नाप्राप्तकालो म्रियते विद्ध: शरशतैरपि । तृणाग्रेणापि संस्पृष्ट: प्राप्तकालो न जीवति
nāprāptakālo mriyate viddhaḥ śaraśatair api | tṛṇāgreṇāpi saṃspṛṣṭaḥ prāptakālo na jīvati ||
ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର କହିଲେ—ଯାହାର ମୃତ୍ୟୁକାଳ ଏପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଆସିନାହିଁ, ସେ ଶତଶତ ବାଣରେ ବିଦ୍ଧ ହେଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ମରେ ନାହିଁ; କିନ୍ତୁ ଯାହାର କାଳ ଆସିପହଞ୍ଚିଛି, ସେ ତୃଣର ଅଗ୍ରଭାଗର ସ୍ପର୍ଶରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ବଞ୍ଚେ ନାହିଁ।
युधिछिर उवाच
Life and death are ultimately governed by kāla (the appointed time): without the arrival of one’s destined end, even severe injury may not kill; once that time arrives, even a trivial cause can become fatal. The teaching encourages humility about human control and steadiness in dharmic action despite uncertainty.
Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a general principle about mortality using vivid war imagery (hundreds of arrows) contrasted with a trivial touch (a blade of grass). In the Anuśāsana context, such statements typically support instruction on conduct, endurance, and accepting outcomes under the larger order of Time.