Shloka 633
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
न शक्ष्यसि तदा शक्र नियन्तुं शोकमात्मन: । इन्द्र! वे सभी नरेश अपने तेजसे प्रज्वलित होनेवाले और प्रतापी थे
na śakṣyasi tadā śakra niyantuṃ śokam ātmanaḥ | indra! te sarve nareśāḥ sva-tejasā prajvalitāḥ pratāpinaś ca, kintu kālena teṣāṃ sarveṣāṃ saṃhāraḥ kṛtaḥ | tvaṃ yadā imāṃ pṛthivīm upabhujya punaḥ imāṃ tyakṣyasi, tadā śokaṃ niyantuṃ na śakṣyasi |
Bhishma berkata: “Wahai Śakra, pada saat itu engkau takkan mampu menahan duka dalam dirimu. Para raja itu semuanya menyala oleh kemilau mereka sendiri dan perkasa dalam keberanian, namun Kala memusnahkan mereka semua. Ketika engkau pun telah menikmati bumi ini lalu harus melepaskannya kembali, engkau takkan sanggup membendung kesedihan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the most radiant and powerful rulers are overcome by Kāla (Time). Therefore, sovereignty and worldly enjoyment are impermanent; one should cultivate restraint, detachment, and clear understanding so that inevitable loss does not overwhelm the mind with grief.
Bhīṣma addresses Indra (Śakra), warning him that many mighty kings once flourished but were destroyed by Time. He predicts that Indra too, after enjoying dominion over the earth, will have to relinquish it and will then struggle to control his sorrow—underscoring the transience of worldly rule.