Shloka 17
आपद्धर्मे राज्ञः नीतिः — Bharadvāja’s Counsel on Crisis-Statecraft (Śānti Parva 138)
Devanagari script
दीर्घसूत्रस्तु मन्दात्मा हीनबुद्धिरचेतन: । मरणं प्राप्तवान् मूढो यथैवोपहतेन्द्रियः
Transliteration
dīrghasūtrastu mandātmā hīnabuddhiracetanaḥ | maraṇaṃ prāptavān mūḍho yathaivopahatendriyaḥ ||
Translation
毗湿摩说：“那拖延之人，心性迟钝，智慧浅薄，昏聩无觉，愚昧而至于死；正如诸根受损之人，待诸感官不复效用，便走向毁灭。”
Word by Word
दीर्घसूत्रःprocrastinating, dilatory
दीर्घसूत्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootदीर्घसूत्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut, indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
मन्दात्माa dull-minded person
मन्दात्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमन्दात्मन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हीनबुद्धिःof deficient intellect
हीनबुद्धिः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootहीनबुद्धि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अचेतनःunconscious, senseless
अचेतनः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअचेतन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मरणम्death
मरणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमरण
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
प्राप्तवान्attained, met with
प्राप्तवान्:
TypeVerb
Rootप्राप्
FormPeriphrastic Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Masculine, Nominative
मूढःdeluded, foolish
मूढः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमूढ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यथाas, just as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
उपहतेन्द्रियःone whose senses are impaired/destroyed
उपहतेन्द्रियः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootउपहतेन्द्रिय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaI
indriya (the senses/faculties)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Negligence and procrastination, rooted in dullness and lack of discernment, lead to ruin; timely, aware, and intelligent action is essential for preserving life and dharma.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he illustrates a moral point by describing the fate of a foolish procrastinator, comparing his end to the helpless destruction that follows when one’s senses are impaired.