Shloka 54
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
प्रवृत्तयश्च लोके5स्मिंस्तथैव च निवृत्तय: । तासां विकृतयो याश्व् सर्व कालात्मकं स्मृतम्,इस लोकमें जितने प्रकारकी प्रवृत्ति-निवृत्ति तथा उनकी विकृतियाँ (फल) हैं, ये सब कालके ही स्वरूप हैं
pravṛttayaś ca loke 'smin tathaiva ca nivṛttayaḥ | tāsāṁ vikṛtayo yāś ca sarvaṁ kālātmakaṁ smṛtam ||
Bhīṣma dit : «En ce monde, toutes les formes d’engagement (pravṛtti) et de retrait (nivṛtti), ainsi que les transformations et les fruits qui en procèdent, sont tenus pour n’être rien d’autre que des manifestations du Temps.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
All patterns of worldly action (pravṛtti), renunciation (nivṛtti), and their resulting effects are ultimately expressions of Kāla (Time). This encourages seeing outcomes as governed by a larger cosmic order, tempering pride in agency and fostering steadiness in dharmic conduct.
Bhīṣma is instructing (in the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting) by defining a philosophical principle: the diverse human paths of engagement and withdrawal, along with their fruits, are encompassed by Time’s sovereignty.