Shloka 13
The Earth Laughs at World-Conquering Kings; Yuga-Dharma and the Remedy for Kali
श्रीशुक उवाच पृथु: पुरूरवा गाधिर्नहुषो भरतोऽर्जुन: । मान्धाता सगरो राम: खट्वाङ्गो धुन्धुहा रघु: ॥ ९ ॥ तृणबिन्दुर्ययातिश्च शर्याति: शन्तनुर्गय: । भगीरथ: कुवलयाश्व: ककुत्स्थो नैषधो नृग: ॥ १० ॥ हिरण्यकशिपुर्वृत्रो रावणो लोकरावण: । नमुचि: शम्बरो भौमो हिरण्याक्षोऽथ तारक: ॥ ११ ॥ अन्ये च बहवो दैत्या राजानो ये महेश्वरा: । सर्वे सर्वविद: शूरा: सर्वे सर्वजितोऽजिता: ॥ १२ ॥ ममतां मय्यवर्तन्त कृत्वोच्चैर्मर्त्यधर्मिण: । कथावशेषा: कालेन ह्यकृतार्था: कृता विभो ॥ १३ ॥
pṛthuḥ purūravā gādhir nahuṣo bharato ’rjunaḥ māndhātā sagaro rāmaḥ khaṭvāṅgo dhundhuhā raghuḥ
श्रीशुकदेव म्हणाले—पृथु, पुरूरवा, गाधी, नहुष, भरत, कार्तवीर्य अर्जुन, मान्धाता, सगर, राम, खट्वाङ्ग, धुन्धुहा, रघु, तृणबिंदु, ययाति, शर्याति, शंतनु, गय, भगीरथ, कुवलयाश्व, ककुत्स्थ, नैषध, नृग, हिरण्यकशिपु, वृत्र, जगाला रडविणारा रावण, नमुचि, शंबर, भौम, हिरण्याक्ष व तारक—तसेच अनेक अन्य दैत्य व महाबलवान राजे—हे सर्वजण सर्वविद, शूर, सर्वजयी व अजिंक्य होते. तरीही, हे सर्वशक्तिमान प्रभो, माझ्याविषयी ममता धरूनही ते मर्त्यधर्माला बांधले गेले; काळाने त्यांना केवळ कथाशेष केले, आणि कोणालाही आपले राज्य चिरस्थायी करता आले नाही.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, and as confirmed by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the King Rāma mentioned here is not the incarnation of Godhead Rāmacandra. Pṛthu Mahārāja is understood to be an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who completely exhibited the characteristics of an earthly king, claiming proprietorship over the entire earth. A saintly king like Pṛthu Mahārāja, however, controls the earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas a demon such as Hiraṇyakaśipu or Rāvaṇa tries to exploit the earth for his personal sense gratification. Nevertheless, both saintly kings and demons must leave the earth. In this way their political supremacy is ultimately neutralized by the force of time.
FAQs
This verse says that even the most celebrated people, absorbed in the mentality of “mine,” are eventually reduced by Time to mere story-remnants, with their worldly aims left incomplete.
He emphasizes impermanence: when Time passes, power and possessions vanish, and what remains is only narration—names remembered in history—showing the futility of pride without spiritual purpose.
Reduce the ‘mine’ mentality, remember that status and achievements are temporary, and prioritize lasting spiritual goals—bhakti, humility, and service—over short-lived recognition.