Shloka 9
कālacakra-वर्णनम् तथा āśrama-धarma-निरूपणम्
The Wheel of Time and the Norms of the Āśramas
महदादिविशेषान्तमसक्तं प्रभवाव्ययम् । मनोजवं मनःकान्तं कालचक्रं प्रवर्तते
mahadādiviśeṣāntam asaktaṁ prabhavāvyayam | manojavaṁ manaḥkāntaṁ kālacakraṁ pravartate ||
Vāyu said: “The wheel of Time moves on—beginning with the great principles and ending in the particular forms; unattached, yet the source of all; imperishable. Swift as thought and captivating to the mind, it rolls forward, carrying all beings and events within its unceasing course.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time is portrayed as an impersonal, unstoppable cosmic principle: it generates and encompasses the whole range of existence—from subtle universal principles (like Mahat) to concrete particulars—yet remains itself unattached and imperishable. Ethically, the image urges detachment and steadiness: one should act according to dharma without clinging, recognizing that all conditioned things are carried along by Time.
Vāyu is speaking in a reflective, instructive mode, describing the nature of Time as a ‘wheel’ that continually turns. The statement functions as philosophical counsel within the Ashvamedhika Parva’s broader post-war setting, where teachings often emphasize the transience of worldly conditions and the need for dharmic clarity after great upheaval.