Shloka 20

Chapter 81: Trust, Allies, and the Qualifications of the King’s Artha-Secretary (अर्थसचिव)

Devanagari script

व्यसनान्नित्यभीतो यः समृद्धया यो न दुष्यति । यत्‌ स्यादेवंविध॑ मित्र तदात्मसममुच्यते

Transliteration

vyasanān nityabhīto yaḥ samṛddhyā yo na duṣyati | yat syād evaṃvidhaṃ mitra tad ātmasamam ucyate ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：那位朋友，常为你可能遭逢的灾厄而忧惧；见你兴盛亦不为嫉妒所染——如此之友，被宣称与自身无异。

Word by Word

• व्यसनात्: from misfortune
• व्यसनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• नित्य: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• भीतः: afraid
• भीतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समृद्ध्या: by/at (another's) prosperity
• समृद्ध्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समृद्धि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• दुष्यति: is corrupted / bears malice
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• स्यात्: would be / may be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एवंविधः: of such a kind
• एवंविधः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवंविध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मित्र: O friend
• मित्र: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र
• Form: Neuter, Vocative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आत्मसमम्: equal to oneself
• आत्मसमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + सम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उच्यते: is said / is called
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A true friend is defined by two tests: sincere concern for your potential suffering and freedom from jealousy at your success. Such steadiness of goodwill makes the friend ‘like one’s own self’ (ātmasama).

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he characterizes the marks of an ideal friend, emphasizing loyalty in adversity and purity of heart in times of prosperity.