May 25th

Sanskrit Pearl of the day:
न कुलं वृत्तहीनस्य प्रमाणमिति मे मतिः ।
अन्तेष्वपि हि जातानां वृत्तमेव विशिष्यते ॥
- महाभारत, उद्योगपर्व


Transliteration:
na kulaṃ vṛttahīnasya pramāṇamiti me matiḥ ।
anteṣvapi hi jātānāṃ vṛttameva viśiṣyate ॥
- mahābhārata, udyogaparva

Meaning of the subhAShita:

In my opinion, the attestation for a person of low character is not his clan. Even for someone born of a lowly lineage—his conduct is more distinctive.

Commentary:

People are constantly judged and scrutinized in society. They are judged on all grounds starting from their lineage to their attire.

But the poet clearly says, in his opinion any person must be classified mainly according to his conduct, irrespective of his birth in a family of higher or lower order (as per definitions of the society). 

Just because one is born into a reputed family (higher clan) it will not establish his character.  A person's conduct comes from his value base, not his birth. What he has learnt along the way and what he has come to respect says a lot more about him as a human being. These thoughts and values differentiate him from others as either good or bad.  That makes him a human of higher quality! 

Quality is—presence of values not absence of mistakes. Value the values in a person, not his background.

pada vigrahaH:
न कुलं वृत्त-हीनस्य प्रमाणम् इति मे मतिः ।
na kulaṃ vṛtta-hīnasya pramāṇam iti me matiḥ ।

अन्तेषु अपि हि जातानां वृत्तम् एव विशिष्यते ॥
anteṣu api hi jātānāṃ vṛttam eva viśiṣyate ॥

Alternate Transliteration:
na kulaM vRuttahInasya pramaaNamiti me matiH ।
anteShvapi hi jaataanaaM vRuttameva vishiShyate ॥
- mahaabhaarata, udyogaparva

na kulaM vRutta-hInasya pramaaNam iti me matiH ।

anteShu api hi jaataanaaM vRuttam eva vishiShyate ॥