Shloka 14
Chapter 54
तथाप्य् अहं न शोचामि न प्रहृष्यामि कर्हिचित् ।
कालेन दैवयुक्तेन जानन् विद्रावितं जगत् ॥
tathāpy ahaṃ na śocāmi na prahṛṣyāmi karhicit / kālena daiva-yuktena jānan vidrāvitaṃ jagat //
Even so, I neither lament nor rejoice at any time, knowing that this world is driven about by Time, joined with destiny (daiva).
Jarāsandha here adopts the language of detachment: he claims equipoise—neither grief nor elation—because he recognizes the governing force of kāla (Time) allied with daiva (destiny, the unseen results of karma under higher control). In the Bhagavatam, this is a profound principle: worldly events surge and collapse under forces beyond one’s immediate control. Yet the devotional reading also invites discernment. True steadiness is not mere fatalism; it is surrender to the Supreme Lord who stands behind time and destiny. When detachment is used to justify continued hostility toward Kṛṣṇa, it becomes a mask for unresolved ego. The verse thus teaches two layers: (1) cultivate inner balance by understanding time’s power; (2) perfect that balance by offering one’s will to Bhagavān, instead of using ‘philosophy’ to protect pride or aggression.
FAQs
This verse states that the world’s movements are propelled by Time in conjunction with destiny, indicating that outcomes unfold under higher governance beyond mere human control.
He presents himself as philosophically steady, attributing events to time and destiny, even while continuing his rivalry—showing how ‘detachment’ can be claimed without true surrender.
Maintain balance in success and failure by remembering that outcomes shift with time; focus on righteous action and devotion rather than anxiety over results.