बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः I
अबोधोपहताश्चान्ये जीर्णमङ्गे सुभाषितम् II

बोद्धारः – The learned ones, scholars

मत्सरग्रस्ताः – Overcome by jealousy or envy

प्रभवः – The powerful or influential people

स्मयदूषिताः – Corrupted by pride or arrogance

अबोधोपहताः – Overpowered by ignorance (lacking wisdom)

च – And

अन्ये – Others (referring to common people)

जीर्णमङ्गे – On an aged/decayed body

सुभाषितम् – A good saying, wise words

Gist of the Subhāṣitam -

This verse from Bhartrihari’s Nītiśatakam expresses the difficulty of spreading wisdom and knowledge in the world. It conveys that:

Learned scholars (बोद्धारः) are often filled with jealousy, preventing them from appreciating wisdom from others.

Powerful and influential people (प्रभवः) are blinded by their pride, making them indifferent to good teachings.

Common ignorant people (अबोधोपहताः) lack the intellectual ability to understand deep wisdom.

Thus, wise sayings (सुभाषितम्) remain unappreciated, becomes digested in the body of speaker only