Shloka 17
Chapter 81: Trust, Allies, and the Qualifications of the King’s Artha-Secretary (अर्थसचिव)
यन्मन्येत ममाभावादस्या भावो भवेदिति । तस्मिन् कुर्वीत विश्वासं यथा पितरि वै तथा,जिसके विषयमें ऐसी मान्यता हो कि मेरे न रहनेपर यह भी नहीं रहेगा, उसपर पिताके समान विश्वास करना चाहिये
yan manyeta mamābhāvād asyā bhāvo bhaved iti | tasmin kurvīta viśvāsaṃ yathā pitari vai tathā ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Celui au sujet duquel tu as cette conviction : “Si je n’étais plus, son existence même ou son bien-être ne tiendrait pas”, à celui-là accorde une confiance égale à celle que l’on place en son propre père.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Place deep trust in the person whose presence you regard as essential to your own continuance or welfare—trust them as you would your father; the verse frames trust as grounded in perceived indispensability and protective support.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous conduct and practical ethics, Bhīṣma offers Yudhiṣṭhira guidance on whom to rely upon, using the father as the benchmark for the highest level of confidence.