Shloka 18
Kardama Muni’s Penance, Viṣṇu’s Darśana, and the Arrangement of Devahūti’s Marriage
न तेऽजराक्षभ्रमिरायुरेषां त्रयोदशारं त्रिशतं षष्टिपर्व । षण्नेम्यनन्तच्छदि यत्त्रिणाभि करालस्रोतो जगदाच्छिद्य धावत् ॥ १८ ॥
na te ’jarākṣa-bhramir āyur eṣāṁ trayodaśāraṁ tri-śataṁ ṣaṣṭi-parva ṣaṇ-nemy ananta-cchadi yat tri-ṇābhi karāla-sroto jagad ācchidya dhāvat
Tu rueda gira en torno al eje del Brahman imperecedero: tiene tres cubos, trece radios, 360 articulaciones, seis aros y hojas innumerables talladas en ella. Aunque su giro de terrible velocidad acorta la vida de toda la creación, esa rueda no puede tocar la vida de los devotos del Señor.
The time factor cannot affect the span of life of the devotees. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that a little execution of devotional service saves one from the greatest danger. The greatest danger is transmigration of the soul from one body to another, and only devotional service to the Lord can stop this process. It is stated in the Vedic literatures, hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti: without the mercy of the Lord, one cannot stop the cycle of birth and death. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that only by understanding the transcendental nature of the Lord and His activities, His appearance and disappearance can one stop the cycle of death and go back to Him. The time factor is divided into many fractions of moments, hours, months, years, periods, seasons, etc. All the divisions in this verse are determined according to the astronomical calculations of Vedic literature. There are six seasons, called ṛtus, and there is the period of four months called cāturmāsya. Three periods of four months complete one year. According to Vedic astronomical calculations, there are thirteen months. The thirteenth month is called adhi-māsa or mala-māsa and is added every third year. The time factor, however, cannot touch the lifespan of the devotees. In another verse it is stated that when the sun rises and sets it takes away the life of all living entities, but it cannot take away the life of those who are engaged in devotional service. Time is compared here to a big wheel which has 360 joints, six rims in the shape of seasons, and numberless leaves in the shape of moments. It rotates on the eternal existence, Brahman.
FAQs
This verse describes embodied life as being carried by a terrifying current of time, symbolized as a spinning wheel that relentlessly cuts down the worlds—urging the seeker to turn toward the timeless Lord.
Kardama instructs Devahuti to see the fleeting nature of worldly life; by recognizing time’s power, she can cultivate detachment and become receptive to the path of devotion and the coming teachings of Lord Kapila.
Remembering life’s rapid passing helps prioritize spiritual practice, simplify desires, and invest attention in lasting values—service, remembrance of the Lord, and inner purification.