"The chaff is ground along with the wheat" is a popular idiom or proverb which means that the innocent person has to suffer along with the guilty. This phrase suggests that when a bad deed occurs, everyone involved, whether guilty or innocent, faces its bad consequences. This is why our company of people always get important. To highlight the consequences of our company, Sanskrit has said ;
आसीत्पूर्वं विमलजलधौ मण्डनं भूपतीनां, नारीणां च प्रबलमुकुटे काञ्चनेन प्रसङ्गात|
तन्त्रीबद्धः कथमिदमहोत्काचखण्डेन सार्धं, भिल्ली कण्ठे मरकतमणे कामवस्थां गतोSसि ||
Aaseetpoorvam vimalajaladhau mandanam bhoopateenaam. Naareenaam cha prabalamukute kaanchanena prasangaat.
Tantreebaddhh kathamidamahotkaachakhandenena saardham, Bhilleekanthe marakaramane kaamavasthaam gatosi.
Aaseet = existed.
Poorvam = earlier.
Vimala = vast and clear.
Jaladhau = ocean.
Mandanam = decoration.
Bhoopateenaam + Kings.
Naareenam = women.
Cha = and.
Prabala = dominating.
Mukute = tiara. a crown.
Kaanchanena = gold's.
Prasangaat = studded with.
Tantreebaddhah = stringed.
katham + idam + mahot + kaachakhandena,
Katham = say.
Idam = this.
Mahot = many.
Kaachkhandena = pieces of glass.
Saardham = one half.
Bhillee = a tribal woman.
Kanthe = neck.
Marakatamane = emerald gem.
Kaam + avasthaam.
Kaam = what ?
Avasthaam = condition.
Gatosi = you have gone.
i.e. First you were inside the vast ocean and then you mixed with gold and enhanced the beauty of the crowns of kings and beautiful women. Oh, emerald ! what miserable condition have you found yourself in now, strung together with pieces of glass into a necklace and hanging around the neck of a Bhil woman ?
In this proverb, it has been symbolically stated that a person or thing gets respect and prestige by associating with good people and gets despised by associating with bad people and things. For example: If a person supports a criminal, then when the criminal is caught, the innocent person who supported him may also have to go to jail, just like the weevil gets ground along with the wheat. By living with bad people, even good people get defamed or problems arise for them.
