Shloka 956
ब्राह्मणस्य पूर्वतरा वृत्तिः — The Earlier Ideal Conduct of a Brahmana
River-of-Saṃsāra Metaphor
प्रयत्नेनाप्यपक्रान्तो दृष्टपूर्वो न केनचित् । “देहधारी जीव प्रमादमें पड़कर सोते हैं; किंतु काल सदा सावधान रहकर जागता रहता है। किसीके प्रयत्नसे भी कालको पीछे हटाया जा सका हो
prayatnenāpy apakrānto dṛṣṭapūrvo na kenacit |
毗湿摩说道：纵使竭尽全力，也从未见有人能使时间后退。具身众生因放逸而卧，如同沉睡；而时间却恒常警醒、永不倦怠——不可阻遏，亦非任何人所能制约。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Time (kāla) is inexorable: no human effort can make it retreat. Therefore one should not live in pramāda (heedlessness) but remain vigilant, using one’s limited lifespan for dharma and inner discipline.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on conduct and wisdom, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira by stressing the unstoppable nature of Time, contrasting human negligence with Time’s constant wakefulness.