Shloka 54
Śama-prāptiḥ — Gautamī–Lubdhaka–Pannaga–Mṛtyu–Kāla-saṃvāda
Restraint through the Analysis of Karma and Time
प्रवृत्तयश्च लोके5स्मिंस्तथैव च निवृत्तय: । तासां विकृतयो याश्व् सर्व कालात्मकं स्मृतम्,इस लोकमें जितने प्रकारकी प्रवृत्ति-निवृत्ति तथा उनकी विकृतियाँ (फल) हैं, ये सब कालके ही स्वरूप हैं
pravṛttayaś ca loke 'smin tathaiva ca nivṛttayaḥ | tāsāṁ vikṛtayo yāś ca sarvaṁ kālātmakaṁ smṛtam ||
Bhīṣma nói: “Trong đời này, mọi lối dấn thân (pravṛtti) và mọi nẻo lui về (nivṛtti), cùng mọi biến đổi và kết quả phát sinh từ chúng, đều được hiểu là không gì khác ngoài những biểu hiện của Thời Gian.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
All patterns of worldly action (pravṛtti), renunciation (nivṛtti), and their resulting effects are ultimately expressions of Kāla (Time). This encourages seeing outcomes as governed by a larger cosmic order, tempering pride in agency and fostering steadiness in dharmic conduct.
Bhīṣma is instructing (in the Anuśāsana Parva’s didactic setting) by defining a philosophical principle: the diverse human paths of engagement and withdrawal, along with their fruits, are encompassed by Time’s sovereignty.