Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 16
Purañjana Captivated by Lust; Time (Caṇḍavega) and Old Age (Kālakanyā) Begin the Siege
स सप्तभि: शतैरेको विंशत्या च शतं समा: । पुरञ्जनपुराध्यक्षो गन्धर्वैर्युयुधे बली ॥ १६ ॥
sa saptabhiḥ śatair eko viṁśatyā ca śataṁ samāḥ purañjana-purādhyakṣo gandharvair yuyudhe balī
La serpiente de cinco capuchas, superintendente y guardián de la ciudad del rey Purañjana, luchó sola contra los Gandharvas —setecientos veinte— durante cien años, con gran fuerza.
The 360 days and 360 nights combine to become the 720 soldiers of Caṇḍavega (time). One has to fight these soldiers throughout one’s life span, beginning with birth and ending with death. This fight is called the struggle for existence. Despite this struggle, however, the living entity does not die. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.20) , the living entity is eternal:
FAQs
In this allegorical narrative, the Gandharvas represent the relentless force of time that attacks and weakens the embodied soul’s position in the “city” of the body.
The verse uses the span of years to show how, throughout one’s lifetime, the living being struggles against time’s influence—aging, decline, and inevitable loss—despite being “powerful.”
Recognize time’s inevitability and prioritize bhakti and spiritual practice now, rather than postponing—because worldly strength cannot ultimately defeat time.