Shloka 19
आपद्धर्मे राज्ञः नीतिः — Bharadvāja’s Counsel on Crisis-Statecraft (Śānti Parva 138)
आदी न कुरुते श्रेय: कुशलो<स्मीति यः पुमान् | स संशयमवाप्रोति यथा सम्प्रतिपत्तिमान्
ādau na kurute śreyaḥ kuśalo 'smīti yaḥ pumān | sa saṁśayam avāpnoti yathā sampratipattimān matsyaḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：有人自以为“我很能干”，起初却不为自身福祉预作筹谋，便会陷入危厄与疑惧之中——如那临机聪慧之鱼，终究仍落到性命堪忧的境地。此教诲在于：当及早保全自身之善，不可仅恃自信，或倚赖最后一刻的机巧。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not rely on mere confidence in one’s skill; secure one’s true welfare (śreyas) early through timely, well-considered action. Last-minute cleverness cannot always avert danger once circumstances have turned adverse.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, he warns the listener through a simile: a person who postpones beneficial measures because he thinks himself capable ends up in a life-threatening predicament, like a fish that is quick-witted in the moment yet still gets trapped.