Shloka 1

आपद्धर्मे राज्ञः नीतिः — Bharadvāja’s Counsel on Crisis-Statecraft (Śānti Parva 138)

Devanagari script

ऑपनआ प्रात बछ। अर: सप्तत्रिशर्दाधिकशततमोब< ध्याय: आनेवाले संकटसे सावधान रहनेके लिये दूरदर्शी

Transliteration

bhīṣma uvāca | anāgatavidhātā ca pratyutpannamatiś ca yaḥ | dvāv eva sukham edhete dīrghasūtrī vinaśyati ||

Translation

毗湿摩曰：“噢，坚战（Yudhishthira）！凡能于祸患未至之前先作防备者，名为‘未然之筹’（anāgatavidhātā）；凡于危急当头之际机智顿起、及时自救者，名为‘应时之智’（pratyutpannamati）。唯此二类，得以安然兴盛；而凡事拖延、迁延不决之人——所谓‘长线者’（dīrghasūtrī）——终必败亡。”

Word by Word

• अनागतविधाता: one who provides beforehand for what is yet to come
• अनागतविधाता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनागत-विधातृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रत्युत्पन्नमति: one whose intelligence is timely/present (quick-witted)
• प्रत्युत्पन्नमति: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्युत्पन्न-मति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सुखम्: happiness/well-being
• सुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एधेते: they prosper/thrive
• Type: Verb
• Root: एध्
• Form: Present, Third, Dual, Atmanepada

• दीर्घसूत्री: the procrastinator (one with a 'long thread')
• दीर्घसूत्री: Karta
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: दीर्घसूत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विनश्यति: perishes/is ruined
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human success depends on timely intelligence: either prepare in advance for foreseeable dangers (anāgatavidhātā) or respond instantly with presence of mind (pratyutpannamati). Habitual delay (dīrghasūtrī) leads to ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction to the grieving king Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīṣma begins an exemplum-based teaching (often linked with the ‘three fishes’ illustration) by classifying people by how they handle impending or immediate संकट (danger) and warning against procrastination.