Shloka 40
कालनिर्णयः, युगधर्मवर्णनम्, सृष्टिक्रमश्च
Time-Reckoning, Yuga-Dharma, and the Sequence of Creation
मां चेदभ्यागत: कालो दानवेश्वरपूजितम् । गर्जन्तं प्रतपन्तं च कमन्यं नागमिष्यति
māṃ ced abhyāgataḥ kālo dānaveśvara-pūjitam | garjantaṃ pratapantaṃ ca kam anyaṃ nāgamiṣyati ||
Si le Temps (kāla) s’est abattu même sur moi—moi qui jadis fus honoré par les seigneurs des Dānavas, rugissant à pleine voix et flamboyant de puissance—qui donc épargnera-t-il? Le sens est manifeste: ni la force, ni la renommée, ni les hommages d’autrefois ne peuvent soustraire quiconque à l’emprise inévitable du Temps.
श॒क्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time (Kāla) is irresistible and universal: even the powerful and celebrated are not exempt, so one should cultivate humility and detachment rather than pride in strength or status.
Śakra (Indra) reflects on his own former glory—being honored even by demon-lords and displaying great might—yet admits that Time has overtaken him; he uses this to argue that no one else can escape Kāla.