Shloka 1
आपद्धर्मे राज्ञः नीतिः — Bharadvāja’s Counsel on Crisis-Statecraft (Śānti Parva 138)
ऑपनआ प्रात बछ। अर: सप्तत्रिशर्दाधिकशततमोब< ध्याय: आनेवाले संकटसे सावधान रहनेके लिये दूरदर्शी
bhīṣma uvāca | anāgatavidhātā ca pratyutpannamatiś ca yaḥ | dvāv eva sukham edhete dīrghasūtrī vinaśyati ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Ô Yudhishthira, celui qui prend d’avance ses dispositions contre les périls à venir est appelé anāgatavidhātā ; et celui dont l’intelligence s’éveille promptement pour faire face à une crise immédiate est appelé pratyutpannamati. Ces deux-là seuls prospèrent aisément ; mais le temporisateur, qui étire les affaires, périt.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Human success depends on timely intelligence: either prepare in advance for foreseeable dangers (anāgatavidhātā) or respond instantly with presence of mind (pratyutpannamati). Habitual delay (dīrghasūtrī) leads to ruin.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to the grieving king Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma begins an exemplum-based teaching (often linked with the ‘three fishes’ illustration) by classifying people by how they handle impending or immediate संकट (danger) and warning against procrastination.