Chatra–Upānah Dāna: Origin Narrative
Jamadagni–Reṇukā–Sūrya Saṃvāda
शृणोमि कालो हिंसते धर्मवीर्य सो<थयं प्राप्तो वर्तते धर्मपीडा । पुराधर्मो वर्तते नेह यावत् तावद् गच्छाम: सुरलोकं॑ चिराय
śṛṇomi kālo hiṃsate dharmavīryaṃ so ’thayaṃ prāpto vartate dharmapīḍā | purā dharmo vartate nehā yāvat tāvad gacchāmaḥ suralokaṃ cirāya ||
Bhishma berkata: “Aku mendengar bahwa Waktu (kāla) meremukkan bahkan daya dharma. Waktu yang sama kini telah tiba; sebab itu dharma sedang ditekan dan dilukai. Sebelum adharma meluas di dunia ini dan sebelum tatanan dharma yang purba lenyap dari sini, marilah kita berangkat ke alam para dewa untuk waktu yang panjang.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse frames moral collapse as a function of Kāla (Time): even dharma’s efficacy can be weakened by the inevitable turning of time. The ethical warning is to recognize signs of dharma’s oppression and to act before adharma becomes entrenched.
Bhīṣma reflects on the present age as one in which Time has arrived to afflict dharma. He urges departure to Suraloka before the old dharma-order vanishes and adharma expands in the world.