Shloka 157
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
कालो हेतुं विकुरुते स्वार्थस्तमनुवर्तते
kālo hetuṁ vikurute svārthas tam anuvartate |
毗湿摩说：“时光甚至会改易因由与动机的形态；而私利总是追随那变迁的时势而行。智者能清楚洞察此等私利，凡夫却只会尾随智者之后。因此，既然我深知你的利害用心，你不应以那般言辞对我说话。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time changes the apparent causes and justifications behind actions, and self-interest adapts to those changes. A wise person recognizes this shifting self-interest and does not get misled by changing pretexts.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction during the Śānti Parva, he cautions his listener that motives and rationalizations evolve with circumstances. He asserts his discernment of the listener’s self-interest and urges them not to address him with misleading or self-serving arguments.