Shloka 12
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
भीष्म उवाच त्वदयुक्तोडयमनुप्रश्नो युधिष्ठिर सुखोदय: । शृणु मे पुत्र कार्त्स्न्येन गुह्यमापत्सु भारत
bhīṣma uvāca tvad-yukto 'yam anu-praśno yudhiṣṭhira sukha-udayaḥ | śṛṇu me putra kārtsnyena guhyam āpatsu bhārata ||
Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: “Yudhiṣṭhira, anak ko, ang iyong kasunod na tanong ay angkop at nararapat; ito’y nagbubunga ng pag-angat ng tunay na kaginhawahan. Makinig ka sa akin nang buo, anak: ang dapat gawin sa panahon ng kapahamakan ay isang bagay na binabantayan at hindi karaniwang nalalaman. O Bharata, pakinggan mo mula sa akin ang lihim na aral na ito.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma affirms that Yudhishthira’s inquiry is ethically apt and welfare-producing, and he introduces apaddharma—guidance for conduct in emergencies—as a subtle, often confidential domain of dharma that must be learned carefully and in full.
In the Shanti Parva dialogue, Yudhishthira asks a further question about proper action during crises. Bhishma responds by praising the question and preparing to disclose a complete, ‘secret’ instruction on conduct in times of distress.