Shloka 86
Vyāghra–Gomāyu Saṃvāda (व्याघ्रगोमायु संवाद) — Testing Character Beneath Appearances
कश्रिदेव हिते भर्तुर्दिश्यते न परात्मनो: । कार्यपिक्षा हि वर्तन्ते भावस्निग्धा: सुदुर्लभा:
kaścid eva hite bhartur diśyate na parātmanoḥ | kāryāpekṣā hi vartante bhāvasnigdhāḥ sudurlabhāḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：“能见到一人唯以君主之利为念，而不图己利、亦不徇他利者，实在罕有。因为许多人口称情义，却暗自计较自己的目的与预期之利；而怀抱清净、无私善意的人，极难得见。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
True loyalty is rare: many show affection while pursuing their own aims, but genuinely selfless goodwill—seeking only the master’s welfare without personal or third-party interest—is exceedingly uncommon.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and conduct, Bhishma is advising about the difficulty of finding truly sincere, disinterested supporters or servants, contrasting common self-interested attachment with rare pure-hearted devotion.