Shloka 21
Aśmagīta: Janaka’s Inquiry on Loss, Kāla, and the Limits of Control (अश्मगीता)
आसन शयनं यानमुत्थानं पानभोजनम् । नियतं सर्वभूतानां कालेनैव भवत्युत,सभी प्राणियोंके लिये बैठना, सोना, चलना-फिरना, उठना और खाना-पीना--ये सभी कार्य समयके अनुसार ही नियत रूपसे होते रहते हैं
āsanaśayanaṁ yānam utthānaṁ pānabhojanam | niyataṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ kālenaiva bhavaty uta ||
ਜਨਕ ਕਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ—ਸਭ ਜੀਵਾਂ ਲਈ ਬੈਠਣਾ, ਲੇਟਣਾ, ਆਵਾਜਾਈ, ਉੱਠਣਾ ਅਤੇ ਪੀਣਾ-ਖਾਣਾ—ਇਹ ਸਭ ਨਿਯਤ ਰੂਪ ਨਾਲ ਕੇਵਲ ਕਾਲ ਦੇ ਅਧੀਨ ਹੀ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
That even basic bodily functions and routines are regulated by Kāla (Time) for all beings; recognizing this reduces egoistic doership and supports disciplined, detached living aligned with dharma.
King Janaka is speaking in a reflective, instructive context within the Śānti Parva, emphasizing a philosophical point: ordinary actions like sitting, sleeping, moving, rising, eating, and drinking proceed according to an overarching temporal order.