Shloka 37
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
कथमस्मद्विधो नाम जानन् लोकप्रवृत्तय: । कालेनाभ्याहत: शोचेन्मुहोद् वाप्यथ विशभ्रमेत्
katham asmad-vidho nāma jānan loka-pravṛttayaḥ | kālenābhyāhataḥ śocen muho vāpy atha viśabhramet ||
ଲୋକପ୍ରବୃତ୍ତି ଜାଣୁଥିବା ମୋ ପରି ଲୋକ ତୁମକୁ ସର୍ବୋପରି କିପରି ମାନିବ? ମୁଁ ଜାଣେ ଯେ ଉନ୍ନତି ଓ ଅବନତିର କାରଣ କାଳ—ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ପକ୍ୱ ପ୍ରାରବ୍ଧ—ହିଁ। କାଳରେ ଆହତ ପ୍ରାଣୀ ଶୋକ, ମୋହ କିମ୍ବା ଭ୍ରମରେ ପଡ଼ିପାରେ।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
That worldly elevation and decline are governed by Kāla (Time/fate), and therefore one should not overvalue personal importance; when struck by Time, beings naturally fall into grief, delusion, or confusion.
Bhishma, instructing in the Shanti Parva, reflects on how understanding the world’s course leads to a sober view: suffering and mental disturbance arise when Time turns against a person, so one should interpret events through the lens of Kāla rather than ego or personal blame.