Shloka 14
राजधर्मः—राष्ट्ररक्षणं, दण्डनीतिः, हयग्रीवोपाख्यानम्
Royal Duty: Protection, Penal Policy, and the Hayagrīva Exemplum
सवनिवैष पर्यायो मर्त्यान् स्पृशति दुःसह: । कालेन परिपक्तवा हि प्रियन्ते सर्वपार्थिवा:
sa vanivaiṣa paryāyo martyān spṛśati duḥsahaḥ | kālena paripaktvā hi priyante sarvapārthivāḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vyāsa: “Ang di-matiis na ikot ng pagbabago at pagbulusok na ito ay dumadampi sa lahat ng mortal. Sa paglipas ng panahon, kapag nahinog sa ilalim ni Kāla (Panahon), ang lahat ng hari—gaano man kamahal at makapangyarihan—ay tinatangay patungo sa kamatayan.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time is irresistible and makes all beings—especially rulers who seem powerful—subject to decline and death. Therefore one should not cling to sovereignty or pride, but live by dharma with humility and detachment.
Vyāsa states a reflective maxim: the harsh cycle governed by Time touches all mortals, and in due course every king is ‘ripened’ by Time and passes under death’s control—framing the Shanti Parva’s counsel on right conduct and the limits of worldly power.