Shloka 33
यदि सन्तं सेवति यद्यसन्तं तपस्विनं यदि वा स्तेनमेव । वासो यथा रंगवशं प्रयाति तथा स तेषां वशमभ्युपैति,जैसे वस्त्र जिस रंगमें रँगा जाय, वैसा ही हो जाता है, उसी प्रकार यदि कोई सज्जन, असज्जन, तपस्वी अथवा चोरका सेवन करता है तो वह उन्हीं-जैसा हो जाता है अर्थात् उसपर उन्हींका रंग चढ़ जाता है
yadi santaṁ sevati yady asantaṁ tapasvinaṁ yadi vā stenam eva | vāso yathā raṅgavaśaṁ prayāti tathā sa teṣāṁ vaśam abhyupaiti ||
善人に仕えても、悪人に仕えても、苦行者に仕えても、たとえ盗人に仕えても、人はその影響下に入る。布が染められた色に染まるように、交わる者の性質と作法を身に帯び、やがてその者たちのようになる。
हंस उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person’s character is shaped by association: keeping company with the virtuous cultivates virtue, while associating with the wicked or criminals leads one to adopt their qualities—like cloth absorbing the dye it is placed in.
Haṁsa speaks in a didactic context within Śānti Parva, using a simple metaphor (cloth taking dye) to instruct that companionship and service/attendance (sevanā) place one under another’s influence, thereby transforming one’s conduct and disposition.