Shloka 27

Kurukṣetra-sainyadarśana and Arjuna-viṣāda (धर्मक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः — अर्जुनविषाद)

Devanagari script

प्राप्तकालमिदं वाक्यं कालपाशेन गुण्ठिता: । द्वैपायनो नारदश्न॒ कण्वो रामस्तथानघ: । अवारयंस्तव सुतं न चासौ तद्‌ गृहीतवान्‌

Transliteration

prāptakālam idaṃ vākyaṃ kālapāśena guṇṭhitāḥ | dvaipāyano nāradaś ca kaṇvo rāmas tathānaghaḥ | avārayāṃs tava sutaṃ na cāsau tad gṛhītavān ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Though these words are timely and fitting, those ensnared by the noose of Time do not heed them. Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, Nārada, Kaṇva, and the sinless Rāma (Paraśurāma) tried hard to restrain your son; yet he did not accept their counsel.

Word by Word

• {'prāptakālam': 'timely

• appropriate to the moment', 'idaṃ vākyaṃ': 'this statement

• these words (of counsel)', 'kālapāśa': 'the noose of Time (fate/death/inevitability)', 'guṇṭhitāḥ': 'wrapped up

• bound', 'dvaipāyanaḥ': 'Vyāsa, son of Dvaipāyana (Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana)', 'nāradaḥ': 'the sage Nārada', 'kaṇvaḥ': 'the sage Kaṇva', 'rāmaḥ': 'Rāma (Paraśurāma)', 'anaghaḥ': 'sinless

• faultless', 'avārayām': 'restrained

• held back', 'tava sutaṃ': 'your son (Duryodhana)', 'na ... gṛhītavān': 'did not accept

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'your son')
• Duryodhana (implied by 'your son')
• Vyāsa (Dvaipāyana)
• Nārada
• Kaṇva
• Paraśurāma (Rāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most timely and well-intentioned moral counsel can be rejected when a person is bound by the 'noose of Time'—a blend of fate, entrenched desire, and arrogance. The verse highlights the ethical danger of obstinacy: refusing wise restraint accelerates one’s downfall and the suffering of many.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that several revered sages—Vyāsa, Nārada, Kaṇva, and Paraśurāma—attempted to dissuade Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana) from his destructive course. Despite their efforts, he would not accept their advice, indicating the inevitability of the coming catastrophe.