The works of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya

Svātmaprakāśikā

Verse 24

राज्यं करोतु विज्ञानी भिक्षामटतु निर्भयः ।दोषैर्न लिप्यते शुद्धः पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥ २१ ॥

In plain words

Let the one who knows rule a kingdom. Let him go begging door to door, unafraid. He is pure, and no fault stains him — water beads on the lotus leaf and rolls away.

Close to the Sanskrit

Let the knower exercise kingship; let him, fearless, wander for alms. Pure, he is not stained by faults, as the lotus leaf is not by water.