Shloka 38
मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169
गौतम: संनिकर्षेण दस्युभि: समतामियात् | तथा तु वसतस्तस्य दस्युग्रामे सुखं तदा
gautamaḥ saṃnikarṣeṇa dasyubhiḥ samatām iyāt | tathā tu vasatas tasya dasyugrāme sukhaṃ tadā ||
بھیشم نے کہا—ڈاکوؤں کی قربت اور صحبت سے گوتَم بھی انہی جیسا ہو گیا۔ اور جب وہ ان کے ڈاکوؤں کے گاؤں میں رہتا تھا تو کچھ عرصہ وہاں اسے آسودگی بھی میسر آئی۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One’s character and conduct are shaped by close association: living near and among unethical people can make even a respected person conform to their ways, and temporary comfort in such company can mask deeper moral harm.
Bhīṣma describes Gautama’s situation: through sustained proximity to bandits, Gautama becomes like them, and while residing in their settlement he enjoys a period of ease—setting up a cautionary point about the subtle effects of environment and companionship.