Shloka 13
गोप्रदान-माहात्म्ये गोलोक-प्रश्नः
Gopradāna-Māhātmya: Inquiry into Goloka
यम उवाच नाहं कालस्य विद्िितं प्राप्रोमीह कथंचन । यो हि धर्म चरति वै तं॑ तु जानामि केवलम्
Yama uvāca: nāhaṁ kālasya vidhitaṁ prāpnomīha kathaṁcana | yo hi dharmaṁ carati vai taṁ tu jānāmi kevalam ||
யமன் கூறினான்— “பிராமணனே! காலத்தின் விதியை நான் இங்கே எவ்விதத்திலும் அறியேன்; தர்மத்தை உண்மையாய் கடைப்பிடிப்பவனையே நான் அறிகிறேன்।”
यम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even Yama, the lord of justice and death, does not claim mastery over the mysterious ordinance of Time; his criterion is ethical: he ‘knows’ (recognizes and is aligned with) the one who practices dharma. The verse elevates lived righteousness over speculation about fate or cosmic determinism.
Yama is speaking to a Brahmin interlocutor and clarifies his own scope: he does not profess to explain Time’s hidden workings, but he can identify the truly righteous person—one who actively conducts life according to dharma.