Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तत्रैको दीर्घकालज्ञ उत्पन्नप्रतिभो5पर: । दीर्घसूत्रश्न तत्रैकस्त्रयाणां सहचारिणाम्‌,वहाँ उन तीनों सहचारियोंमेंसे एक तो (अनागतविधाता था, जो) आनेवाले दीर्घकालतककी बात सोच लेता था। दूसरा प्रत्युत्पन्नमति था, जिसकी प्रतिभा ठीक समयपर ही काम दे देती थी और तीसरा दीर्घसूत्री था (जो प्रत्येक कार्यमें अनावश्यक विलम्ब करता था)

Transliteration

tatraiko dīrghakālajña utpannapratibho 'paraḥ | dīrghasūtrī ca tatraikaḥ trayāṇāṃ sahacāriṇām ||

Translation

ビーシュマは言った。「その三人の仲間のうち、一人は遠く先を見通して長い時のうちに起こることを思量できる、先見の策士であった。もう一人は機転に富み、必要なときにこそ働く即応の知恵と才気を備えていた。第三の者は先延ばしをする者で、あらゆる事を無用に遅らせた。」

Word by Word

तत्रthere

एकःone

दीर्घकालज्ञःknower of long-term (future) time; farsighted

उत्पन्नप्रतिभःone whose presence of mind has arisen; quick-witted

अपरःanother (second)

दीर्घसूत्रःprocrastinating; slow in action

चand

तत्रthere

एकःone

त्रयाणाम्of the three

सहचारिणाम्companions; associates

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhishma

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Bhīṣma distinguishes three temperaments relevant to dharmic conduct: long-term foresight, timely presence of mind, and harmful delay. The implied ethical lesson is to value prudent planning and timely action while avoiding procrastination that can ruin even good intentions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma is describing three companions by their characteristic modes of intelligence and action—one who plans for the long term, one who responds brilliantly in the moment, and one who habitually postpones—setting up a moral comparison within his instruction.