Shloka 78
Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
परिक्षीणाश्न लुब्धाश्न क्रुद्धा भीता: प्रतारिता: । हृतस्वा मानिनो ये च त्यक्तादाना महेप्सव:
parikṣīṇāś ca lubdhāś ca kruddhā bhītāḥ pratāritāḥ | hṛtasvā mānino ye ca tyaktadānā mahepsavaḥ ||
Wika ni Bhīṣma: Yaong mga lingkod na lupaypay, sakim, galit, takót, at nadadaya; yaong inagawan ng lahat ng ikabubuhay; yaong mapagmataas; yaong pinagkaitan ng nararapat na gantimpala; at yaong nag-aasam ng mataas na katungkulan—ang gayong mga tao, kapag pinanatili sa paglilingkod, ay madalas maging kasangkapan ng kaaway. Ang babala: dapat matukoy ng pinuno ang nakatagong hinanakit at di-natutugunang ambisyon ng mga umaasa sa kanya, sapagkat ito ang binhi ng pagtataksil at kapahamakan sa pulitika.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A king should be vigilant about retainers whose inner state is marked by deprivation, humiliation, fear, anger, greed, deception, or frustrated ambition; such conditions often turn a dependent into a conduit for hostile forces. Sound governance requires not only rewarding merit but also preventing the buildup of resentment that leads to betrayal.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on raja-dharma, Bhishma advises Yudhishthira about political dangers within one’s own establishment. This verse lists categories of discontented or destabilized servants and warns that they commonly end up serving an enemy’s interests.