Shloka 17
Saṃhāra-krama (The Sequence of Cosmic Dissolution) — Yājñavalkya’s Discourse
यथा च शकुना: सूक्ष्मं प्राप्प जालमरिंदम । तत्र सक्ता विपद्यन्ते मुच्यन्ते च बलान्विता:
yathā ca śakunāḥ sūkṣmaṁ prāpya jālam ariṁdama | tatra saktā vipadyante mucyante ca balānvitāḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Wahai penunduk musuh, sebagaimana burung-burung menemui jaring yang dianyam halus; yang terbelit di dalamnya menemui kebinasaan, sedangkan yang berkekuatan memutusnya lalu terlepas.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Entanglement (sakti) in a subtle snare leads to downfall, whereas inner strength—understood as discipline, clarity, and resolve—enables one to break bondage and attain release.
Bhīṣma illustrates his counsel with a simile: birds encounter a fine net; those that become caught perish, but the strong escape—implying that in moral and practical life, subtle traps ensnare the heedless while the steadfast can free themselves.