Shloka 2.105.26

भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य कालधर्मोपदेशः (Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Instruction on Time and Mortality)

Devanagari script

यथा काष्ठं च काष्ठं च समेयातां महार्णवे।

समेत्य च व्यपेयातां कालमासाद्य कञ्चन।।2.105.26।।

एवं भार्याश्चपुत्राश्च ज्ञातयश्च धनानि च।

समेत्य व्यवधावन्ति ध्रुवो ह्येषां विनाभवः।।2.105.27।।

Transliteration

hṛṣyanty ṛtumukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā navaṃ navam ihāgatam | ṛtūnāṃ parivartena prāṇināṃ prāṇasaṅkṣayaḥ || 2.105.25 ||

Translation

Seeing the onset of a season and the ever-new things it brings, people feel delight; yet by the turning of the seasons, the life-breath of living beings is also diminished.

Context

In a mighty ocean, two pieces of logs meet one another, float together and in due course get separated. In the same way wives, sons, relatives and riches remain together for some time and thereafter get separated. Their separation is certain.

Characters & Entities

• Seasons (ṛtu)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma calls for sobriety amid pleasure: worldly novelty should not obscure the steady approach of time and death.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata uses the cyclical beauty of seasons to teach Rāma that each change also marks life’s shortening.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Discernment (viveka): the ability to see beyond appearances to the underlying truth of kāla.