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

Bhīṣma nói: Chớ đặt lòng tin nơi kẻ cứ luôn miệng rằng: “Hôm nay ta sẽ làm; ngày mai ta sẽ làm,”—lời ấy chỉ khiến bổn phận bị trì hoãn và ý chí bị suy nhược. Đạo lý là hành động với sự vững bền và đúng lúc, chứ không ẩn mình sau những lời hứa hẹn cho tương lai lặp đi lặp lại.

Word by Word

• इदम्: this (act/thing)
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• करिष्यामि: I will do
• करिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• श्वः: tomorrow
• श्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वः

• कर्तास्मि: I will do / I am going to do
• कर्तास्मि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Periphrastic Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• वादिनम्: one who says (so); a speaker
• वादिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

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.

What is happening in the narrative?

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.