Shloka 98
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
Devanagari script
इदमद्य करिष्यामि श्वः कर्तास्मीति वादिनम्
Transliteration
idam adya kariṣyāmi śvaḥ kartāsmīti vādinam
Translation
इदमद्य करिष्यामि श्वः कर्तास्मीति वादिनम्—न तं विश्वसेत्; एवं वाक्यं कर्म विलम्बयति, धैर्यं च शिथिलयति।
Word by Word
इदम्this (act/thing)
इदम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootइदम्
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
अद्यtoday
अद्य:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअद्य
करिष्यामिI will do
करिष्यामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada
श्वःtomorrow
श्वः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootश्वः
कर्तास्मिI will do / I am going to do
कर्तास्मि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormPeriphrastic Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada
इतिthus (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
वादिनम्one who says (so); a speaker
वादिनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवादिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
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.