Even nectar is poison if taken to excess.

This saying is commonly presented in English as a “Hindu proverb,” reflecting a broad South Asian moral tradition that emphasizes moderation (a theme also central to Ayurveda and to many dharma-oriented teachings). In Indian proverbial literature, “nectar” evokes amṛta—the divine elixir associated with immortality and the gods—so the image is deliberately paradoxical: even the most life-giving substance can become harmful when misused. The proverb circulates widely in modern collections of Indian/Hindu sayings, typically without a single attributable speaker or fixed first publication, functioning as a general ethical maxim rather than a line traceable to one canonical text.

The proverb warns that excess can corrupt even what is intrinsically good. “Nectar” stands for pleasures, virtues, resources, or remedies—things we assume are beneficial—while “poison” represents the unintended harm produced by overindulgence or imbalance. The point is not ascetic rejection of good things but a disciplined sense of measure: appetite, consumption, ambition, and even spiritual practices can become destructive when pursued without restraint. Its force lies in overturning the comforting idea that goodness is automatically safe; instead, it frames well-being as a matter of proportion, context, and self-governance.

1) “Even nectar becomes poison when taken in excess.”
2) “Even amrita (nectar) turns to poison if consumed too much.”
3) “Even the nectar of immortality is poison in excess.”