Shloka 25
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
तत्र सम नित्यं बध्यन्ते नक्तं बहुविधा मृगा: । कदाचिदत्र मार्जारिस्त्वप्रमत्तो व्यबध्यत,रातको उस जालनमें प्रतिदिन नाना प्रकारके पशु फँस जाते थे (उन्हींको लेनेके लिये वह सबेरे आता था)। एक दिन अपनी असावधानीके कारण पूर्वोक्त बिलाव भी उस जालमें फँस गया
tatra samaṁ nityaṁ badhyante naktaṁ bahuvidhā mṛgāḥ | kadācid atra mārjāris tv apramatto vyabadhyata ||
An jenem Ort wurden nachts regelmäßig viele verschiedene Tiere in der Schlinge gefangen. Doch einmal geriet—durch einen Augenblick der Unachtsamkeit—die Katze selbst in diese Falle.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights pramāda (carelessness) as a moral and practical danger: even the clever or predatory can fall into the very trap that routinely captures others. Vigilance and self-restraint are implied ethical safeguards.
A net or snare in a certain place regularly catches many animals at night. On one occasion, the cat itself becomes trapped there due to inattentiveness, setting up a cautionary turn in the story.