Shloka 16

कर्मविद्या-भेदः

Karma–Vidyā Distinction: Paths of Bondage and Release

Devanagari script

कालो गिरति विज्ञानं कालं॑ बलमिति श्रुति: । बल॑ कालो ग्रसति तु त॑ विद्वान्‌ कुरुते वशे,सुननेमें आया है कि काल ज्ञान (समष्टि बुद्धि) को ग्रस लेता है, शक्ति उस कालको अपने अधीन कर लेती है; फिर महाकाल शक्तिको और परब्रह्मय महाकालको अपने अधीन कर लेता है

Transliteration

kālo girati vijñānaṃ kālaṃ bala iti śrutiḥ | balaṃ kālo grasati tu taṃ vidvān kurute vaśe ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: Time consumes discernment; and the tradition declares that strength can master time. Yet time, in turn, devours even strength—therefore the wise person brings that very power under control, refusing to be ruled by it.

Word by Word

कालःTime

गिरतिswallows/devours

विज्ञानम्knowledge/discernment

कालम्time

बलम्strength/power

इतिthus/so (quotative)

श्रुतिःtradition/scriptural saying

बलम्strength/power

कालःtime

ग्रसतिswallows/devours

तुbut/indeed

तम्that (him/it)

विद्वान्a wise man/knower

कुरुतेmakes (for himself)/brings about

वशेunder control/in subjection

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Kāla (Time)

Śruti (scriptural tradition)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes