Shloka 72
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
देवताओंका वह सहस्रों वर्षका समय अब पूरा होना ही चाहता है, जबतक कि तुम्हें इन्द्रके पदपर रहना है। कालके ही प्रभावसे मुझ महाबली वीरके अब सारे अंग उतने स्वस्थ नहीं रह गये हैं। मैं इन्द्रपदसे गिरा दिया गया और तुम स्वर्गमें इन्द्र बना दिये गये ।।
devatānāṁ sa sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṁ samayo ’dya paripūrṇatām upaiti, yāvat tvam indrapade sthātum arhasi. kālasyaiva prabhāvāt mama mahābalavīrasya sarvāṇy aṅgāni nādhunā pūrvavat svasthāni. ahaṁ indrapadāc cyāvitaḥ, tvaṁ ca svarge indratvaṁ prāpitaḥ. su-citre jīvaloke ’sminn upāsyaḥ kālaparyayāt; kiṁ hi kṛtvā tvam indro ’bhūḥ, kiṁ vā kṛtvā vayaṁ cyutāḥ?
Wika ni Bhīṣma: “Ang taning na isang libong banal na taon—ang hangganan ng iyong panunungkulan bilang Indra—ay ngayo’y halos ganap na. Sa tanging lakas ng Kāla (Panahon), maging ang aking mga sangkap—bagaman ako’y isang makapangyarihang mandirigma—ay hindi na kasing-lusog ng dati. Ako’y ibinagsak mula sa luklukan ni Indra, at ikaw ay itinanghal na Indra sa langit. Sa marikit na daigdig ng mga nilalang na may buhay, ang bawat katayuan ay dapat paglingkuran at tiisin habang umiikot ang Panahon. Sa anong karma ka naging Indra, at sa anong karma kami ibinagsak?”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worldly and heavenly power are not permanent; they rise and fall under the turning of Time. The verse presses an ethical reflection on causality—whether status comes from merit (karma) or from the larger, impersonal movement of Kāla—and urges humility and acceptance of change.
Bhishma speaks about the nearing end of a divinely measured term associated with Indra’s office, notes his own decline due to Time, and contrasts being cast down from Indra’s post with another being elevated to it. He frames this reversal as a consequence of Time’s vicissitudes and questions the deeds or causes behind elevation and fall.