Shloka 16
Adhyāya 180: Jīva, Śarīra, and the Fire Analogy (भृगु–भरद्वाज संवादः)
अन्तरिक्षचराणां च दानवोत्तम पक्षिणाम् | उत्तिष्ठते यथाकाल मृत्युर्बलवतामपि,“दानवश्रेष्ठी] आकाशमें विचरनेवाले बलवान पक्षियोंके समक्ष भी यथासमय मृत्यु आ पहुँचती है
antarikṣacarāṇāṃ ca dānavottama pakṣiṇām | uttiṣṭhate yathākālaṃ mṛtyur balavatām api ||
โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ทานวะ! แม้ต่อหน้าปักษีผู้ทรงกำลังที่ท่องไปในเวหา มฤตยูย่อมลุกขึ้นเผชิญตามกาลอันกำหนด
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Death comes inevitably at its appointed time; neither strength, status, nor extraordinary ability can overrule Kāla (Time). The ethical implication is humility and right living (dharma) rather than reliance on power.
In Bhīṣma’s instruction in the Śānti Parva, he underscores a universal truth through an image: even powerful sky-roaming birds (described as foremost among Dānava-kind) cannot escape death when the time arrives.