Shloka 166
Ādi-parva Adhyāya 3 — Janamejaya’s Rite, Dhaumya’s Parīkṣā, and Uttanka’s Kuṇḍala Quest (सर्पसत्रप्रस्तावना–गुरुपरीक्षा–उत्तङ्कोपाख्यान)
ये ते स्त्रियौ धाता विधाता च ये च ते कृष्णा: सितास्तन्तवस्ते रातज्यहनी । यदपि तच्चक्रं द्वादशारं षड़् वै कुमारा: परिवर्तयन्ति तेडपि षड़् ऋतव: द्वादशारा द्वादश मासा: संवत्सरश्षक्रम्,वे जो दोनों स्त्रियाँ थीं, वे धाता और विधाता हैं। जो काले और सफेद तन््तु थे, वे रात और दिन हैं। बारह अरोंसे युक्त चक्रको जो छ: कुमार घुमा रहे थे, वे छः ऋतुएँ हैं। बारह महीने ही बारह अरे हैं। संवत्सर ही वह चक्र है
ye te striyau dhātā vidhātā ca ye ca te kṛṣṇāḥ sitās tantavas te rātryahanī | yad api tac cakraṃ dvādaśāraṃ ṣaḍ vai kumārāḥ parivartayanti te 'pi ṣaḍ ṛtavaḥ | dvādaśārā dvādaśa māsāḥ saṃvatsaraś cakram ||
Rāma disse: “As duas mulheres que viste são Dhātā e Vidhātā, os ordenadores cósmicos. Os fios negros e brancos são a Noite e o Dia. A roda de doze raios, que seis jovens faziam girar, é o ciclo das seis estações; seus doze raios são os doze meses. Essa roda é o próprio Ano (Saṃvatsara), o grande giro pelo qual se medem o tempo e o dharma.”
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that human life and duty unfold within an ordered cosmic rhythm: night/day, seasons, and months are not random but expressions of a governing principle (Dhātā–Vidhātā). Recognizing the ‘wheel of time’ encourages steadiness, humility, and timely performance of dharma.
Rāma interprets a symbolic vision: two women, black/white threads, and a twelve-spoked wheel turned by six youths. He explains these as personifications and images of time—Dhātā and Vidhātā, night and day, the six seasons, the twelve months, and the year itself.