Shloka 22
अज्ञान–लोभयोः परस्परहेतुत्वम्
Mutual Causality of Ignorance and Greed
न विशेषेण गन्तव्यमविच्छिन्नेन वा पुन: । न जातु नाहमस्मीति सुप्रसक्तमसाधुषु
na viśeṣeṇa gantavyam avicchinnena vā punaḥ | na jātu nāham asmīti suprasaktam asādhuṣu ||
商那迦说道：“不可与恶人相交——既不可因他们某种特长而被吸引，也不可与之结成不断延续的关系。更不可深深依恋，心想‘没有他们我便不成’，因为这种依赖必致德行败坏。”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
Avoid the company of immoral people in every form: do not be lured by a single attractive trait, do not maintain continuous ties, and do not become emotionally dependent on them. Such attachment undermines dharma and judgment.
In the didactic setting of Śānti Parva, Śaunaka voices a moral instruction: a ruler (and by extension anyone) should keep distance from the wicked, because sustained contact and attachment corrupt conduct and policy.