Shloka 98
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
इदमद्य करिष्यामि श्वः कर्तास्मीति वादिनम्
idam adya kariṣyāmi śvaḥ kartāsmīti vādinam
Bhīṣma dit : Il ne faut pas se fier à celui qui ne cesse de proclamer : « Aujourd’hui je ferai ceci ; demain je le ferai »—car de tels propos ajournent le devoir et affaiblissent la résolution. La leçon morale est d’agir avec constance et au moment opportun, plutôt que de se retrancher derrière des promesses sans cesse reportées.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not postpone dharma or necessary action by repeatedly promising “today” and “tomorrow.” Ethical life requires prompt, steady execution rather than habitual delay and empty assurances.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on right conduct. Here he criticizes the habit of continual postponement—someone who keeps saying they will act today or tomorrow—highlighting the moral weakness of procrastination.