Shloka 10

Brāhmaṇa-Dharma, Āśrama Eligibility, and the Primacy of Rāja-Dharma (Śānti Parva 63)

Devanagari script

कालसंचोदितो लोक: कालपययिनिक्षित: । उत्तमाधममध्यानि कर्माणि कुरुतेडवश:,कालके उलट-फेरसे प्रभावित तथा स्वभावसे प्रेरित हुआ मनुष्य विवश-सा होकर उत्तम, मध्यम और अधम कर्म करता है

Transliteration

kāla-saṃcodito lokaḥ kāla-paryāya-nikṣitaḥ | uttamādhama-madhyāni karmāṇi kurute ’vaśaḥ ||

Translation

یُدھِشٹھِر نے کہا—زمانے کے دھکے سے چلایا گیا اور زمانے کے بدلتے چکر میں ڈال دیا گیا انسان گویا مجبور ہو کر اعلیٰ، اوسط اور ادنیٰ اعمال کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

कालसंचोदितःimpelled by Time

लोकःthe person/people (man)

कालपर्यायनिक्षिप्तःcast/placed by the turn (vicissitude) of Time

उत्तमाधममध्यानिbest, worst, and middling

कर्माणिactions/deeds

कुरुतेdoes/performs

अवशःhelpless, under compulsion

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Kāla (Time)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Human action is strongly conditioned by Kāla (Time)—the shifting sequence of circumstances—so people may end up doing noble, average, or base deeds as if compelled. The verse invites reflection on moral responsibility under pressure and the need for discernment even within constraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s reflective dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira voices a concern about the power of Time over human conduct, suggesting that changing conditions drive people into different grades of action. This sets up discussion on dharma, agency, and how to judge actions amid circumstance.