Shloka 2
Prajñā as Pratiṣṭhā — Indra–Kāśyapa Saṃvāda (Śānti-parva 12.173)
स चापि पाश्चे सुष्वाप विश्वस्तो बकराट् तदा | कृतघ्नस्तु स दुष्टात्मा तं जिघांसुरथाग्रत:,बकराजको भी मित्रपर विश्वास था; इसलिये उस समय उसके पास ही सो गया। इधर वह दुष्टात्मा कृतष्न उसका वध करनेकी इच्छासे उठा और विश्वासपूर्वक सोये हुए राजधर्माको सामनेसे जलती हुई लकड़ी लेकर उसके द्वारा मार डाला। उसे मारकर वह बहुत प्रसन्न हुआ, मित्रके वधसे जो पाप लगता है, उसकी ओर उसकी दृष्टि नहीं गयी
sa cāpi pārśve suṣvāpa viśvasto bakarāṭ tadā | kṛtaghnas tu sa duṣṭātmā taṃ jighāṃsur athāgrataḥ |
Bhishma said: Trusting him, the king of cranes lay down to sleep right beside him. But that wicked, ungrateful wretch rose with the intent to kill; and, coming from the front, he struck down the unsuspecting king with a burning piece of wood. Having slain him, he felt great delight, his mind not turning at all to the sin incurred by murdering a friend.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns kṛtaghnatā (ingratitude) and betrayal: harming a trusting friend is a grave ethical failure, and delight in such an act shows moral blindness to pāpa (sin).
A trusting 'king of cranes' sleeps beside someone he considers safe; the other, described as wicked and ungrateful, rises intending murder and kills him with a burning piece of wood, rejoicing without regard for the sin of friend-slaying.