Shloka 8

Chapter 81: Trust, Allies, and the Qualifications of the King’s Artha-Secretary (अर्थसचिव)

Devanagari script

असाधु: साधुतामेति साधुर्भवति दारुण: । अरिश्व मित्र भवति मित्र चापि प्रदुष्पति,बुरा मनुष्य भला और भला मनुष्य बुरा हो जाया करता है। शत्रु भी मित्र बन जाता है और मित्र भी बिगड़ जाता है; क्योंकि मनुष्यका चित्त सदैव एक-सा नहीं रहता। अतः उसपर किसी भी समय कोई कैसे विश्वास करेगा? इसलिये जो प्रधान कार्य हो, उसे अपनी आँखोंके सामने पूरा कर देना चाहिये

Transliteration

asādhuḥ sādhutām eti sādhur bhavati dāruṇaḥ | ariś ca mitraṃ bhavati mitraṃ cāpi praduṣyati ||

Translation

भीष्म म्हणाले—दुष्ट माणूसही कधी सज्जन होतो आणि सज्जनही कधी क्रूर बनतो. शत्रू मित्र होतो आणि मित्रही बिघडतो. कारण मनुष्याचे चित्त नेहमी एकसारखे राहत नाही; मग कोणावरही प्रत्येक क्षणी पूर्ण विश्वास कसा ठेवावा? म्हणून जे प्रधान कार्य असेल ते आपल्या डोळ्यांसमोर प्रत्यक्ष पूर्ण करून घ्यावे.

Word by Word

असाधुःa wicked/unsaintly person

साधुताम्goodness, saintliness

एतिgoes/attains

साधुःa good/virtuous person

भवतिbecomes

दारुणःcruel, harsh

अरिःenemy

अपिalso, even

मित्रम्a friend

भवतिbecomes

मित्रम्a friend

चand

अपिalso, even

प्रदुष्यतिturns bad, becomes corrupted

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

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?

People’s dispositions can change—bad may become good, good may become cruel; enemies may become friends and friends may deteriorate. Because the mind is unstable, one should be cautious in trust and ensure crucial duties are completed directly and promptly rather than relying on others’ unchanging loyalty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and polity, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira with practical ethical counsel: do not assume permanence in relationships or character; act with vigilance and complete essential responsibilities without delay.