A wicked man may develop saintly qualities in the company of a devotee, but a devotee does not become impious in the company of a wicked person. The earth is scented by a flower that falls upon it, but the flower does not contact the odour of the earth.
The house in which the lotus feet of brahmanas are not washed, in which vedic mantras are not loudly recited, and in which the holy rites of svaha (sacrificial offerings to the supreme lord) and swadha (offerings to the ancestors) are not performed, is like a crematorium.
Those men who are happy in this world, who are generous towards their relatives, kind to strangers, indifferent to the wicked, loving to the good, shrewd in their dealings with the base, frank with the learned, courageous with enemies, humble with elders and stern with the wife.
O raghava, the love of virtue, pleasing speech, and an ardent desire for performing acts of charity, guileless dealings with friends, humility in the guru's presence , deep tranquillity of mind, pure conduct, discernment of virtues, realised knowledge of the sastras, beauty of form and devotion to god are all found in you." (the great sage vasistha muni, the spiritual preceptor of the dynasty of the sun, said this to lord ramachandra at the time of his proposed coronation).
He is a blessed grhasta (householder) in whose house there is a blissful atmosphere, whose sons are talented, whose wife speaks sweetly, whose wealth is enough to satisfy his desires, who finds pleasure in the company of his wife, whose servants are obedient, in whose house hospitality is shown, the auspicious supreme lord is worshiped daily, delicious food and drink is partaken, and who finds joy in the company of devotees.
What fault of spring that the bamboo shoot has no leaves? What fault of the sun if the owl cannot see during the daytime? Is it the fault of the clouds if no raindrops fall into the mouth of the chatak bird? Who can erase what lord brahma has inscribed upon our foreheads at the time of birth?
A stranger asked a brahmana, "tell me, who is great in this city?" the brahmana replied, "the cluster of palmyra trees is great." then the traveller asked, "who is the most charitable person?" the brahmana answered, "the washerman who takes the clothes in the morning and gives them back in the evening is the most charitable." he then asked, "who is the ablest man?" the brahmana answered, "everyone is expert in robbing others of their wives and wealth." the man then asked the brahmana, "how do you manage to live in such a city?" the brahmana replied, "as a worm survives while even in a filthy place so do I survive here!"