Shloka 12
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
पुष्पाणीव विचिन्वन्तमन्यत्र गतमानसम् | अनवाप्तेषु कामेषु मृत्युरभ्येति मानवम्
puṣpāṇīva vicinvantam anyatra gatamānasam | anavāpteṣu kāmeṣu mṛtyur abhyeti mānavam ||
जसा एखादा मनुष्य फुले वेचण्यात गुंतलेला असतो आणि त्याचे मन दुसरीकडे गेलेले असते, तसा विषयासक्त मनुष्याच्या इच्छा पूर्ण होण्यापूर्वीच मृत्यू अचानक येऊन त्याला गाठतो.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Death can arrive unexpectedly while one is distracted and still chasing unfulfilled desires; therefore one should not postpone dharma and self-discipline, and should cultivate awareness and detachment from endless craving.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he uses a vivid simile: a person picking flowers with a wandering mind is suddenly attacked; likewise, a human being absorbed in sense-objects is overtaken by death before desires are fulfilled.