Shloka 12
प्रजाविसर्ग-तत्त्वनिर्णयः | Cosmogony of Elemental Emergence
Bharadvāja–Bhṛgu Dialogue
जब-जब एक-एक रात बीतनेके साथ ही आयु बहुत कम होती चली जा रही है, तब छिछले जलमें रहनेवाली मछलीके समान कौन सुख पा सकता है? ।।
yasyāṁ rātryāṁ vyatītāyāṁ na kiñcit śubham ācaret | tadaiva vandhyaṁ divasam iti vidyād vicakṣaṇaḥ | anavāpteṣu kāmeṣu mṛtyur abhyeti mānavam |
Bila suatu malam berlalu dan seseorang tidak melakukan satu pun perbuatan yang baik dan membawa berkah, orang bijak hendaknya mengetahui hari itu sebagai ‘mandul’—sia-sia. Sebab maut mendatangi manusia ketika hasratnya belum juga terpenuhi. Dan ketika usia menyusut malam demi malam, siapa yang dapat meraih kebahagiaan—laksana ikan yang terkurung di air dangkal?
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time is steadily consuming life; therefore one should not let a day pass without some śubha (wholesome, dharmic) action. A day without good conduct is ‘vandhya’—fruitless—because death may arrive before one’s desires are fulfilled.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma addresses Yudhishthira with ethical counsel. Here he emphasizes urgency and vigilance: nights pass, lifespan shrinks, and death approaches unexpectedly, so one must actively practice dharma rather than postponing it.