Shloka 36
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठ गर्त: कार्य हि जीवितम्
āpadvināśabhūyiṣṭha gartaḥ kārya hi jīvitam
Dijo Bhishma: «En tiempos de calamidad, la vida misma se vuelve un pozo profundo, dominado por la amenaza de la ruina. Por ello, hay que actuar teniendo como fin principal preservar la vida».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
In crisis (āpada), ordinary norms may be constrained by danger; the immediate ethical priority is to preserve life, because survival is the basis for fulfilling dharma and responsibilities afterward.
Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma in the Śānti Parva, characterizes calamity as a perilous ‘pit’ where destruction predominates, and advises that one should take necessary action with the aim of safeguarding life.