Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 18
Kṛṣṇa Leads Kālayavana to Mucukunda; The Yavana Is Burned; Mucukunda’s Prayers and Boon of Bhakti
सुता महिष्यो भवतो ज्ञातयोऽमात्यमन्त्रिण: । प्रजाश्च तुल्यकालीना नाधुना सन्ति कालिता: ॥ १८ ॥
sutā mahiṣyo bhavato jñātayo ’mātya-mantrinaḥ prajāś ca tulya-kālīnā nādhunā santi kālitāḥ
“The children, queens, relatives, ministers, advisers and subjects who were your contemporaries are no longer alive. They have all been swept away by time.
FAQs
This verse states that even one’s sons, queens, relatives, ministers, and contemporaries are eventually taken away—Time removes everyone, showing the inevitability of impermanence.
Mucukunda had awakened after a long sleep and expected to find his former world; Krishna reminds him that many ages have passed and all his contemporaries have been swept away by Time.
Remembering life’s impermanence helps reduce anxiety and attachment, inspiring one to prioritize dharma, devotion, and lasting spiritual goals over temporary status and relationships.