Shloka 21
Aśmagīta: Janaka’s Inquiry on Loss, Kāla, and the Limits of Control (अश्मगीता)
आसन शयनं यानमुत्थानं पानभोजनम् । नियतं सर्वभूतानां कालेनैव भवत्युत,सभी प्राणियोंके लिये बैठना, सोना, चलना-फिरना, उठना और खाना-पीना--ये सभी कार्य समयके अनुसार ही नियत रूपसे होते रहते हैं
āsanaśayanaṁ yānam utthānaṁ pānabhojanam | niyataṁ sarvabhūtānāṁ kālenaiva bhavaty uta ||
阇那迦王说道：对一切众生而言，坐、卧、行走、起身，以及饮食之事，皆以一定的方式发生——唯由时间所统摄。
जनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
That even basic bodily functions and routines are regulated by Kāla (Time) for all beings; recognizing this reduces egoistic doership and supports disciplined, detached living aligned with dharma.
King Janaka is speaking in a reflective, instructive context within the Śānti Parva, emphasizing a philosophical point: ordinary actions like sitting, sleeping, moving, rising, eating, and drinking proceed according to an overarching temporal order.