Shloka 38
मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169
गौतम: संनिकर्षेण दस्युभि: समतामियात् | तथा तु वसतस्तस्य दस्युग्रामे सुखं तदा
gautamaḥ saṃnikarṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ samatām iyāt | tathā tu vasatas tasya dasyugrāme sukhaṃ tadā ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Par sa fréquentation étroite des bandits, Gautama en vint à leur ressembler. Et tandis qu’il vivait parmi eux, dans le village des brigands, il y goûta même quelque confort pendant un temps.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One’s character and conduct are shaped by close association: living near and among unethical people can make even a respected person conform to their ways, and temporary comfort in such company can mask deeper moral harm.
Bhīṣma describes Gautama’s situation: through sustained proximity to bandits, Gautama becomes like them, and while residing in their settlement he enjoys a period of ease—setting up a cautionary point about the subtle effects of environment and companionship.