Shloka 157
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
कालो हेतुं विकुरुते स्वार्थस्तमनुवर्तते
kālo hetuṁ vikurute svārthas tam anuvartate |
Bhishma berkata: “Waktu mengubah bahkan rupa sebab dan dorongan; dan kepentingan diri sentiasa mengekori waktu yang berubah itu. Orang bijaksana melihat kepentingan itu dengan jelas, sedangkan orang kebanyakan hanya mengekori orang bijaksana. Maka, kerana aku memahami kepentinganmu dengan baik, janganlah engkau berkata kepadaku dengan cara demikian.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time changes the apparent causes and justifications behind actions, and self-interest adapts to those changes. A wise person recognizes this shifting self-interest and does not get misled by changing pretexts.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he cautions his listener that motives and rationalizations evolve with circumstances. He asserts his discernment of the listener’s self-interest and urges them not to address him with misleading or self-serving arguments.