Shloka 11

Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः

Devanagari script

स्वकर्मफलनिभक्षेपं विधानपरिरक्षितम्‌ । भूतग्राममिमं काल: समनन्‍्तात्‌ परिकर्षति

Transliteration

svakarmaphalanibhakṣepaṁ vidhānaparirakṣitam | bhūtagrāmam imaṁ kālaḥ samanantāt parikarṣati ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“自作之业的果报，如同一笔存放的押藏，受宇宙法则之统摄而得以保全。待因缘成熟之时，时间便将那积蓄的果实牵引至一切众生之前，使每个生命都直面自己所造所获。”

Word by Word

• स्वकर्मफलनिभक्षेपम्: a deposit/pledge like one’s own action’s fruit
• स्वकर्मफलनिभक्षेपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-कर्म-फल-निभ-क्षेप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विधानपरिरक्षितम्: protected/guarded by ordinance (vidhāna)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधान-परि-रक्षित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भूतग्रामम्: the multitude/aggregate of beings
• भूतग्रामम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत-ग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इमम्: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कालः: Time (as an agent)
• कालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समन्तात्: from all sides; on every side
• समन्तात्: Apadana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात्

• परिकर्षति: draws/pulls (towards); drags along
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• Kāla (Time)
• Bhūtagrāma (community of beings)
• Karmaphala (fruit of action)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Karmic results are not lost: each person’s deeds leave a preserved ‘deposit’ of consequences, safeguarded by cosmic order, and Time inevitably delivers those results when conditions mature.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right understanding, Bhishma explains to the listener that the unfolding of pleasure and pain in beings is governed by karma, with Time acting as the force that brings stored results to fruition.