Shloka 25
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
तत्र सम नित्यं बध्यन्ते नक्तं बहुविधा मृगा: । कदाचिदत्र मार्जारिस्त्वप्रमत्तो व्यबध्यत
tatra samaṁ nityaṁ badhyante naktaṁ bahuvidhā mṛgāḥ | kadācid atra mārjāris tv apramatto vyabadhyata ||
Sa pook na iyon, gabi-gabi’y maraming uri ng hayop ang karaniwang nasasabit sa bitag. Ngunit minsan, ang pusa mismo—dahil sa isang sandaling kapabayaan—ay nahuli rin sa gayong bitag.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights pramāda (carelessness) as a moral and practical danger: even the clever or predatory can fall into the very trap that routinely captures others. Vigilance and self-restraint are implied ethical safeguards.
A net or snare in a certain place regularly catches many animals at night. On one occasion, the cat itself becomes trapped there due to inattentiveness, setting up a cautionary turn in the story.