Shloka 1
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
ऑपन--माज बछ। ्:॑॑ि अष्टात्रिशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: शत्रुओंसे घिरे हुए राजाके कर्तव्यके विषयमें बिडाल और चूहेका आख्यान युधिछिर उवाच सर्वत्र बुद्धि: कथिता श्रेष्ठा ते भरतर्षभ । अनागता तथोत्पन्ना दीर्घसूत्रा विनाशिनी
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | sarvatra buddhiḥ kathitā śreṣṭhā te bharatarṣabha | anāgatā tathotpannā dīrghasūtrā vināśinī ||
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Ó melhor dos Bhāratas, declaraste que, em toda situação, a inteligência mais excelente é de dois tipos: a previdência que se prepara antes que o perigo chegue, e a presença de espírito que concebe a proteção quando o perigo já surgiu. Mas a inteligência que procrastina—adiando a ação por indolência—leva à ruína.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective judgment for a ruler (and for anyone) has two strengths: (1) foresight that prepares before trouble arrives (anāgatā buddhi), and (2) presence of mind that responds skillfully when trouble has already arisen (utpannā buddhi). Procrastination (dīrghasūtratā) is condemned as ruinous because it wastes the decisive moment.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma, summarizing Bhīṣma’s teaching about the kinds of intelligence needed in governance—especially when a king is threatened by enemies—and contrasting them with the destructive habit of delaying action.