Shloka 51
Dasyu-maryādā and Buddhi-guided Rāja-nīti (दस्युमर्यादा तथा बुद्धिप्रधान-राजनीति)
वध्यन्ते युगपत् केचिदेकैकस्य न चापरे । कालो दहति भूतानि सम्प्राप्पाग्निरिवेन्धनम्
vadhyante yugapat kecid ekaikasya na cāpare | kālo dahati bhūtāni samprāptāgnir ivendhanam ||
Les uns sont frappés d’un seul coup, tandis que d’autres ne périssent pas un à un. Le Temps consume les êtres comme le feu qui, dès qu’il atteint son combustible, le dévore—sans parti pris et inéluctablement.
ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the inevitability and impartiality of Kāla (Time): death and destruction do not follow a predictable, orderly sequence. Recognizing this supports ethical sobriety and detachment—one should not presume control over outcomes, but act rightly while time remains.
Brahmadatta reflects on how beings meet destruction in different ways—some suddenly, some not in a neat one-by-one order—and illustrates this with the image of fire consuming fuel once it reaches it, emphasizing the unstoppable force of Time.