Shloka 65
Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
असभ्या: सभ्यसंकाशा: सभ्याक्षासभ्यदर्शना: । दृश्यन्ते विविधा भावास्तेषु युक्त परीक्षणम्,'संसारमें बहुतसे असभ्य प्राणी सभ्यकी तरह और सभ्यलोग असभ्यके समान देखे जाते हैं। इस तरह अनेक प्रकारके भाव दृष्टिगोचर होते हैं; अतः उनकी परीक्षा कर लेनी उचित है
asabhyāḥ sabhya-saṅkāśāḥ sabhyākṣā asabhya-darśanāḥ | dṛśyante vividhā bhāvās teṣu yuktaṃ parīkṣaṇam ||
قال بهيشما: «في العالم كثيرٌ من الجفاة يبدون في الظاهر أهلَ تهذيب، وكثيرٌ من المهذّبين حقًّا يُرَون كأنهم جفاة. وهكذا تُشاهَد طبائع وهيئات شتّى؛ لذلك فالصواب أن يُمتحَن الناس بعناية، وألا يُحكَم عليهم بمجرد المظهر.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Outer appearance can mislead: the uncultured may look refined and the refined may look uncultured. Therefore, dharmic judgment requires careful examination of conduct and inner disposition rather than relying on surface impressions.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma advises the listener to evaluate people thoughtfully, noting that social signals and appearances do not reliably reveal a person’s true nature.