Shloka 45
अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः
Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal
अरक्षितारं राजानं भार्या चाप्रियवादिनीम् | ग्रामकामं च गोपालं वनकामं॑ च नापितम्
arakṣitāraṁ rājānaṁ bhāryā cāpriyavādinīm | grāmakāmaṁ ca gopālaṁ vanakāmaṁ ca nāpitam ||
บุคคลพึงละทิ้งกษัตริย์ผู้ไม่อาจคุ้มครองได้ ภรรยาผู้กล่าววาจาหยาบคาย คนเลี้ยงโคผู้ใฝ่เพียงชีวิตในหมู่บ้าน และช่างโกนผมผู้ใฝ่พงไพร—ดุจละทิ้งเรือที่แตกเมื่อจะข้ามมหาสมุทร
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches role-based ethics: when a person entrusted with a duty (protection, supportive speech, or a livelihood suited to their station) fails or is fundamentally misaligned with that role, continued dependence on them becomes harmful; therefore, one should withdraw association, like discarding a broken boat before a dangerous journey.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and practical governance. Here he gives a pointed maxim: certain relationships or service-providers should be abandoned when they cannot fulfill their essential function, illustrating the point with the metaphor of leaving a damaged boat before an ocean crossing.