Shloka 41
Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
मित्रबुद्धया च गोमायुं सान्त्वयित्वा प्रसाद्य च । दोषैस्तु समता नेतुमैच्छन्नशुभबुद्धय:
mitrabuddhayā ca gomāyuṃ sāntvayitvā prasādya ca | doṣais tu samatā netum aicchann aśubhabuddhayaḥ ||
मित्रबुद्ध्या च गोमायुं सान्त्वयित्वा प्रसाद्य च । दोषैस्तु समता नेतुमैच्छन्नशुभबुद्धयः ॥
शार्टूल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns against counterfeit friendship: soothing words and outward goodwill can conceal a harmful motive. Seeking “equality” by dragging others down through fault-finding is unethical; true parity should be pursued by self-improvement and virtue, not by blame and manipulation.
Śārṭūla describes a character who approaches a jackal in the guise of friendship, pacifies and pleases him, and then—driven by impure intent—tries to reduce him to the same level by emphasizing defects, using criticism as a tool of control.