Shloka 81

ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana

River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor

Devanagari script

तेन त्वां मर्षये शक्र दुर्मर्षणतरस्त्वया । त॑ मां परिणते काले परीतं कालवह्लिना

Transliteration

tena tvāṁ marṣaye śakra durmarṣaṇataras tvayā | taṁ māṁ pariṇate kāle parītaṁ kālavahninā ||

Translation

అందుకే, ఓ శక్రా, నేను నిన్ను సహిస్తున్నాను—నీవు మరింత అసహ్యుడవైనా. కానీ విధి పరిపక్వమైన వేళ, నేనూ కాలాగ్నిచే చుట్టుముట్టబడి దహించబడతాను.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that; therefore
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• मर्षये: I endure; I forgive
• मर्षये: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृष्
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada, Active

• शक्र: O Śakra (Indra)
• शक्र: —
• Type: Noun (proper name)
• Root: शक्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दुर्मर्षणतरः: more difficult to endure
• दुर्मर्षणतरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्मर्षणतर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Comparative

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• तु: but; however
• तु: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

• परिणते: when (it is) ripened/arrived
• परिणते: Adhikarana
• Type: Kridanta (past passive participle used adjectivally)
• Root: परि-नम्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• काले: in time; at the time
• काले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• परीतम्: surrounded; encompassed
• परीतम्: Karma
• Type: Kridanta (past passive participle)
• Root: परि-इ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालवह्निना: by the fire of Time (death-like fire)
• कालवह्निना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालवह्नि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• भीष्म (Bhīṣma)
• शक्र (Śakra/Indra)
• काल (Kāla, Time/Death)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣamā (forbearance) and the sobering truth that even the powerful are subject to Kāla (Time/Death). Endurance is presented as an ethical strength, while Kāla is the ultimate equalizer that overtakes all in due course.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses Śakra (Indra), stating that he endures him despite his harshness, but reminds that when the appointed time matures, he himself will be overtaken by the consuming force of Time—implying the inevitability of decline and mortality under Kāla.