Shloka 28
वदन्ति मित्र॑ं सहजं विचक्षणा- स्तथैव साम्ना च धनेन चार्जितम् | प्रतापतश्नोपनतं चतुर्विधिं तदस्ति सर्व तव पाण्डवेषु
vadanti mitraṃ sahajaṃ vicakṣaṇās tathaiva sāmnā ca dhanena cārjitam | pratāpataś copanataṃ caturvidhaṃ tad asti sarvaṃ tava pāṇḍaveṣu ||
विचक्षणा वदन्ति मित्रं चतुर्विधम्—सहजं, साम्ना अर्जितं, धनेन क्रीतं, प्रतापात् स्वयमुपनतं च। तत् सर्वं तव पाण्डवेषु सम्भवति।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Friendship and political alliance are analyzed as four types—natural affinity, conciliation-based alliance, wealth-based alliance, and submission born of awe at power—highlighting a pragmatic ethical lens on how relationships form in statecraft.
Sañjaya addresses the listener (implicitly Dhṛtarāṣṭra) and argues that the Pāṇḍavas are capable of offering every kind of alliance, implying that reconciliation or strategic friendship with them is both possible and advantageous.