यो ह वै वसिष्ठं वेद वसिष्ठो ह स्वानां भवति वाग्वाव वसिष्ठः ॥ ५.१.२ ॥
yo ha vai vasiṣṭhaṃ veda vasiṣṭho ha svānāṃ bhavati vāgvāva vasiṣṭhaḥ || 5.1.2 ||
2. He who knows that which is of high standing himself becomes of high standing among his own relatives. Eloquence gives one this high standing [in society].
Word-for-word explanation:
Yaḥ ha vai, he who; vasiṣṭham veda, knows that which is of high standing; vasiṣṭhaḥ ha svānām bhavati, becomes of high standing among his own relatives; vāk vāva vasiṣṭhaḥ, speech [i.e., eloquence] is surely of high standing [i.e., it is the secret of high standing].
Commentary:
If a person respects another for his power to influence others, he himself some day has the same power and commands respect from others.
It is, in fact, the power of eloquence which is behind this influence.