that bad times would visit anyone, however big and powerful he is.. And when he is rendered helpless by circumstances, no one would care about his past importance.. Some may ever try to kick him all the more perhaps out of vicarious pleasure or to retaliate in revenge for some past insult..