Shloka 97
आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः
Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca
यदा पश्यामि चाण्डालमायान्तं शस्त्रपाणिनम् | ततश्छेत्स्यामि ते पाशान् प्राप्ते साधारणे भये
yadā paśyāmi cāṇḍālam āyāntaṃ śastrapāṇinam | tataś chetsyāmi te pāśān prāpte sādhāraṇe bhaye ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Khi ta thấy một Caṇḍāla tiến đến, tay cầm vũ khí, thì—chỉ cần nơi ngươi dấy lên một mối nguy thường tình—ta sẽ lập tức chém đứt những dây trói buộc ngươi.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames timely protection as a dharmic duty: when even a modest, credible threat appears, one should act decisively to remove another’s constraints and ensure safety.
Bhīṣma speaks of a situation where an armed assailant is seen approaching; he promises that at the onset of danger he will quickly cut the other person’s bonds (pāśa), freeing them from restraint.