भीष्म उवाच अनागतविधाता च प्रत्युत्पन्नमतिश्च यः। द्वावेव सुखमेधेते दीर्घसूत्री विनश्यति॥
Bhishma said 'The two, viz., one, who provides for the future, and one, who has presence of mind—always enjoy happiness. An idle man gains nothing.
अत्रैव चेदमव्यग्रं शृणुष्वाख्यानमुत्तमम्। दीर्घसूत्रमुपाश्रित्य कार्याकार्यविनिश्चये॥
About it, listen attentively to the following excellent story of an idle person, who is expert to take decision in good or bed deeds.
नातिगाधे जलाधारे सुहृदः कुशलास्त्रयः। प्रभूतमत्स्ये कौन्तेय बभूवुः सहचारिणः॥
In shallow lake which abounded with fishes, there lived three Shakula fishes who were friends and constant companions.
तत्रैको दीर्घकालज्ञ उत्पन्नप्रतिभोऽपरः। दीर्घसूत्रश्च तत्रैकस्त्रयाणां सहचारिणाम्॥
Of those three, one had much fore-thought always liked to provide for the future. Another had great presence of mind. The third was idle.
कदाचित् तं जलस्थायं मत्स्यबन्धाः समन्ततः। निस्त्रावयामासुरथो निम्नेषु विविधैर्मुखैः॥
One day certain fishermen came to that lake and began to draw out its waters to a lower ground through various channels,
प्रक्षीयमाणं तं दृष्ट्वा जलस्थायं भयागमे। अब्रवीद् दीर्घदर्शी तु तावुभौ सुहृदौ तदा॥
Seeing the water of the lake gradually decreasing, the fish that had much foresight, said to his two companions about the coming danger.
इयमापत् समुत्पन्ना सर्वेषां सलिलौकसाम्। शीघ्रमन्यत्र गच्छामः पन्था यावन्न दुष्यति॥
A great danger is about to befall the aquatic animals living in this lake. Let us quickly go to some other place before our path becomes obstructed.
अनागतमनर्थं हि सुनयैर्यः प्रबाधयेत्। स न संशयमाप्नोति रोचतां भो व्रजामहे॥
He, who resists future evil by the help of good policy, never meets with serious danger. You follow my advice. Lest us all quit this place.
दीर्घसूत्रस्तु यस्तत्र सोऽब्रवीत् सम्यगुच्यते। न त कार्या त्वरा तावदिति मे निश्चिता मतिः॥
That one, amongst the three, who was idle then answered,-It is well said. There is, however, no necessity of such haste. This is my opinion.
अथ सम्प्रतिपत्तिज्ञः प्राब्रवीद् दीर्घदर्शिनम्। प्राप्ते काले न मे किंचिन्यायतः परिहास्यते॥
Then the other fish, who had presence of mind, said to his idle companion,-When the time for anything comes, I take the necessary precautions.
एवं श्रुत्वा निराक्रम्य दीर्घदर्शी महामतिः। जगाम स्रोतसा तेन गम्भीरं सलिलाशयम्॥
Hearing the replies of his two companions, the one, which had fore-thought and intelligence, immediately started by a current and reached another deep lake.
ततः प्रसृततोयं तं प्रसमीक्ष्य जलाशयम्। बबन्धुर्विविधैर्योगैर्मत्स्यान् मत्स्योपजीविनः॥
Seeing that all the water had been drawn out, the fishermen shut in the fishes which remained by various means.
विलोड्यमाने तस्मिंस्तु स्रुततोये जलाशये। अगच्छद् बन्धनं तत्र दीर्घसूत्रः सहापरैः॥
Then they began to agitate the little remaining water, and as they began to catch the fish, the idle Shakula was caught with many others.
उद्याने क्रियमाणे तु मत्स्यानां तत्र रज्जुभिः। प्रविश्यान्तरमेतेषां स्थितः सम्प्रतिपत्तिमान्॥ गृह्यमेव तदुद्यानं गृहीत्वा तं तथैव सः। सर्वानेव च तांस्तत्र ते विदुर्ग्रथितानिति॥
When the fishermen began to tie up the fishes they had caught, the Shakula who was known for presence of mind placed himself in the midst of those that had been so tied and remained quietly among them, biting the string, for he thought that by it they would take him to have been caught. The fisherman believed that all the fishes tied to the string had been caught.
ततः प्रक्षाल्यमानेषु मत्स्येषु विपुले जले। मुक्त्वा रज्जु प्रमुक्तोऽसौ शीघ्रं सम्प्रतिपत्तिमान्॥
They then removed them to a deep, water for washing them, Just then the Shakula known for presence of mind, left the string, and quickly escaped.
दीर्घसूत्रस्तु मन्दात्मा हीनबुद्धिरचेतनः। मरणं प्राप्तवान् मूढो यथैवोपहतेन्द्रियः॥
That fish, however, who had been idle. foolish, and senseless and without intelligence, and, therefore, unable to escape, met with his death.
एवं प्राप्ततमं कालं यो मोहान्नावबुद्ध्यते। स विनश्यति वै क्षिप्रं दीर्घसूत्रो यथा झषः॥
Like the idle fish, who from want of intelligence could not forsee the danger, every one meets with destruction.
आदौ न कुरुते श्रेयः कुशलोऽस्मीति यः पुमान्। स संशयमवाप्नोति यथा सम्प्रतिपत्तिमान्॥
Again, a man, who knowing himself as clever, does not seek his own good improper time, is visited by great dangers like the Shakula who had presence of mind.
अनागतविधाता च प्रत्युत्पन्नमतिश्च यः। द्वावेव सुखमेधेते दीर्घसूत्रो विनश्यति॥
Therefore these two only, viz., he, who has much forethought and he, who has presence of mind, can secure happiness. An idle person, however, meets with destruction.
काष्ठाः कला मुहूर्ताश्च दिवा रात्रिस्तथा लवाः। मासाः पक्षाः षड् ऋतवः कल्प: संवत्सरास्तथा॥
There are various divisions of time, such as Kashtha, Kala, Muhurta, day, night, Lava, inonth, fortnight, the six seasons, Kalpa, year.
पृथिवी देश इत्युक्तः कालः स च न दृश्यते। अभिप्रेतार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं ध्यायते यच्च तत्तथा॥
The divisions of the Earth are called place. Time is not seen. Regarding the success of any object or purpose, it is gained or not gained according to the manner in which the mind is engaged to think of it.
एतौ धर्मार्थशास्त्रेषु मोक्षशास्त्रेषु चर्षिभिः। प्रधानाविति निर्दिशै कामे चाभिमतौ नृणाम्॥
Therefore, the person of forethought and the person of presence of mind, have been described by the Rishis, to be the foremost of men in all works on virtue, profit and emancipation.
परीक्ष्यकारी युक्तश्च स सम्यगुपपादयेत्। देशकालावभिप्रेतौ ताभ्यां फलमवाप्नुयात्॥
One, however, who does everything after reflection and scrutiny, one, who takes the advantage of proper means for the achievement of his objects, always succeeds in achieving much. Those, again, who work with proper attention to time and place, succeed in acquiring fruits better than the mere man of foresight and the man of presence of mind.'