Shloka 33
Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā
Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative
भीतवत् संविधातव्यं यावद् भयमनागतम् । आगतं तु भयं दृष्टवा प्रहर्तव्यमभीतवत्,“जबतक अपने ऊपर भय न आया हो, तबतक डरे हुएकी भाँति उसे टालनेका प्रयत्न करना चाहिये; परंतु जब भयको सामने आया हुआ देखे तो निडर होकर शत्रुपर प्रहार करना चाहिये
bhītavat saṃvidhātavyaṃ yāvad bhayam anāgatam | āgataṃ tu bhayaṃ dṛṣṭvā prahartavyam abhītavat ||
Bhishma said: “So long as danger has not yet arrived, one should make preparations as though afraid—taking prudent, preventive measures to avert it. But when the danger is seen to have come, one should strike the enemy fearlessly.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Practice cautious preparedness before a threat fully materializes, but once the threat is present, abandon hesitation and act with fearless decisiveness. The verse balances foresight (preventive strategy) with valor (resolute action).
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on how a ruler (or any responsible agent) should respond to danger: avert it early through careful measures, and if it arrives, confront it boldly.