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Shloka 97

ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana

River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor

कालो न परिहार्यश्न न चास्यास्ति व्यतिक्रम: । “काल पुरातन (अनादि), सनातन, धर्मस्वरूप और समस्त प्राणियोंके प्रति समान दृष्टि रखनेवाला है। कालका किसीके द्वारा भी परिहार नहीं हो सकता और न उसका कोई उल्लड्घन ही कर सकता है ।।

Bhīṣma uvāca: Kālo na parihāryaś ca na cāsyāsti vyatikramaḥ. Ahorātrāṁś ca māsāṁś ca kṣaṇān kāṣṭhā lavān kalāḥ.

ビーシュマは言った。「時(カーラ)は避けることも、踏み越えることもできない。昼と夜、月々、刹那、そして最も微細な時間の区分に至るまで、それらを量り、流れの中へ運び去る。」

kālaḥTime
kālaḥ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootkāla
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
nanot
na:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna
parihāryaḥavoidable / to be avoided
parihāryaḥ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootparihārya
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
nanor
na:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna
caand
ca:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca
asyaof him/it (of time)
asya:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootidam (pronoun-stem: asmad/etad → asya as gen.sg.)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
astiis/exists
asti:
TypeVerb
Rootas
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
vyatikramaḥtransgression / overstepping
vyatikramaḥ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootvyatikrama
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
aho-rātrāndays and nights
aho-rātrān:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootaho-rātra
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
māsānmonths
māsān:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootmāsa
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
kṣaṇānmoments
kṣaṇān:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootkṣaṇa
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
kāṣṭhāḥkāṣṭhās (a unit of time)
kāṣṭhāḥ:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootkāṣṭhā
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
lavānlavas (a minute unit of time)
lavān:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootlava
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
kalāḥkalās (a unit/part; also a time-measure)
kalāḥ:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootkalā
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhīṣma
K
Kāla (Time)

Educational Q&A

Time (kāla) is inescapable and cannot be overruled; therefore one should abandon the illusion of control over inevitability and focus on dharmic action within the limited span that Time allots.

In the Shanti Parva instruction, Bhishma continues advising Yudhishthira on principles that govern life and conduct; here he emphasizes the irresistible power of Time, which moves all beings through measured durations from large cycles (days, months) to minute instants.