यथाह्यल्पेन यत्नेन च्छिद्यते तरुणस्तरु

यथाह्यल्पेन यत्नेन च्छिद्यते तरुणस्तरु

स एवाऽतिप्रवृद्धस्तु च्छिद्यतेऽतिप्रयत्नतः।

एवमेव विकारोऽपि तरुणः साध्यते सुखम्।

विवृद्धः साध्यते कृच्छ्रात् असाध्यो वाऽपि जायते॥

चरकः

yathāhyalpena yatnena cchidyate taruṇastaru

sa evā'tipravṛddhastu cchidyate'tiprayatnataḥ|

evameva vikāro'pi taruṇaḥ sādhyate sukham|

vivṛddhaḥ sādhyate kṛcchrāt asādhyo vā'pi jāyate||

carakaḥ

When a tree is very young and tender it could be cut off with minimal or almost no effort. However once it has grown in time and become substantially huge, lots and lost of energy and human efforts would be required to fell the same tree

In the same manner, when a disease is in its initial stages, it would respond and submit to treatment very easily. If the disease is allowed to intensify in the body of the patient through delay and lack of proper care, it would respond only through intense and prolonged treatment, and often the treatment could become impossible or even futile.

A statement from the master of Medicines, Charaka.