Shloka 33
अध्याय १९० — वामदेव-वाम्य-वृत्तान्तः
The Vāmadeva Horses Episode and the Ethics of Promise
त्रयो भागा हुधर्मस्य तस्मिन् काले भवन्ति च । अन्तकाले च सन्प्राप्ते कालो भूत्वातिदारुण:
trayo bhāgā hi dharmasya tasmin kāle bhavanti ca | antakāle ca samprāpte kālo bhūtvātidāruṇaḥ ||
The Deity said: “At that time, three portions (or aspects) of dharma come to the fore. And when the final hour arrives, Time itself becomes exceedingly dreadful.”
देव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is not always experienced as a single, simple rule; in certain critical situations it appears in multiple competing ‘shares’ or aspects. At life’s end, however, Time (kāla) asserts an overwhelming force, reminding one of impermanence and the urgency of right conduct.
A divine speaker reflects on how, in a particular crisis-time, dharma manifests in three prominent aspects, and then warns that when the final moment arrives, Time itself becomes intensely fearsome—shaping outcomes beyond ordinary human control.