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Shloka 216

Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda

अप्राप्तसर्वकामार्थ मृत्युरादाय गच्छति । मनुष्य दुर्बल हो या बलवान, बुद्धिमान्‌ हो या शूरवीर अथवा मूर्ख हो या विद्वान--मृत्यु उसकी समस्त कामनाओं के पूर्ण होनेसे पहले ही उसे उठा ले जाती है

aprāptasarvakāmārtha mṛtyur ādāya gacchati |

Бхишма сказал: Смерть уносит человека прежде, чем исполнятся все его желания и цели. Слаб он или силён, разумен или доблестен, глуп или учён — смертность прерывает всякий человеческий замысел, напоминая: жизнь следует утверждать на дхарме, а не на бесконечном откладывании ради мирской «полноты».

अप्राप्तnot having attained
अप्राप्त:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootप्राप्त (√आप्)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सर्वall
सर्व:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कामdesire
काम:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकाम
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अर्थम्object/aim (thing sought)
अर्थम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मृत्युःDeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
आदायhaving taken away
आदाय:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootआ-√दा
FormAbsolutive (Gerund)
गच्छतिgoes (carries off)
गच्छति:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√गम्
FormPresent, 3rd, Singular

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
D
Death (Mṛtyu)

Educational Q&A

No one completes all desires and worldly aims; death can arrive at any time. Therefore one should not postpone righteous living—practice dharma and cultivate detachment rather than assuming there will be time to finish every plan.

In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on ethics and right conduct after the war. Here he emphasizes the certainty and unpredictability of death, using it as a moral prompt toward dharmic priorities.