Shloka 48
Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
जिगीषमाणस्तु गृहे तदा मृत्यु: सुदर्शनम् । पृष्ठतोडन्वगमद्ू राजनू् रन्ध्रान्वेषी तदा सदा,राजन! उन दिनों गृहस्थ-धर्ममें स्थित हुए सुदर्शनको जीतनेकी इच्छासे मृत्यु उनका छिद्र खोजती हुई सदा उनके पीछे लगी रहती थी
jigīṣamāṇas tu gṛhe tadā mṛtyuḥ sudarśanam | pṛṣṭhato 'nvagamad rājan randhrānveṣī tadā sadā ||
तदा गृहस्थधर्मे स्थितं सुदर्शनं जिगीषमाणो मृत्युर्हे राजन्, रन्ध्रान्वेषी सदा पृष्ठतोऽन्वगच्छत्।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even while living the householder life, one must remain morally vigilant: Death (and, by extension, downfall) is portrayed as constantly seeking a ‘randhra’—a lapse or weakness—through which to defeat a person. Dharma is maintained by steady self-control and careful avoidance of faults.
Bhīṣma describes how Death, intent on conquering Sudarśana, follows him closely and continually looks for an opening—some defect in conduct—by which to gain power over him, highlighting Sudarśana’s steadfastness in gṛhastha-dharma.