Shloka 46

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

श्रेष्ठो हि पण्डित: शत्रुर्न च मित्रमपण्डित:

Transliteration

śreṣṭho hi paṇḍitaḥ śatrur na ca mitram apaṇḍitaḥ

Translation

പണ്ഡിതനായ ശത്രുവാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠൻ; മൂഢൻ സുഹൃത്തുമല്ല.

Word by Word

• श्रेष्ठः: better, superior
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• पण्डितः: a learned man, wise person
• पण्डितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शत्रुः: enemy
• शत्रुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मित्रम्: friend
• मित्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अपण्डितः: an unlearned/foolish person
• अपण्डितः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपण्डित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Discernment matters more than labels like ‘friend’ or ‘enemy’: a wise adversary may act predictably and within reason, while a foolish friend can cause unintended damage through poor judgment, leading one away from dharma and well-being.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and practical ethics after the war. This verse appears as a concise maxim within that counsel, emphasizing the value of wisdom in relationships and decision-making.