Shloka 31

भरतचरितम्—मृगासक्ति-हेतुकः समाधिभङ्गः, जातिस्मरत्वं, रहूगण-जाḍभरत-संवादः

Devanagari script

कालेन गच्छता सो ऽथ कालं चक्रे महीपतिः पितेव सास्रं पुत्रेण मृगपोतेन वीक्षितः

Transliteration

kālena gacchatā so 'tha kālaṃ cakre mahīpatiḥ piteva sāsraṃ putreṇa mṛgapotena vīkṣitaḥ

Translation

随着时光推移，那位大地之主也遭逢“时”(Kāla)的裁断。宛如含泪的父亲被儿子注视——又如小鹿仰望——他在那目光中离世，昭示连王权也终将归入由毗湿奴所维系的至上秩序。

Word by Word

• कालेन: with time; by time
• कालेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3), एकवचनम्

• गच्छता: passing, going
• गच्छता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गच्छत् (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (agreeing with कालेन)

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (particle: then/now)

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2), एकवचनम्

• चक्रे: made, spent (time)
• चक्रे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महीम् पाति इति)

• पिता: a father
• पिता: उपमान (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1), एकवचनम्

• इव: like
• इव: सम्बन्ध (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

• सास्रम्: tearfully
• सास्रम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्/क्रियाविशेषणवत् (with tears)

• पुत्रेण: by the son
• पुत्रेण: करण (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3), एकवचनम्

• मृगपोतेन: by the fawn
• मृगपोतेन: करण (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगपोत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मृगस्य पोतः)

• वीक्षितः: was looked at, was regarded
• वीक्षितः: क्रिया/विधेय (Predicate in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1), एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (passive participle)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time inevitably reclaims all embodied power, so sovereignty and life must be oriented toward the Supreme Lord rather than transient bonds.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Contemplate impermanence daily (kāla-smṛti) and invest your strongest attachments in Bhagavān through steady sādhana.

Vishishtadvaita: Kāla operates under Viṣṇu’s lordship; all beings are dependent modes (prakāra) of the Supreme, who remains the inner ruler (antaryāmin).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: shanta

Antaryamin: Yes

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Time (Kāla)
• King (Mahīpati)
• Son (Putra)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāla (Time) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Time as an unavoidable decree that even a mighty king must undergo, underscoring the Purana’s theme that worldly power is subordinate to cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain impermanence through royal narratives?

By describing the king’s end in intimate, human imagery—tearful like a father under his son’s gaze—Parāśara uses lineage history to teach detachment and the certainty of Time.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Viṣṇu is not named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana’s framework treats Kāla and cosmic governance as operating within the Supreme Reality upheld by Viṣṇu, before whom all kingship is transient.