Shloka 36

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठ गर्त: कार्य हि जीवितम्‌

Transliteration

āpadvināśabhūyiṣṭha gartaḥ kārya hi jīvitam

Translation

ആപത്തുകാലത്ത് ജീവിതം നാശഭീഷണിയാൽ നിറഞ്ഞ ഒരു ആഴമുള്ള കുഴിപോലെ ആകുന്നു; അതിനാൽ ജീവരക്ഷയെയേ പ്രധാന ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി യുക്തമായ നടപടി സ്വീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठः: most destructive in calamity / chiefly causing ruin in distress
• आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपद्-विनाश-भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गर्तः: a pit; a trap; a perilous hole
• गर्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यः: to be done; to be undertaken
• कार्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (कृञ्) → कार्य (gerundive/obligatory)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• जीवितम्: life; living
• जीवितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In crisis (āpada), ordinary norms may be constrained by danger; the immediate ethical priority is to preserve life, because survival is the basis for fulfilling dharma and responsibilities afterward.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma in the Śānti Parva, characterizes calamity as a perilous ‘pit’ where destruction predominates, and advises that one should take necessary action with the aim of safeguarding life.