12.135
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
atraiva cedamavyagraḥ śṛṇvākhyanamanuttamam। dīrghasūtraṃ samāśritya kāryākāryaviniścaye ॥12-135-1॥
If you are undistracted right here, listen to this unsurpassed narrative, which, by resorting to a detailed explanation, determines what is duty and what is not.
nātigādhe jalasthāye suhṛdaḥ śakulāstrayaḥ। prabhūtamatsye kaunteya babhūvuḥ sahacāriṇaḥ॥12-135-2॥
O son of Kunti, in a not very deep pond, three fish who were friends lived together among many other fish.
atraikaḥ prāptakālajño dīrghadarśī tathāparaḥ। dīrghasūtraśca tatraikastrayāṇāṃ jalacāriṇām ॥12-135-3॥
Here, among the three water-dwellers, one is a knower of the right time and far-sighted, another is a procrastinator.
kadācittajjalasthāyaṃ matsyabandhāḥ samantataḥ। niḥsrāvayāmāsuratho nimneṣu vividhairmukhaiḥ ॥12-135-4॥
Once, the fishermen all around caused the water-dwelling creature to be drained out into the low places through various openings.
prakṣīyamāṇaṃ taṃ buddhvā jalasthāyaṃ bhayāgame। abravīddīrghadarśī tu tāvubhau suhṛdau tadā ॥12-135-5॥
But then, the farsighted one, having understood that he was being diminished, dwelling in water at the coming of danger, spoke to those two friends.
iyam āpat samutpannā sarveṣāṃ salilaukāsām। śīghram anyatra gacchāmaḥ panthā yāvan na duṣyati॥12-135-6॥
This calamity has arisen for all the water-dwellers. Let us quickly go elsewhere before the path is ruined.
anāgatamanarthaṃ hi sunayair yaḥ prabādhate। na sa saṃśayam āpnoti rocatāṃ vāṃ vrajāmahe॥12-135-7॥
He who, by good policies, prevents misfortune before it arrives, never falls into doubt. Let us go to what pleases you both.
dīrghasūtrastu yastatra so'bravītsamyagucyate। na tu kāryā tvarā yāvaditi me niścitā matiḥ ॥12-135-8॥
But as for the procrastinator there, he is said to have spoken properly. However, one should not act with haste as long as this is my determined thought.
atha sampratipattijñaḥ prābravīddīrghadarśinam। prāpte kāle na me kiñcinnyāyataḥ parihāsyate ॥12-135-9॥
Then the one who understood the proper procedure said to the farsighted person: "When the time comes, nothing of mine will be rightly ridiculed."
evam-ukto nirākrāmad dīrghadarśī mahāmatiḥ। jagāma srotasaikena gambhīrasalilāśayam ॥12-135-10॥
Thus addressed, the far-seeing and wise one departed; he went by a single current to the deep reservoir of water.
tataḥ prasrutato'yaṃ taṃ samīkṣya salilāśayam। babandhur vividhair yogair matsyān matsyopajīvinaḥ ॥12-135-11॥
Then, seeing that the water-reservoir was overflowing, the fishermen caught the fishes there by various methods.
vilōḍyamāne tasmiṃstu srutatōyē jalāśayē। agacchadgrahaṇaṃ tatra dīrghasūtraḥ sahāparaiḥ ॥12-135-12॥
While the reservoir of water was being agitated, the procrastinator, along with others, did not manage to catch anything there.
uddānaṃ kriyamāṇaṃ ca matsyānāṃ vīkṣya rajjubhiḥ। praviśyāntaramanyeṣām agrasat pratipattimān ॥12-135-13॥
Seeing the fishes being lifted with ropes, the discerning one entered inside the others and ate.
grastameva taduddānaṃ gṛhītvāsta tathaiva saḥ। sarvāneva tu tāṃstatra te vidurgrathitā iti॥12-135-14॥
He, having seized that summary, remained just so. But there, they knew all those to be bound thus.
tataḥ prakṣālyamāneṣu matsyeṣu vimale jale। tyaktvā rajjuṃ vimukto'bhūcchīghraṃ sampratipattimān ॥12-135-15॥
Then, as the fishes were being washed in the clear water, he let go of the rope and was quickly freed, regaining his composure.
dīrghasūtrastu mandātmā hīnabuddhiracētanaḥ। maraṇaṃ prāptavānmūḍho yathaivopahatēndriyaḥ ॥12-135-16॥
But the procrastinator, dull-minded, lacking intellect and awareness, is as good as dead, just like one whose senses are impaired.
evaṃ prāptatamaṃ kālaṃ yo mohānnāvabudhyate। sa vinaśyati vai kṣipraṃ dīrghasūtro yathā jhaṣaḥ ॥12-135-17॥
He who, out of delusion, does not recognize the time when it has fully arrived, perishes quickly, just as a procrastinator perishes like a fish.
ādau na kurute śreyaḥ kuśalo'smīti yaḥ pumān। sa saṃśayam avāpnoti yathā sampratipattimān ॥12-135-18॥
A man who, thinking 'I am skilled,' does not perform a good deed at the outset, attains doubt, just like one who truly understands.
anāgatavidhānaṃ tu yo naraḥ kurute kṣamam। śreyaḥ prāpnoti so'tyarthaṃ dīrghadarśī yathā hyasau ॥12-135-19॥
A man who prudently plans for the future attains great prosperity, just like one who is truly far-sighted.
kalāḥ kāṣṭhā muhūrtāś ca dinā nāḍyaḥ kṣaṇā lavāḥ। pakṣā māsāś ca ṛtavas tulyāḥ saṃvatsarāṇi ca ॥12-135-20॥
Parts of time, kāṣṭhās, muhūrtas, days, nāḍis, moments, instants, fortnights, months, seasons, and years are all equal (in their respective measures).
pṛthivī deśa ity uktaḥ kālaḥ sa ca na dṛśyate। abhipretārthasiddhyarthaṃ nyāyato yac ca tat tathā ॥12-135-21॥
The earth is called a region, but time is not seen. For the accomplishment of the intended purpose, whatever is according to rule, that is so.
etau dharmārthaśāstreṣu mokṣaśāstreṣu carṣibhiḥ। pradhānāviti nirdiṣṭau kāmeśābhimatau nṛṇām ॥12-135-22॥
These two are regarded as principal in the treatises on dharma, artha, and mokṣa, and are declared so by the sages as being desirable for men who seek pleasure.
parīkṣyakārī yuktastu samyaksamupapādayet। deśakālāvabhipretau tābhyāṃ phalamavāpnuyāt ॥12-135-23॥
But a person who acts after careful examination, being properly engaged, should accomplish the task correctly. When the place and time are appropriate, he will obtain the desired result from them.
