Shloka 43

Devanagari script

नविश्वसेदविश्वस्ते विश्वस्ते नातिविश्वसेत्‌ विश्वासाद्‌ भयमभ्येति नापरीक्ष्य च विश्वसेद्‌

Transliteration

na viśvased aviśvaste viśvaste nātiviśvaset | viśvāsād bhayam abhyeti nāparīkṣya ca viśvaset ||

Translation

Bhīṣma said: “One should not place trust in the untrustworthy, and even in the trustworthy one should not trust without measure. From excessive trust, danger arises; therefore, one should not give trust without first testing and examining.”

Word by Word

नnot

विश्वसेत्should trust

अविश्वस्तेin/with one who is not trusted; in an untrusted person

विश्वस्तेin/with one who is trusted; in a trusted person

नnot

अतिexcessively; too much

विश्वसेत्should trust

विश्वासात्from trust; due to trust

भयम्fear

अभ्येतिapproaches; comes upon

नnot

अपरीक्ष्यwithout examining; without testing

चand

विश्वसेत्should trust

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Exercise discernment in relationships: do not trust the untrustworthy, and do not trust even the trustworthy without limits; excessive confidence invites danger, so trust should follow examination.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and statecraft; here he gives a concise maxim on prudent conduct—how a ruler or any person should regulate trust to avoid harm.