Shloka 32
भीमसेन–अलायुधयुद्धम् / Bhīmasena and Alāyudha: Night Engagement and Command Responses
यो हि मित्रमविज्ञाय याथातथ्येन मन्दधी: । मित्रार्थ योजयत्येनं तस्य सोडरथोडवसीदति,जो मूर्ख मनुष्य मित्रको ठीक-ठीक पहचाने बिना ही उसे मित्रके कार्यमें नियुक्त कर देता है, उसका वह काम बिगड़ जाता है
yo hi mitram avijñāya yāthātathyena mandadhīḥ | mitrārthe yojayaty enaṃ tasya so ’rtho ’vasīdati ||
Duryodhana said: “For a dull-witted man who, without truly recognizing a friend as he really is, assigns him to carry out a friend’s task—his very purpose is ruined and the undertaking collapses.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
One must discern a person’s true nature before entrusting them with responsibilities—especially in matters of alliance and friendship; poor judgment in choosing or deploying a ‘friend’ leads to failure of the intended goal.
In the Drona Parva’s war context, Duryodhana reflects on the practical and moral danger of misjudging allies: if a leader assigns an inadequately understood ‘friend’ to an important task, the mission is likely to collapse, harming the leader’s cause.