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Shloka 11

न कालो दण्डमुद्यम्य शिर: कृन्तति कस्यचित्‌ | कालस्य बलमेतावद्‌ विपरीतार्थदर्शनम्‌,काल डंडा या तलवार लेकर किसीका सिर नहीं काटता। कालका बल इतना ही है कि वह प्रत्येक वस्तुके विषयमें मनुष्यकी विपरीत बुद्धि कर देता है

na kālo daṇḍam udyamya śiraḥ kṛntati kasyacit | kālasya balam etāvad viparītārthadarśanam ||

न कालो दण्डमुद्यम्य शिरः कृन्तति कस्यचित् । कालस्य बलमेतावद् विपरीतार्थदर्शनम् ॥

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
कालःTime (Death/fate)
कालः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दण्डम्staff/rod (punishing staff)
दण्डम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
उद्यम्यhaving lifted/brandished
उद्यम्य:
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-यम्
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having raised/taken up
शिरःhead
शिरः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
कृन्ततिcuts off
कृन्तति:
TypeVerb
Rootकृत् (कृन्त्)
FormPresent, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
कस्यचित्of someone/anyone
कस्यचित्:
TypePronoun
Rootक (कश्चित्)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
कालस्यof Time
कालस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootकाल
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
बलम्power/strength
बलम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
एतावत्only this much/so much
एतावत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootएतावत्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
विपरीतार्थदर्शनम्seeing/understanding things in a contrary sense
विपरीतार्थदर्शनम्:
TypeNoun
Rootविपरीतार्थदर्शन
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
K
Kāla (Time)

Educational Q&A

The verse teaches that Time’s most dangerous power is not direct violence but the distortion of human understanding—when judgment turns upside down, people choose wrongly and become the agents of their own downfall.

In the Sabha Parva context, Sañjaya reflects on how catastrophic outcomes arise when minds are clouded: instead of Time physically striking someone down, it works through confused perception that drives people toward harmful decisions.