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Shloka 8

Indra Slays Namuci—The Limits of Power and the Triumph of Divine Strategy

तदिदं कालरशनं जगत् पश्यन्ति सूरय: । न हृष्यन्ति न शोचन्ति तत्र यूयमपण्डिता: ॥ ८ ॥

tad idaṁ kāla-raśanaṁ jagat paśyanti sūrayaḥ na hṛṣyanti na śocanti tatra yūyam apaṇḍitāḥ

ผู้รู้ความจริงเห็นโลกนี้ถูกผูกไว้ด้วยเชือกแห่งกาล จึงไม่ยินดีและไม่เศร้าโศก; เพราะพวกท่านเริงร่าในชัยชนะ จึงนับว่ายังไม่รอบรู้

tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormNapुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Prathamā/ Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom/Acc, 1st/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular); demonstrative pronoun
idamthis
idam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormNapुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Prathamā/ Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom/Acc, 1st/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular); demonstrative pronoun
kāla-raśanambound by Time (Time as its cord)
kāla-raśanam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootkāla (प्रातिपदिक) + raśana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Prathamā/ Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom/Acc, 1st/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular); समासः—कालः रशनायाम्/रशनाभूतः (time as the ‘cord/belt’)
jagatthe world
jagat:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootjagat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), Prathamā/ Dvitīyā vibhakti (Nom/Acc, 1st/2nd), Ekavacana (Singular)
paśyantisee
paśyanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (Plural), Parasmaipada
sūrayaḥthe wise
sūrayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsūri (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Bahuvacana (Plural)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNiṣedha (negation particle)
hṛṣyantirejoice
hṛṣyanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Roothṛṣ (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (Plural), Parasmaipada
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNiṣedha (negation particle)
śocantigrieve
śocanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootśuc (धातु)
FormLaṭ-lakāra (Present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Bahuvacana (Plural), Parasmaipada
tatrathere / in that matter
tatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
FormDeśa-avyaya (locative adverb)
yūyamyou (all)
yūyam:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootyuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
FormMadhyama-puruṣa pronoun; Puṁliṅga (Masculine) (generic), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Bahuvacana (Plural)
apaṇḍitāḥunwise (fools)
apaṇḍitāḥ:
Viśeṣya (विशेष्य/Predicate complement)
TypeNoun
Roota-paṇḍita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (Masculine), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Bahuvacana (Plural); predicate nominative

Bali Mahārāja knew that Indra, King of heaven, was extremely powerful, certainly more powerful than he himself. Nonetheless, Bali Mahārāja challenged Indra by saying that Indra was not a very learned person. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.11) Kṛṣṇa rebuked Arjuna by saying:

B
Bali Maharaja

FAQs

This verse states that the wise perceive the world as bound by the rope of Time, implying that all conditions—gain and loss, victory and defeat—are governed by Kala and thus should be met with steadiness.

In the context of the devas–asuras conflict, Bali emphasizes spiritual intelligence: one should not be overwhelmed by shifting outcomes, because Time binds all worldly situations and none are permanent.

Practice equanimity: when circumstances change, remember they are temporary and time-driven; respond with duty and devotion rather than emotional extremes of elation or despair.