Shloka 157
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
कालो हेतुं विकुरुते स्वार्थस्तमनुवर्तते
kālo hetuṁ vikurute svārthas tam anuvartate |
Bhishma dit : «Le temps remodèle jusqu’à la forme même des causes et des mobiles ; et l’intérêt personnel ne cesse de suivre ce temps qui change. Le sage discerne clairement cet intérêt, tandis que les hommes ordinaires ne font que marcher derrière le sage. Aussi, puisque je comprends bien ton intérêt, tu ne dois pas me parler de cette manière.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time changes the apparent causes and justifications behind actions, and self-interest adapts to those changes. A wise person recognizes this shifting self-interest and does not get misled by changing pretexts.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he cautions his listener that motives and rationalizations evolve with circumstances. He asserts his discernment of the listener’s self-interest and urges them not to address him with misleading or self-serving arguments.