Shloka 36

आपद्धर्मनिर्णयः — विश्वामित्र-श्वपचसंवादः

Apaddharma Determination: Dialogue of Viśvāmitra and the Śvapaca

Devanagari script

आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठ गर्त: कार्य हि जीवितम्‌

Transliteration

āpadvināśabhūyiṣṭha gartaḥ kārya hi jīvitam

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“在灾厄之时，生命本身便如深坑——尽为毁灭之威所笼罩。故而行事，当以保全性命为第一要务。”

Word by Word

• आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठः: most destructive in calamity / chiefly causing ruin in distress
• आपद्विनाशभूयिष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपद्-विनाश-भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गर्तः: a pit; a trap; a perilous hole
• गर्तः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कार्यः: to be done; to be undertaken
• कार्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (कृञ्) → कार्य (gerundive/obligatory)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed; for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• जीवितम्: life; living
• जीवितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In crisis (āpada), ordinary norms may be constrained by danger; the immediate ethical priority is to preserve life, because survival is the basis for fulfilling dharma and responsibilities afterward.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma in the Śānti Parva, characterizes calamity as a perilous ‘pit’ where destruction predominates, and advises that one should take necessary action with the aim of safeguarding life.