Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

असाधु: साधुतामेति साधुर्भवति दारुण: । अरिश्व मित्र भवति मित्र चापि प्रदुष्पति,बुरा मनुष्य भला और भला मनुष्य बुरा हो जाया करता है। शत्रु भी मित्र बन जाता है और मित्र भी बिगड़ जाता है; क्योंकि मनुष्यका चित्त सदैव एक-सा नहीं रहता। अतः उसपर किसी भी समय कोई कैसे विश्वास करेगा? इसलिये जो प्रधान कार्य हो, उसे अपनी आँखोंके सामने पूरा कर देना चाहिये

Transliteration

asādhuḥ sādhutām eti sādhur bhavati dāruṇaḥ | ariś ca mitraṃ bhavati mitraṃ cāpi praduṣyati ||

Translation

Bhishma said: A wicked man may come to goodness, and a good man may turn cruel. An enemy can become a friend, and even a friend may become corrupted. Since the human mind does not remain the same at all times, how can one place full trust in anyone at every moment? Therefore, whatever is the principal task, one should accomplish it directly before one’s own eyes—without leaving it to uncertain changes in people’s intentions.

Word by Word

असाधुःa wicked/unsaintly person

साधुताम्goodness, saintliness

एतिgoes/attains

साधुःa good/virtuous person

भवतिbecomes

दारुणःcruel, harsh

अरिःenemy

अपिalso, even

मित्रम्a friend

भवतिbecomes

मित्रम्a friend

चand

अपिalso, even

प्रदुष्यतिturns bad, becomes corrupted

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes