Shloka 52
“कोई जन्मसे ही मित्र अथवा शत्रु नहीं होता है। सामर्थ्ययोगसे ही शत्रु और मित्र उत्पन्न होते रहते हैं ।। अमित्र नैव मुछ्चेत वदन्तं करुणान्यपि । दुःखं तत्र न कर्तव्यं हन्यात् पूर्वापकारिणम्
na kaścid janmanā mitram athavā śatruḥ bhavati | sāmarthya-yogenaiva śatravaś ca mitrāṇi ca prajāyante || amitraṃ naiva muñcet vadantaṃ karuṇāny api | duḥkhaṃ tatra na kartavyaṃ hanyāt pūrvāpakāriṇam ||
Bhīṣma berkata: Tak seorang pun menjadi sahabat atau musuh karena kelahiran; oleh pertemuan daya, kemampuan, dan keadaan, permusuhan serta persahabatan terus muncul. Karena itu, musuh jangan dilepaskan walau ia mengucap kata-kata iba; dalam hal demikian jangan larut dalam duka yang lembek—tebaslah dia yang dahulu telah berbuat celaka.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Friendship and enmity are not fixed by birth; they arise from changing power-relations and circumstances. In the sphere of kingship and protection of order, Bhishma advises firmness: an established wrongdoer who remains a threat should not be spared merely because he pleads pitifully.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and governance, Bhishma is counseling Yudhishthira on practical ethics (rajadharma). He frames alliances and hostilities as contingent, then warns against sentimental leniency toward a proven aggressor.