Shloka 17
आपद्धर्मे राज्ञः नीतिः — Bharadvāja’s Counsel on Crisis-Statecraft (Śānti Parva 138)
दीर्घसूत्रस्तु मन्दात्मा हीनबुद्धिरचेतन: । मरणं प्राप्तवान् मूढो यथैवोपहतेन्द्रियः
dīrghasūtrastu mandātmā hīnabuddhiracetanaḥ | maraṇaṃ prāptavān mūḍho yathaivopahatendriyaḥ ||
Bhīṣma dit : «L’homme qui remet sans cesse —l’âme lourde, l’intelligence déficiente et privé de discernement— rencontre la mort dans sa folie, comme périt celui dont les facultés ont été frappées lorsque les sens ne servent plus.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Negligence and procrastination, rooted in dullness and lack of discernment, lead to ruin; timely, aware, and intelligent action is essential for preserving life and dharma.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he illustrates a moral point by describing the fate of a foolish procrastinator, comparing his end to the helpless destruction that follows when one’s senses are impaired.