Shloka 18
मौसलोत्पत्तिः — The Birth of the Musala and the Sages’ Pronouncement
एवं पश्यन् हृषीकेश: सम्प्राप्तं कालपर्ययम् । त्रयोदश्याममावास्यां तान् दृष्ट्वा प्राब्रवीदिदम्,इस तरह कालका उलट-फेर प्राप्त हुआ देख और त्रयोदशी तिथिको अमावास्याका संयोग जान भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने सब लोगोंसे कहा--
evaṁ paśyan hṛṣīkeśaḥ samprāptaṁ kālaparyayam | trayodaśyām amāvāsyāṁ tān dṛṣṭvā prābravīd idam ||
Seeing that a reversal of time’s ordained course had arrived, Hṛṣīkeśa (Kṛṣṇa) recognized the ominous concurrence of the thirteenth lunar day with the new-moon night. Having observed them all, he then addressed the gathered people—signaling that what was unfolding was not chance, but destiny ripening, calling for sober restraint and readiness.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames catastrophic events as the maturation of kāla (destiny/time). Ethically, it urges sobriety: when signs indicate an unavoidable turning of events, one should act with restraint and clarity rather than arrogance or impulsive violence.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Kṛṣṇa, noticing an ominous calendrical conjunction (trayodaśī with amāvāsyā) and the ‘reversal of time,’ looks upon those present and begins to speak—introducing a decisive moment in the Mausala Parva’s unfolding calamity.