Shloka 98
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
इदमद्य करिष्यामि श्वः कर्तास्मीति वादिनम्
idam adya kariṣyāmi śvaḥ kartāsmīti vādinam
Bhīṣma berkata: Janganlah mempercayai orang yang asyik mengisytiharkan, “Hari ini aku akan lakukan; esok aku akan lakukan,”—kata-kata demikian hanya menangguhkan kewajipan dan melemahkan tekad. Ajaran dharma menuntut kita bertindak dengan keteguhan dan pada waktunya, bukan berlindung di sebalik janji-janji masa hadapan yang berulang-ulang.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not postpone dharma or necessary action by repeatedly promising “today” and “tomorrow.” Ethical life requires prompt, steady execution rather than habitual delay and empty assurances.
In Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma is instructing Yudhiṣṭhira on right conduct. Here he criticizes the habit of continual postponement—someone who keeps saying they will act today or tomorrow—highlighting the moral weakness of procrastination.