Shloka 102
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
लोमशको अपना काम बनानेकी जल्दी लगी हुई थी; अतः वह भलीभाँति विनयपूर्ण बर्ताव करता हुआ विलम्ब करनेवाले चूहेसे इस प्रकार कहने लगा-- ।।
na hovaṁ mitrakāryāṇi prītyā kurvanti sādhavaḥ | yathā tvāṁ mokṣitaḥ kṛcchrāt tvaramāṇena vai mayā ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Les gens de bien n’accomplissent pas l’œuvre d’un ami de cette manière, sans chaleur ni joie. Moi, dans ma hâte, je t’ai aussitôt délivré de la détresse ; ne tarde donc pas, quand vient l’heure d’agir pour un ami.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A friend’s duty should be done promptly and with genuine goodwill; virtue is shown not merely by doing the act, but by doing it gladly, without delay, and in a spirit of affectionate reciprocity.
The speaker contrasts proper conduct with procrastination: having quickly freed the other from danger, he rebukes the one who is delaying and urges him to act for a friend with the same urgency and warmth.