Shloka 16

Chapter 81: Trust, Allies, and the Qualifications of the King’s Artha-Secretary (अर्थसचिव)

Devanagari script

यस्तु वृद्धया न तृप्येत क्षये दीनतरो भवेत्‌ । एतदुत्तममित्रस्य निमित्तमिति चक्षते,जो राजाकी उन्नतिसे कभी तृप्त न हो, उत्तरोत्तर उसकी अधिक उन्नति ही चाहता रहे और अवनति होनेपर बहुत दुखी हो जाय, यही उत्तम मित्रकी पहचान बतायी गयी है

Transliteration

yas tu vṛddhyā na tṛpyet kṣaye dīnataraḥ bhavet | etad uttamam itrasya nimittam iti cakṣate ||

Translation

قال بهيشما: من لا يرضى حتى حين يزدهر صديقه، بل يظل يتطلع إلى مزيدٍ من الرفعة له، فإذا جاء النقصان غمره الأسى الشديد—فهذه، كما يقولون، العلامة الفاصلة التي يُعرَف بها «الصديق الأمثل»، إذ يكون قلبه شديد التعلّق بخير صاحبه.

Word by Word

यःwho

तुbut/indeed

वृद्ध्याby prosperity/increase

नnot

तृप्येतshould be satisfied

क्षयेin decline/loss

दीनतरःmore miserable

भवेत्would become

एतत्this

उत्तम-मित्रस्यof a best/excellent friend

निमित्तम्sign/mark/characteristic

इतिthus/so (quotative)

चक्षतेthey say/declare

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A truly excellent friend is identified by wholehearted concern for the other’s welfare: he is not complacent at the friend’s success, but wishes ever greater good, and he feels genuine sorrow when the friend faces decline.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right conduct, Bhishma is giving Yudhishthira ethical counsel, here defining a key ‘mark’ (nimitta) by which an outstanding friend may be recognized.