Shloka 40
कालनिर्णयः, युगधर्मवर्णनम्, सृष्टिक्रमश्च
Time-Reckoning, Yuga-Dharma, and the Sequence of Creation
मां चेदभ्यागत: कालो दानवेश्वरपूजितम् । गर्जन्तं प्रतपन्तं च कमन्यं नागमिष्यति,एक दिन मैं दानवेश्वरोंद्वारा पूजित था और मैं भी गर्जता तथा अपना प्रताप सर्वत्र फैलाता था। जब मुझपर भी कालका आक्रमण हुआ है, तब दूसरे किसपर वह आक्रमण नहीं करेगा?
māṃ ced abhyāgataḥ kālo dānaveśvara-pūjitam | garjantaṃ pratapantaṃ ca kam anyaṃ nāgamiṣyati ||
If Time has come upon even me—once honored by the lords of the Dānavas, roaring aloud and blazing with power—then whom else will it not come to? The point is clear: no might, fame, or former reverence can shield anyone from the inevitable reach of Time.
श॒क्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time (Kāla) is irresistible and universal: even the powerful and celebrated are not exempt, so one should cultivate humility and detachment rather than pride in strength or status.
Śakra (Indra) reflects on his own former glory—being honored even by demon-lords and displaying great might—yet admits that Time has overtaken him; he uses this to argue that no one else can escape Kāla.