Shloka 46
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
श्रेष्ठो हि पण्डित: शत्रुर्न च मित्रमपण्डित:
śreṣṭho hi paṇḍitaḥ śatrur na ca mitram apaṇḍitaḥ
قال بهيشما: «العدوّ الحكيم خيرٌ؛ أمّا الأحمق فليس بصديقٍ حقّ». وتُبرز هذه الحكمة أنّ سلامة الرأي وحُسن التمييز أوثقُ لصلاح المرء من مجرّد المودّة بلا فهم؛ إذ إن الحماقة—وإن تزيّت بزيّ الصداقة—قد تجرّ إلى الضرر وإلى الأدهرما (اللا-دارما).
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Discernment matters more than labels like ‘friend’ or ‘enemy’: a wise adversary may act predictably and within reason, while a foolish friend can cause unintended damage through poor judgment, leading one away from dharma and well-being.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and practical ethics after the war. This verse appears as a concise maxim within that counsel, emphasizing the value of wisdom in relationships and decision-making.