Sacred Concord

Mbh 8.40.2c

Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

(Amongst the Madrakas) the sire, the son, the mother, the mother-in-law, the brother, the grand-son, and other kinsmen, companions, strangers arrived at their homes, slaves male and female, mingle together. The women of the Madrakas mingle, at their own will, with men known and unknown. Of unrighteous conduct, and subsisting upon fried and powdered corn and fish, in their homes, they laugh and cry having drunk spirits and eaten beef. They sing incoherent songs and mingle lustfully with one another, indulging the while in the freest speeches. How then can virtue have a place amongst the Madrakas who are arrogant and notorious for all kinds of evil acts? No one should make friends with a Madraka or provoke hostilities with him. In the Madraka land there is no friendship. The Madraka is always the dirt of humanity. Amongst the Madrakas all acts of friendship are lost as purity amongst the Gandharakas and the libations poured in a sacrifice in which the king is himself the sacrificer and priest. Then again, it is truly seen that wise men treat a person bit by a scorpion and affected by its poison, even with these words: 'As a Brahmana that assists at the religious ceremonies of a Shudra suffereth degradation, as one that hateth Brahmanas always suffereth degradation, even so a person by making an alliance with the Madrakas becometh fallen. As there is no friendship in the Madraka, so, O scorpion, thy poison is nought.' With these mantras of the Atharvan I have duly performed the rite of exorcism. Knowing this, O learned one, hold thy tongue, or listen to something further that I will say. Those women that, intoxicated by spirits, cast off their robes and dance, those women that are not attached (to particular individuals) in the matter of intercourse and that they do as they please without owning any restrictions, I say, that being as thou art the child of one of those women, how canst thou, O Madraka, be a fit person for declaring the duties of men?
Mbh 8.40.2c · Mahabharata · Karna-parva

Themes in this passage

FriendshipChildrenDharmaFamilySpeechAttachmentLeadershipPride

Friendship in other traditions

The same theme, as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Hellenism address it.

Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends: have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men.
Dhp 6.78 · Dhammapada · The Wise Man (Pandita)
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 · Bible · Proverbs
And no familiar friend will ask a question of his friend
Quran 70:10 · Quran
With that, the chiefs beneath his roof he led, And placed in seats with purple carpets spread. Then thus—“Patroclus, crown a larger bowl, Mix purer wine, and open every soul. Of all the warriors yonder host can send, Thy friend most honours these, and these thy friend.”
Iliad 9.16 · Iliad · 9

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