गुणा गुणज्ञेषु गुणा भवन्ति

गुणा गुणज्ञेषु गुणा भवन्ति ते निर्गुणं प्राप्य भवन्ति दोषाः।

आस्वाद्यतोयाः प्रवहन्ति नद्यः समुद्रमासाद्य भवन्त्यपेयाः॥

guṇā guṇajñeṣu guṇā bhavanti te nirguṇaṁ prāpya bhavanti doṣāḥ|

āsvādyatoyāḥ pravahanti nadyaḥ samudramāsādya bhavantyapeyāḥ||

Good qualities and traits possessed by a person manifest themselves in their true colours in the presence and with the encouragement of people who really know what those qualities and traits and and who are capable of understanding and encouraging them, In fact the same qualities can be vitiated and turned to evil practices in the company of people having no virtues..

The rivers flow through mountains, hillocks and valleys, carrying water so tasty (because the inherent taste of water is enhanced by the herbs and the minerals available in profusion in the terrain they flow through) but once the same river mingles with the sea, the water become saline and undrinkable (because sea can provide only salt)..

Ultimately we grow or perish mainly depending on the company we keep..