S ome people ask whom should we make our friends? Should friendship be made with a king or a sage? But the sages have said-Has someone seen or heard the king to be someone’s friend? Has anyone seen or heard such a thing? A king is not a friend of anyone. So friendship should be made with a sage. He is one who saves you from sins, who leads you to the path of religion, welfare and benevolence, who keeps all your secrets and all your mysterious sources a secret, who is a revealer of virtues, never leaves you alone in the time of sufferings, does transactions of dear things, gets afraid of defame and one who is a noble person; he should be made a friend. A poet said that-
“Man mile to meet banao, Chitta mile to chela Sadhu mile to sangati keeje, nahi to bhalaa akela”.
Make your friend a person of similar mind and nature, if you feel close to a person make him your follower, if you find a sadhu try to be in his company, otherwise it is better to be alone.
“Mitra dhaal sam kijiye, hardam saathi hoye dukh mein to aage rahe, sukh main peeche hoye”.
Friendship should be with someone who is like a shield for you, who always remains with you. In adversity and pain he stands by you, in happiness away from you.