Shloka 78
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
समेता विबुधा भग्नास्तरसा समरे मया | पर्वताश्चासकृत् क्षिप्ता: सवना: सवनौकस:
sametā vibudhā bhagnās tarasā samare mayā | parvatāś cāsakṛt kṣiptāḥ savanāḥ savanaukasaḥ ||
毗湿摩说道：“在战阵的逼迫之中，我击碎了聚集的诸天，他们便成群结队地逃遁。一次又一次，我把群山——连同其上的森林与栖居其中的众生——掷向你们。我甚至在你们头顶劈裂了许多山岳，坚岩嶙峋，峰峦高耸。然而如今我还能做什么？因为要逾越时间（迦罗，kāla）的敕令，实在极其艰难。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even extraordinary strength and past victories cannot override Kāla (Time/destiny). The verse underscores the ethical humility that power has limits, and that one must recognize the inevitability of time’s decree.
Bhishma recalls his immense martial prowess—routing even the gods and hurling mountains—then contrasts it with his present helplessness, emphasizing that the course set by Time cannot be easily transgressed.