Shloka 556
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
कालेनाभ्याहता: सर्वे कालो हि बलवत्तर: | पृथु
bhīṣma uvāca | kālenābhyāhatāḥ sarve kālo hi balavattaraḥ | pṛthuḥ, ilānandanaḥ purūravāḥ, mayaḥ, bhīmaḥ, narakāsuraḥ, śambarāsuraḥ, aśvagrīvaḥ, pulomā, svarbhānuḥ, amitadhvajaḥ, prahrādaḥ, namuciḥ, dakṣaḥ, vipracittiḥ, virocanaḥ, hīniṣevaḥ, suhotraḥ, bhūrihā, puṣpavān, vṛṣaḥ, satyeṣuḥ, ṛṣabhaḥ, bāhuḥ, kapilāśvaḥ, virūpakaḥ, bāṇaḥ, kārtasvaraḥ, vahniḥ, viśvarṃṣṭaḥ, nairṛtiḥ, saṃkocaḥ, varītākṣaḥ, varāhāśvaḥ, ruciprabhaḥ, viśvajit, pratirūpaḥ, vṛṣāṇḍaḥ, viṣkaraḥ, madhuḥ, hiraṇyakaśipuḥ, kaiṭabhaḥ—ete tathā anye bahavo daityadānavarākṣasāḥ sarve ’smin pṛthivyāḥ svāmino bhūtvā gatāḥ | pūrve ca atipūrve caite proktāḥ tathā anye ’neke daityarājā dānavarājā anye ca nṛpāḥ yeṣāṃ nāmāni vayaṃ śṛṇumaḥ, kālena pīḍitāḥ sarve ’sāṃ pṛthivīṃ tyaktvā gatāḥ; yataḥ kāla eva sarvabalavān iti ||
Bhishma berkata: “Semua telah dihantam oleh Kala (Waktu), sebab Kala sungguh lebih kuat. Prithu; Pururavas putra Ila; Maya; Bhima; Narakasura; Shambarasura; Ashvagriva; Puloma; Svarbhanu; Amitadhvaja; Prahlada; Namuci; Daksha; Viprachitti; Virochana; Hinisheva; Suhotra; Bhuriha; Pushpavan; Vrisha; Satyeshu; Rishabha; Bahu; Kapilashva; Virupaka; Bana; Kartasvara; Vahni; Vishvarmshtha; Nairriti; Samkocha; Varitaksha; Varahashva; Ruchiprabha; Vishvajit; Pratirupa; Vrishanda; Vishkara; Madhu; Hiranyakashipu; dan Kaitabha—mereka ini, dan banyak Daitya, Danava, serta Rakshasa lainnya, pernah menjadi penguasa bumi. Para raja dari masa lampau dan masa yang lebih purba—yang disebutkan di atas maupun banyak lainnya, termasuk para penguasa manusia yang namanya masih kita dengar—semuanya, tersiksa oleh Kala, telah pergi meninggalkan bumi ini; sebab Kala sajalah yang paling perkasa.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That Time (kāla) surpasses all strength: even the greatest rulers—divine, demonic, and human—lose sovereignty and must depart. Therefore one should abandon arrogance about power and cultivate humility and detachment.
Bhishma, instructing in Shanti Parva, cites a long catalogue of famed ancient rulers and mighty beings who once possessed the earth but were all overcome by Time, reinforcing his counsel about the transience of worldly dominion.