Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 26

Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)

Devanagari script

सान्त्वे प्रयुक्ते सततं कृतवैरे न विश्वसेत्‌ । क्षिप्रं स बध्यते मूढो न हि वैरं प्रशाम्यति

Transliteration

sāntve prayukte satataṃ kṛtavaire na viśvaset | kṣipraṃ sa badhyate mūḍho na hi vairaṃ praśāmyati ||

Translation

婆罗摩达多说道：“纵使不断施以安抚之辞，也不可轻信那与己结怨已深之人。轻信的愚者很快便会落入罗网；因为仇怨并不会因柔言蜜语而真正消散。”

Word by Word

• सान्त्वे: in conciliation / in soothing speech
• सान्त्वे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सान्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• प्रयुक्ते: when employed / when used
• प्रयुक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सततम्: always, continually
• सततम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)

• कृतवैरे: in one who has made enmity / in an enemy
• कृतवैरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतवैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विश्वसेत्: should trust
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र (प्रातिपदिक)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बध्यते: is bound / is caught
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada (passive sense)

• मूढः: the fool
• मूढः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• वैरम्: enmity
• वैरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रशाम्यति: subsides / is pacified
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शम् (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

• ब्रह्मदत्त (Brahmadatta)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Do not be naïve about established hostility: flattering or conciliatory speech may be strategic, and trusting too quickly can lead to being trapped; real enmity is not automatically extinguished by sweet words.

What is happening in the narrative?

In a didactic context within Śānti Parva, Brahmadatta offers counsel on conduct and prudence, warning that once enmity is firmly formed, one should be cautious even if the other party repeatedly uses pacifying or diplomatic language.