Shloka 46
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
श्रेष्ठो हि पण्डित: शत्रुर्न च मित्रमपण्डित:
śreṣṭho hi paṇḍitaḥ śatrur na ca mitram apaṇḍitaḥ
Wika ni Bhishma: “Mas mainam pa ang kaaway na marunong; ang hangal ay hindi tunay na kaibigan.” Ipinahihiwatig ng kasabihang ito na ang matinong paghatol at malinaw na pag-unawa ang mas maaasahan para sa kapakanan kaysa pag-ibig na walang pag-unawa; sapagkat ang kamangmangan—kahit nakabihis bilang pagkakaibigan—ay maaaring maghatid sa pinsala at adharma.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Discernment matters more than labels like ‘friend’ or ‘enemy’: a wise adversary may act predictably and within reason, while a foolish friend can cause unintended damage through poor judgment, leading one away from dharma and well-being.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on righteous conduct and practical ethics after the war. This verse appears as a concise maxim within that counsel, emphasizing the value of wisdom in relationships and decision-making.