Shloka 15
Śreyas-nirdeśa (Discerning the Superior Good): Nārada–Gālava Saṃvāda
Devanagari script
अकृतेष्वेव कार्येषु मृत्युर्वें सम्प्रकर्षति । युवैव धर्मशील: स्यादनिमित्तं हि जीवितम्
Transliteration
akṛteṣv eva kāryeṣu mṛtyur vai samprakarṣati | yuvā eva dharmaśīlaḥ syād animittaṃ hi jīvitam ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“当应尽之责尚未完成之时，死亡确实会将人拖走。因此，人应当趁年轻便笃行达摩，因为生命并无固定的保障，也无可预料的缘由。”
Word by Word
अकृतेषुin (things) not done / unfinished
अकृतेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअकृत (कृ धातु-निष्पन्न, क्त प्रत्यय; नञ्-पूर्वक)
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
कार्येषुin tasks/works
कार्येषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वैindeed/surely
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
सम्प्रकर्षतिdrags/pulls (towards itself)
सम्प्रकर्षति:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + प्र + कृ (कर्षति)
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
युवाin youth / as a youth
युवा:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुवन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एवindeed/only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
धर्मशीलःvirtuous; of righteous conduct
धर्मशीलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्मशील
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
स्यात्should be
स्यात्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
अनिमित्तम्uncertain; without fixed cause/occasion
अनिमित्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअनिमित्त (नञ् + निमित्त)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
हिfor/indeed
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
जीवितम्life
जीवितम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजीवित
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhishmaD
Death (Mṛtyu)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Do not postpone dharma: since death can come while duties remain unfinished, one should cultivate righteous conduct early, recognizing the uncertainty of life.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma advises the listener that human life is unpredictable and that ethical practice should begin in youth rather than being deferred to old age.