Friendships can have a profound impact on our emotional, mental, and even physical well-being. A toxic or unsupportive friend can cause emotional pain, betray our trust, and negatively affect our self-esteem, while a true friend can provide invaluable support and enrichment. Friends can consciously or subconsciously shape our character and habits. Associating with people who have negative behaviors or lack morals can lead us to stray and cause us to adopt similar traits. So it is necessary to be cautious while making friends, this is what beautifully conveyed in following Sanskrit lines ;
भीरुं मूर्खं स्त्रियं बालं धार्मिकं दुर्जनं पशुं |
मैत्री प्रधानं कल्याणबुद्धिं सान्त्वेन साधयेत् ||
Bheerum moorkham striyam baalam dhaarmikam durjanam pashum.
Maitree pradhanam kalyaanabuddhim saantvena saadhayet.
Bheerum = timid, fearful.
Moorkham = a foolish person.
Striyam = women.
Baalam = children,
Dharmikam = saintly persons.
Durjanam = wicked persons.
Pashum = animals.
Maitri = friendship.
Pradhanam = mainly, most important.
Kalyaan = benevolent.
Buddhim = mind.
Saantvena = gently, with care.
Saadhayet = acquire.
i.e. While making friendship with timid, foolish and evil people, saints, children, women and animals, special care should be taken that it should be done with the feeling of their welfare and with special care.
It is difficult to predict the behavior of the people and animals described in this proverb, hence the importance of caution and patience in making friends with them has been expressed in this proverb. Every person has unique life experiences, genes, and personality traits that cause them to react differently to the same situations. These individual differences, along with learned cultural values and social norms, add immense layers of complexity to human behavior.
It is important to be cautious while making friends. As once we befreiend anyone, we develop a trust and faith. And it hurts to have a broken trust and faith.
