Shloka 54
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
प्रवृत्तयश्च लोके5स्मिंस्तथैव च निवृत्तय: । तासां विकृतयो याश्व् सर्व कालात्मकं स्मृतम्,इस लोकमें जितने प्रकारकी प्रवृत्ति-निवृत्ति तथा उनकी विकृतियाँ (फल) हैं, ये सब कालके ही स्वरूप हैं
pravṛttayaś ca loke 'smin tathaiva ca nivṛttayaḥ | tāsāṁ vikṛtayo yāś ca sarvaṁ kālātmakaṁ smṛtam ||
ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഈ ലോകത്തിലെ പ്രവൃത്തികളും നിവൃത്തികളും, അവയിൽ നിന്നുണ്ടാകുന്ന വികൃതികളും ഫലങ്ങളും—ഇവയെല്ലാം കാലാത്മകമാണെന്ന് കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
All patterns of worldly action (pravṛtti), renunciation (nivṛtti), and their resulting effects are ultimately expressions of Kāla (Time). This encourages seeing outcomes as governed by a larger cosmic order, tempering pride in agency and fostering steadiness in dharmic conduct.
Bhīṣma is instructing (in the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting) by defining a philosophical principle: the diverse human paths of engagement and withdrawal, along with their fruits, are encompassed by Time’s sovereignty.