खलानां कण्टकानांच द्विविधैव प्रतिक्रिया |
उपानन्मुखभंगोवा दूरतो वा विसर्जनम् ||
khalaanaam kaNTakaanaamcha dvividhaiva pratikriyaa
upaananmukhabhangovaa doorato vaa visarjanam
There are only two options while dealing with the wicked people and a thorn lying on the road. One is to hit their face by your footware or leave them aside!!
Actually the word ‘mukhabhanga’ applies to both the thorn and the wicked person. When appiled to the wicked person it means you insult that person (and not litellary to hit that person on face!) and when applied to a thorn it means you cut that part of the thorn which is pointed and thus it will not harm anyone. Further the subhaashitakaara says that if you don’t have capabilities to do such things then simply leave them aside (You follow a different path!!)