Shloka 40

Devanagari script

अस्यैवं वर्तमानस्य पुरुषस्याप्रमादिन: । अमित्रा: संप्रसीदन्ति तथा मित्रीभवन्त्यपि,जो पुरुष सदा सावधान रहकर ऐसा बर्ताव करता है, उसके शत्रु भी प्रसन्न हो जाते हैं और उसके साथ मित्रताका बर्ताव करने लगते हैं

Transliteration

asyaivaṁ vartamānasya puruṣasyāpramādinaḥ | amitrāḥ saṁprasīdanti tathā mitrībhavanty api ||

Translation

ಯಾವನು ಸದಾ ಎಚ್ಚರಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ಇಂತಹ ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತಾನೋ, ಅವನ ಶತ್ರುಗಳೂ ಸಂತೃಪ್ತರಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಅವನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸ್ನೇಹಭಾವದಿಂದ ವರ್ತಿಸಲೂ ಆರಂಭಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Word by Word

अस्यof this (man)

एवंthus, in this manner

वर्तमानस्यof one behaving/acting (so), existing (so)

पुरुषस्यof the man/person

अप्रमादिनःof the vigilant/non-negligent (man)

अमित्राःenemies

संप्रसीदन्तिbecome pleased, are appeased

तथाlikewise, and so

मित्रीwith friendship; as a friend

भवन्तिbecome

अपिalso, even

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

purusha (a person)

amitra (enemies)

mitra (friends)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Steady vigilance and careful, disciplined conduct (apramāda) have a pacifying power: they reduce friction, prevent provocations, and can soften even adversaries into friendly relations.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living and practical ethics, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira. Here he states that a person who consistently behaves with alertness and without negligence can win over even enemies, who then begin to act like friends.