Shloka 8

Nītisāra: Virtuous Association, Household Dharma, and Kāla (Time) as the Supreme Regulator

Devanagari script

कालेषु हरते वीर्यं काले गर्भे च वर्तते / कालो जनयते सृष्टिं पुनः कालो ऽपि संहरेत्

Transliteration

kāleṣu harate vīryaṃ kāle garbhe ca vartate / kālo janayate sṛṣṭiṃ punaḥ kālo 'pi saṃharet

Translation

Im Lauf der Zeit wird die Kraft genommen; und in der Zeit verweilt auch der Embryo und wächst im Mutterleib. Die Zeit bringt die Schöpfung hervor, und die Zeit zieht sie wiederum in die Auflösung zurück.

Word by Word

• कालेषु: in times/at times
• कालेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हरते: takes away/steals
• हरते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• वीर्यम्: vitality/strength
• वीर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• काले: in time/at a time
• काले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• गर्भे: in the womb
• गर्भे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (Conjunction)

• वर्तते: exists/abides/continues
• वर्तते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• जनयते: produces/creates
• जनयते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (Causative sense: causes to be born)

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (Adverb)

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (Particle: also/even)

• संहरेत्: would withdraw/destroy
• संहरेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla as the universal power that manifests, sustains, and dissolves; all embodied vigor and development are time-bound.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā (impermanence) of nāma-rūpa; cyclic sṛṣṭi–saṃhāra under māyā/īśvara-śakti; impetus toward vairāgya.

Application: Cultivate urgency in dharma and sādhana; reduce attachment to youth/strength; contemplate mortality and cyclic change to stabilize the mind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): cosmology and saṃsāra discussions where kāla governs sṛṣṭi-pralaya; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: time-bound consequences of karma and the inevitability of death

FAQs

What is the importance of Kāla (Time) in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Kāla as the governing force that causes growth, decline, creation, and dissolution—encouraging detachment and dharmic living in awareness of impermanence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing that all embodied states—conception, development, strength, and eventual decline—are time-bound, it frames the soul’s journey as occurring through changing conditions of embodiment under Kāla’s rule.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with urgency and restraint: use strength and opportunity for dharma, service, and spiritual practice, knowing time inevitably diminishes bodily power and ends all worldly phases.