Shloka 43
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
नविश्वसेदविश्वस्ते विश्वस्ते नातिविश्वसेत् विश्वासाद् भयमभ्येति नापरीक्ष्य च विश्वसेद्
na viśvased aviśvaste viśvaste nātiviśvaset | viśvāsād bhayam abhyeti nāparīkṣya ca viśvaset ||
Bhīṣma disse: «Não se deve confiar no indigno de confiança; e mesmo no digno, não se deve confiar sem medida. Do excesso de confiança nasce o perigo; portanto, não se confie sem antes testar e examinar.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Exercise discernment in relationships: do not trust the untrustworthy, and do not trust even the trustworthy without limits; excessive confidence invites danger, so trust should follow examination.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and statecraft; here he gives a concise maxim on prudent conduct—how a ruler or any person should regulate trust to avoid harm.