Shloka 5

गालवस्य विषादः तथा विष्णुप्रयाणम्

Gālava’s Despair and Resolve to Seek Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच दुर्लभो वै सुहृच्छोता दुर्लभश्न हित: सुहृत्‌ । तिष्ठते हि सुह्ृद्‌ यत्र न बन्धुस्तत्र तिछते

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | durlabho vai suhṛcchrotā durlabhaś ca hitaḥ suhṛt | tiṣṭhate hi suhṛd yatra na bandhustatra tiṣṭhati ||

Translation

那罗陀说道：能真心聆听善意友人之言的听者，实在罕见；而能为人之利而直言的益友，也同样罕见。因为当大难临头，唯有真正的朋友才能坚定站立——在那样的时刻，单凭亲族之情并不能使人持守不退。

Word by Word

• {'durlabhaḥ': 'rare, hard to find', 'vai': 'indeed, certainly (emphatic particle)', 'suhṛt': 'true friend

• well-wisher (one who has goodwill without ulterior motive)', 'śrotā': 'listener, hearer', 'suhṛcchrotā': 'a listener who heeds a friend (compound: suhṛt + śrotā)', 'hitaḥ': 'beneficial, for one’s good

• salutary', 'hitaḥ suhṛt': 'a friend who seeks one’s welfare

• well-wishing friend', 'tiṣṭhate': 'stands, remains, stays firm', 'hi': 'for, indeed', 'yatra': 'where', 'na': 'not', 'bandhu': 'kinsman, relative', 'tatra': 'there'}

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Two rarities are highlighted: (1) a person who sincerely listens to a well-wisher’s advice, and (2) a genuinely benevolent friend. The verse stresses that true friendship is proven in adversity, whereas mere kinship often fails to endure under severe pressure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada is offering moral instruction within the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-heavy setting, emphasizing discernment in relationships: who gives welfare-oriented advice and who is capable of standing by someone when danger and hardship arise.