Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
तस्य शौचममृष्यन्तस्ते सर्वे सहजातय: । चालयन्ति स्म तां बुद्धि वचनै: प्रश्नयोत्तरै:
tasya śaucam amṛṣyantas te sarve sahajātyaḥ | cālayanti sma tāṁ buddhiṁ vacanaiḥ praśnottaraiḥ ||
भीष्म बोले—उसके शुद्ध आचार-विचार को सह न सकने के कारण उसके सभी जाति-भाई उससे द्वेष करने लगे। यह उन्हें असह्य हुआ; इसलिए वे प्रेम और विनय से भरी बातों तथा प्रश्न-प्रतिप्रश्नों द्वारा उसकी बुद्धि को विचलित करने लगे, ताकि उसका निश्चय डगमगा जाए।
भीष्म उवाच
Even genuine purity and disciplined living can provoke resentment in one’s own circle; ethical steadiness is tested not only by open hostility but also by persuasive, seemingly reasonable arguments meant to shake one’s resolve.
Bhīṣma describes how a person’s pure conduct becomes intolerable to his own community/kinsmen, who then attempt to disturb his moral discernment through persuasive talk and debate-like questioning.