Shloka 40

ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana

River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor

Devanagari script

त्वामप्येवं सुदुर्धर्ष ज्वलन्तं परया श्रिया । काले परिणते काल: कालयिष्यति मामिव

Transliteration

tvām apy evaṁ sudurdharṣa jvalantaṁ parayā śriyā | kāle pariṇate kālaḥ kālayiṣyati mām iva ||

Translation

Bhīṣma dit : «Même toi—si inattaquable à présent, flamboyant d’une splendeur suprême—lorsque le temps tournera et que mûrira l’heure qui t’est assignée, le Temps lui-même te conduira à la destruction, comme il m’y a conduit. Nulle puissance, nul rang, nulle radiance n’échappe à la portée de Kāla.»

Word by Word

• {'tvām': 'you (accusative singular)', 'api': 'also, even', 'evaṁ': 'thus, in this manner', 'sudurdharṣa': 'very hard to assail

• invincible, formidable (vocative)', 'jvalantam': 'blazing, shining intensely (accusative singular)', 'parayā': 'by the highest, supreme (instrumental singular feminine)', 'śriyā': 'splendor

• royal fortune (Śrī) (instrumental singular)', 'kāle': 'when time

• at the time (locative singular)', 'pariṇate': 'when it has matured/turned

• when circumstances ripen (locative absolute sense)', 'kālaḥ': 'Time

• the cosmic force that ends all (nominative singular)', 'kālayiṣyati': 'will cause to perish

• will bring to an end (future)', 'mām': 'me (accusative singular)', 'iva': 'like, as'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kāla (Time/Death)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

No matter how invincible one appears—supported by power, prosperity, or brilliance—Kāla (Time/Death) eventually overcomes all. The verse urges humility and ethical restraint by reminding rulers that fortune turns and destiny ripens.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a powerful figure, warning that present glory and unassailable strength are temporary. When the proper time arrives and circumstances change, Time will bring that person down, just as Bhīṣma himself has been brought low.