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 ||
ಆದರೆ ವಿಳಂಬಿಸುವವನು—ಮಂದಾತ್ಮ, ಬುದ್ಧಿಹೀನ, ಅಚೇತನ ಮೂಢ—ಮರಣವನ್ನು ಹೊಂದುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಇಂದ್ರಿಯಗಳು ಹತವಾದವನು ಹೇಗೆ ನಾಶವಾಗುತ್ತಾನೋ ಹಾಗೆಯೇ।
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.