Shloka 44
अध्याय ५७ — राज्ञः नित्यप्रयत्नः, रक्षा-प्रधानता, तथा त्याग-नीतिः
Chapter 57: Constant Royal Vigilance, Primacy of Protection, and Principles of Dismissal
षडेतान् पुरुषो जह्याद् भिन्नां नावमिवार्णवे । अप्रवक्तारमाचार्यमनधीयानमृत्विजम्
ṣaḍ etān puruṣo jahyād bhinnāṃ nāvam ivārṇave | apravaktāram ācāryam anadhīyānam ṛtvijam ||
毗湿摩说道：正如人在大海航行时会弃绝那已破碎的舟船，同样，一个人也应当舍弃这六类人：不施教诲的师长，以及不诵（或不习）吠陀真言的祭司（ṛtvij）。此处所示乃务实之法：本为护持、引导、支撑社会而设的角色，一旦失其本职，便反成祸患；执著不舍，犹如在海上倚赖破舟，终致伤害。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not rely on people who fail at the essential duty of their role. A teacher must teach and a priest must properly recite/study the Veda; when they do not, association with them becomes dangerous or fruitless—like trusting a broken boat in the ocean.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on dharma and practical governance of life. Here he gives a proverbial rule: abandon dysfunctional supports, illustrated by the image of discarding a shattered boat at sea.