Shloka 33

Śaraṇāgatapālana—Prastāvanā

Protection of the Refuge-Seeker: Opening of the Kapota Narrative

Devanagari script

भीतवत्‌ संविधातव्यं यावद्‌ भयमनागतम्‌ । आगतं तु भयं दृष्टवा प्रहर्तव्यमभीतवत्‌

Transliteration

bhītavat saṃvidhātavyaṃ yāvad bhayam anāgatam | āgataṃ tu bhayaṃ dṛṣṭvā prahartavyam abhītavat ||

Translation

భీష్ముడు పలికెను— భయం ఇంకా రాకముందు భయపడినవాడివలె జాగ్రత్తగా ఏర్పాట్లు చేయవలెను; కాని భయం ప్రత్యక్షమై వచ్చినదని చూచినపుడు నిర్భయుడై శత్రువుపై ప్రహరించవలెను.

Word by Word

• भीतवत्: like one who is afraid
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भीतवत्

• संविधातव्यम्: should be arranged/managed (one should act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वि + धा
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/obligative), neuter, nominative, singular, passive sense (duty/necessity)

• यावत्: as long as / until
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्

• भयम्: fear, danger
• भयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• अनागतम्: not yet come, not arrived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनागत
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), neuter, nominative, singular

• आगतम्: come, arrived
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगत
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), neuter, nominative, singular

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भयम्: fear, danger
• भयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), active

• प्रहर्तव्यम्: should be struck/attacked (one should strike)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हृ
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/obligative), neuter, nominative, singular, passive sense (duty/necessity)

• अभीतवत्: like one who is fearless
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभीतवत्

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Practice cautious preparedness before a threat fully materializes, but once the threat is present, abandon hesitation and act with fearless decisiveness. The verse balances foresight (preventive strategy) with valor (resolute action).

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on rājadharma, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira on how a ruler (or any responsible agent) should respond to danger: avert it early through careful measures, and if it arrives, confront it boldly.