Shloka 40

ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana

River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor

Devanagari script

त्वामप्येवं सुदुर्धर्ष ज्वलन्तं परया श्रिया । काले परिणते काल: कालयिष्यति मामिव

Transliteration

tvām apy evaṁ sudurdharṣa jvalantaṁ parayā śriyā | kāle pariṇate kālaḥ kālayiṣyati mām iva ||

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“即便是你——如今如此不可侵犯，辉耀着至上的荣光——当时运转折、命定之期成熟之时，时间本身也将使你走向毁灭，正如它使我如此。没有任何权势、位阶或光辉，能超出迦罗（时）之所及。”

Word by Word

• {'tvām': 'you (accusative singular)', 'api': 'also, even', 'evaṁ': 'thus, in this manner', 'sudurdharṣa': 'very hard to assail

• invincible, formidable (vocative)', 'jvalantam': 'blazing, shining intensely (accusative singular)', 'parayā': 'by the highest, supreme (instrumental singular feminine)', 'śriyā': 'splendor

• royal fortune (Śrī) (instrumental singular)', 'kāle': 'when time

• at the time (locative singular)', 'pariṇate': 'when it has matured/turned

• when circumstances ripen (locative absolute sense)', 'kālaḥ': 'Time

• the cosmic force that ends all (nominative singular)', 'kālayiṣyati': 'will cause to perish

• will bring to an end (future)', 'mām': 'me (accusative singular)', 'iva': 'like, as'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kāla (Time/Death)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

No matter how invincible one appears—supported by power, prosperity, or brilliance—Kāla (Time/Death) eventually overcomes all. The verse urges humility and ethical restraint by reminding rulers that fortune turns and destiny ripens.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma addresses a powerful figure, warning that present glory and unassailable strength are temporary. When the proper time arrives and circumstances change, Time will bring that person down, just as Bhīṣma himself has been brought low.