Shloka 72
Vāraṇāvata-prasaṃsā and the Pāṇḍavas’ Departure (वरणावत-प्रशंसा तथा पाण्डव-प्रयाणम्)
नाराजा पार्थिवस्यापि सखिपूर्व किमिष्यते । अहं त्वया न जानामि राज्यार्थे संविदं कृताम्,द्विजश्रेष्ठ! तुम्हारे साथ पहले जो मेरी मित्रता थी, वह (साथ-साथ खेलने और अध्ययन करने आदि) स्वार्थको लेकर हुई थी। सच्ची बात यह है कि दरिद्र मनुष्य धनवान्का, मूर्ख विद्वान्कां और कायर शूरवीरका सखा नहीं हो सकता; अतः पहलेकी मित्रताका क्या भरोसा करते हो? मन्दमते! बड़े-बड़े राजाओंकी तुम्हारे-जैसे श्रीहीन और निर्धन मनुष्योंके साथ कभी मित्रता हो सकती है? जो श्रोत्रिय नहीं है, वह श्रोत्रियका; जो रथी नहीं है, वह रथीका तथा जो राजा नहीं है, वह राजाका मित्र नहीं हो सकता। फिर तुम मुझे जीर्ण-शीर्ण मित्रताका स्मरण क्यों दिलाते हो? मैंने अपने राज्यके लिये तुमसे कोई प्रतिज्ञा की थी, इसका मुझे कुछ भी स्मरण नहीं है
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
na rājā pārthivasyāpi sakhi-pūrvaṁ kim iṣyate |
ahaṁ tvayā na jānāmi rājya-arthe saṁvidaṁ kṛtām, dvija-śreṣṭha ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Even for a king, what value is there in an old friendship with a mere earthly ruler? I do not know of any agreement made with you for the sake of a kingdom, O best of twice-born. Do not rely on worn-out friendship: a poor man cannot truly be the friend of the wealthy, the foolish of the learned, or the coward of the heroic. How could great kings ever have genuine friendship with men like you who are without splendor and without means? One who is not a śrotriya cannot be the friend of a śrotriya; one who is not a rathin cannot be the friend of a rathin; and one who is not a king cannot be the friend of a king. Why then do you remind me of a friendship that has grown old and tattered? I do not remember having pledged anything to you regarding my kingdom.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a hard-edged political ethic: friendship is treated as contingent on status, capability, and mutual advantage, and past intimacy is dismissed when it no longer aligns with power and wealth. It critiques (or at least depicts) how social hierarchy and self-interest can override personal bonds.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker repudiates an earlier friendship and denies having made any pact concerning the kingdom. The tone is dismissive and status-conscious, arguing that unequal social standing makes genuine friendship impossible and that old ties should not be invoked as claims upon royal obligation.