Shloka 16
एवं तु वर्तमानस्य तस्य वृत्तिं दुरात्मन: । अगमत् सुमहान् कालो न चाधर्ममबुध्यत,यही उसका नित्यका काम था। इसी वृत्तिसे रहते हुए उस दुरात्माको वहाँ दीर्घ काल व्यतीत हो गया, किंतु उसे अपने इस अधर्मका बोध नहीं हुआ
evaṃ tu vartamānasya tasya vṛttiṃ durātmanaḥ | agamat sumahān kālo na cādharmam abudhyata ||
Thus, as that wicked-minded man continued in this habitual course of conduct, a very long time passed; yet he did not awaken to the fact that his way of life was unrighteous. The verse underscores how prolonged indulgence in a fixed pattern of wrongdoing can dull moral awareness and make adharma feel normal.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Persistent engagement in an unrighteous habit (vṛtti) can cause ethical numbness: even as time passes, a person may fail to recognize adharma unless they actively cultivate discernment and self-examination.
Bhīṣma describes a person of wicked disposition who continues in his established way of life; despite a long period passing, he does not perceive that his conduct is adharma—highlighting the danger of normalized wrongdoing.