Shloka 16
प्रजाविसर्ग-तत्त्वनिर्णयः | Cosmogony of Elemental Emergence
Bharadvāja–Bhṛgu Dialogue
को हि जानाति कस्याद्य मृत्युकालो भविष्यति । (न मृत्युरामन्त्रयते हर्तुकामो जगत्प्रभु: । अबुद्ध एवाक्रमते मीनान् मीनग्रहो यथा ।।
ko hi jānāti kasyādya mṛtyukālo bhaviṣyati | na mṛtyur āmantrayate hartukāmo jagatprabhuḥ | abuddha evākramate mīnān mīnagraho yathā || yuvāiva dharmaśīlaḥ syād anityaṃ khalu jīvitam | kṛte dharme bhavet kīrtir iha pretya ca vai sukham ||
Siapa yang tahu—hari ini juga saat kematian siapa akan tiba? Maut, penguasa atas seluruh dunia, bila hendak merenggut seseorang, tidak mengirim undangan terlebih dahulu. Ia menyerang tanpa terlihat—seperti nelayan yang tiba-tiba menyergap ikan. Maka hendaknya seseorang teguh pada dharma sejak muda, sebab hidup sungguh tidak kekal. Bila dharma dijalankan, ia mendatangkan kemasyhuran di dunia ini dan kebahagiaan setelah kematian.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Because death can come at any moment and gives no prior warning, one should practice dharma without delay—especially while young—so that one gains honorable reputation in this life and well-being after death.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Bhīṣma advises the listener on ethical urgency: he uses the image of a fisherman suddenly catching fish to illustrate how death strikes unexpectedly, and he urges timely commitment to righteous living.