Shloka 43
मृत्यु-काल-प्रबोधनम् (Instruction on Mortality, Time, and Truth) — Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva 169
ततः स गौतमगहं प्रविवेश द्विजोत्तम: । गौतमश्नापि सम्प्राप्तस्तावन्योन्येन संगतौ
tataḥ sa gautamagṛhaṃ praviveśa dvijottamaḥ | gautamaś cāpi samprāptas tāv anyonyena saṅgatau ||
তখন সেই শ্রেষ্ঠ ব্রাহ্মণ গৌতমের গৃহে প্রবেশ করল। ঠিক সেই সময় শিকার থেকে ফিরে গৌতমও সেখানে এসে পৌঁছালেন, আর দু’জনের মুখোমুখি সাক্ষাৎ হল।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical turning-point: a chance meeting in a householder’s home that will demand dharmic discernment—how one should act when circumstances suddenly bring competing duties, temptations, or suspicions into direct confrontation.
An eminent Brahmin enters Gautama’s residence; at the same moment Gautama arrives back from hunting. They meet each other there, initiating the next development of the episode.