Shloka 175
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
विश्वस्तं वा प्रमत्तं वा एतदेव कृतं भवेत् । बलवत्संनिकर्षो हि न कदाचित् प्रशस्थते
viśvastaṃ vā pramattaṃ vā etad eva kṛtaṃ bhavet | balavatsaṃnikarṣo hi na kadācit praśasyate ||
Ob einer vertrauensvoll ist oder unachtsam, das Ergebnis ist dasselbe: Dieser Schaden kann geschehen. Denn enge Nähe zu den Mächtigen ist niemals, zu keiner Zeit, wirklich zu preisen—weil sie selbst ohne Vorwarnung der Gefahr aussetzt.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not assume safety merely because you are trusting or merely because you are alert; closeness to those who wield great power is inherently risky and therefore not generally praiseworthy.
Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma and practical conduct in the Śānti Parva, warns that harm can befall a person whether they are unsuspecting or negligent, and he generalizes this as a caution against staying too near the powerful.