Shloka 47
Dama-pradhāna-dharma (Self-restraint as the Root of Dharma) — Śānti-parva 154
समै: सम्यवप्रयुक्तैश्न वचनै: प्रत्ययोत्तरै: । यद् गच्छति जनश्चायं स्नेहमुत्सूज्य दुस्त्यजम्
samaiḥ samyag-aprayuktaiś ca vacanaiḥ pratyayottaraiḥ | yad gacchati janaś cāyaṃ sneham utsṛjya dustyajam ||
Jambuka disse: “É verdadeiramente espantoso que estas pessoas, influenciadas por palavras que parecem equilibradas, bem fundamentadas e capazes de gerar convicção, estejam partindo—lançando fora esse afeto tão difícil de abandonar.”
जम्बुक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how persuasive, seemingly reasonable speech can move people to renounce even deep attachments; it implicitly warns that conviction can be manufactured by rhetoric, so one should examine reasons carefully before abandoning enduring bonds.
Jambuka comments with surprise that people are leaving after being influenced by arguments presented as fair and convincing, and that they are doing so by giving up a hard-to-relinquish affection (sneha).