Shloka 16
मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169
कृतघ्नश्लाधमो लोके न संधेय: कदाचन । छिद्रान्वेषी हसंधेय: संधेयानपि मे शूणु
bhīṣma uvāca | kṛtaghnaślādhamaḥ loke na sandheyaḥ kadācana | chidra-anveṣī ca asandheyaḥ | sandheyān api me śṛṇu ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Sa mundong ito, ang taong walang utang-na-loob at may pinakamasamang asal ay hindi kailanman dapat pasukin sa pakikipag-alyansa—sa anumang panahon. Gayundin, ang laging naghahanap ng kapintasan ng iba ay hindi karapat-dapat na kaalyado. Ngayon, pakinggan ninyo mula sa akin kung sinu-sino ang nararapat na kaalyado.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches prudence in forming alliances: never trust or ally with the ungrateful or the fault-finder, because such people undermine relationships and will not uphold loyalty or reciprocity—key foundations of dharma in friendship and political pacts.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction on conduct and governance, Bhishma is advising Yudhishthira about whom one should avoid when making treaties or friendships, and he transitions here to describing the qualities of those who are worthy of alliance.