Shloka 16
Adhyāya 166: Kṛtaghna-doṣa (कृतघ्नदोषः) — the fault of ingratitude and the limits of expiation
विज्वैदेवैश्व साध्यैश्न ब्राह्मणैश्व महर्षिभि: । आपत्सु मरणाद् भीतैर्विधि: प्रतिनिधीकृत:,क्योंकि विश्वेदेव, साध्य, ब्राह्णण और महर्षि--इन सब लोगोंने मृत्युसे डरकर आपत्कालके विषयमें प्रत्येक विधिका प्रतिनिधि नियत कर दिया है
viśvaidevaiś ca sādhyaiś ca brāhmaṇaiś ca maharṣibhiḥ | āpatsu maraṇād bhītair vidhiḥ pratinidhīkṛtaḥ ||
Bhishma dijo: «Incluso los Viśvedevas y los Sādhyas, junto con los brahmanes y los grandes sabios, cuando en tiempos de calamidad fueron dominados por el temor a la muerte, establecieron el principio de la sustitución: fijaron para cada precepto una alternativa representativa, para que el dharma se conserve cuando la observancia estricta se vuelve imposible».
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
In emergencies (āpatsu), dharma allows regulated substitution (pratinidhi) for strict rules (vidhi), so that the spirit and continuity of dharma are maintained when literal performance is not feasible.
Bhishma is explaining principles of āpaddharma in the Śānti Parva, citing even divine and sage authorities (Viśvedevas, Sādhyas, Brahmins, Maharṣis) as having sanctioned representative substitutes for prescribed acts under life-threatening distress.