Shloka 28
वदन्ति मित्र॑ं सहजं विचक्षणा- स्तथैव साम्ना च धनेन चार्जितम् | प्रतापतश्नोपनतं चतुर्विधिं तदस्ति सर्व तव पाण्डवेषु
vadanti mitraṃ sahajaṃ vicakṣaṇās tathaiva sāmnā ca dhanena cārjitam | pratāpataś copanataṃ caturvidhaṃ tad asti sarvaṃ tava pāṇḍaveṣu ||
Orang bijak menyebut persahabatan itu empat macam: sahabat alami karena keselarasan bawaan; sahabat yang diraih lewat perdamaian dan perjanjian; sahabat yang diperoleh dengan pemberian harta; dan sahabat yang, tergetar oleh wibawa serta keperkasaan, datang sendiri mencari perlindungan. Dengan para Pāṇḍava, semua bentuk ikatan itu terbuka bagimu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Friendship and political alliance are analyzed as four types—natural affinity, conciliation-based alliance, wealth-based alliance, and submission born of awe at power—highlighting a pragmatic ethical lens on how relationships form in statecraft.
Sañjaya addresses the listener (implicitly Dhṛtarāṣṭra) and argues that the Pāṇḍavas are capable of offering every kind of alliance, implying that reconciliation or strategic friendship with them is both possible and advantageous.