Sarga 23¶

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · On Time (kāla) (45 verses)

Sarga 23 at a glance

Śrī Rāma's speech continues: on Time (kāla).

Time, the all-devouring great lord, swallows everything — gods, mountains, the virtuous — and is never satisfied (1.23.1–1.23.20).
Time at play: moving the sun and moon like toys, garlanded with bones at the end of an aeon, becoming the gods and then nothing (1.23.21–1.23.27).
A turn: Time described in the language of the Absolute — pure being, consciousness, one form, egoless, neither coming nor going (1.23.28–1.23.33).
Time as a miser sweeping up the light, eating the world's ripe fruit, revealing and hiding itself (1.23.34–1.23.45).

Verse 1.23.1¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
विकल्पकल्पनानल्पजल्पितैरल्पबुद्धिभिः ।
भेदैरुद्धुरतां नीतः संसारकुहरे भ्रमः ॥ १.२३.१ ॥

अल्प-बुद्धिभिः (by those of small understanding) विकल्प-कल्पना-अनल्प-जल्पितैः (by endless talk of theories and fancies) भेदैः (by divisions) संसार-कुहरे (in the cave of worldly existence) भ्रमः (delusion) उद्धुरतां नीतः (has been made overwhelming).

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "In the cave of worldly existence, delusion has been made overwhelming by the endless chatter of people of small understanding, full of theories, fancies and divisions."

Pointers for Reflection:

काल — Time. Sargas 23–25 are Rāma's meditation on Time, the force that devours all things. This opening verse first blames human talk: theories and divisions (भेद) thicken the confusion.
भेद — division. The opposite of the non-dual vision. Much of the world's confusion is made of words that divide.

Verse 1.23.2¶

सतां कथमिवास्थेह जायते जालपञ्जरे ।
बाला एवात्तुमिच्छन्ति फलं मुकुरबिम्बितम् ॥ १.२३.२ ॥

सतां (for the good) इह जाल-पञ्जरे (in this cage of nets) कथम् इव आस्था जायते (how could trust arise)? बालाः एव (only children) मुकुर-बिम्बितं फलम् अत्तुम् इच्छन्ति (wish to eat a fruit reflected in a mirror).

Translation: "How could the wise put their trust in this cage of nets? Only children want to eat the fruit they see in a mirror."

Pointers for Reflection:

The fruit in the mirror. A reflection looks real but cannot be eaten. A favourite Yoga Vasiṣṭha image for the world of appearances (compare the moon's reflection, 1.14.7).

Verse 1.23.3¶

इहापि विद्यते येषां पेलवा सुखभावना ।
आखुस्तन्तुमिवाशेषं कालस्तामपि कृन्तति ॥ १.२३.३ ॥

इह अपि (even here) येषां पेलवा सुख-भावना विद्यते (those who have a fragile feeling of happiness), कालः (Time) ताम् अपि (that too) अशेषम् (entirely) आखुः तन्तुम् इव (as a mouse a thread) कृन्तति (gnaws through).

Translation: "Even those who have some fragile sense of happiness here find that Time gnaws it through completely, as a mouse gnaws a thread."

Pointers for Reflection:

Time as the mouse — as at 1.14.16. Small, patient, relentless.

Verse 1.23.4¶

न तदस्तीह यदयं कालः सकलघस्मरः ।
ग्रसते तज्जगज्जातं प्रोत्थाब्धिमिव वाडवः ॥ १.२३.४ ॥

इह (here) तत् न अस्ति (there is nothing) यत् (which) अयं सकल-घस्मरः कालः (this all-devouring Time) न ग्रसते (does not swallow); [सः] जगत्-जातं (all that is born in the world) वाडवः प्रोत्थ-अब्धिम् इव (as the submarine fire [swallows] the rising ocean) [ग्रसते] (swallows).

Translation: "Nothing here escapes the swallowing of Time, devourer of all. Whatever is born in the world, it gulps down, as the fire beneath the sea gulps down the swelling ocean."

Pointers for Reflection:

वाडव — the submarine fire. In Indian cosmology, a fire under the ocean that drinks its waters, keeping the sea from overflowing. Time drinks the world in the same way.
Gītā 11.32: कालोऽस्मि लोकक्षयकृत्प्रवृद्धो — I am Time, grown mighty, the destroyer of worlds.

Verse 1.23.5¶

समस्तसामान्यतया भीमः कालो महेश्वरः ।
दृश्यसत्तामिमां सर्वां कवलीकर्तुमुद्यतः ॥ १.२३.५ ॥

भीमः महा-ईश्वरः कालः (Time, the fearsome great lord) समस्त-सामान्यतया (by being common to all) इमां सर्वां दृश्य-सत्ताम् (all this visible existence) कवली-कर्तुम् उद्यतः (is ready to swallow as a mouthful).

Translation: "Time, the fearsome great lord, present in everything alike, stands ready to swallow all visible existence in a single mouthful."

Pointers for Reflection:

महेश्वर — the great lord. Time is given the name of Śiva. Kashmir Śaivism (the synthesis of traditions) knows Śiva as Mahākāla, 'great Time'.

Verse 1.23.6¶

महतामपि नो देवः प्रतिपालयति क्षणम् ।
कालः कवलितानन्तविश्वो विश्वात्मतां गतः ॥ १.२३.६ ॥

कालः (Time) कवलित-अनन्त-विश्वः (having swallowed endless universes) विश्व-आत्मतां गतः (having become the self of all) महताम् अपि देवः (lord even of the great) क्षणं न उ प्रतिपालयति (does not wait even a moment).

Translation: "Time, having swallowed endless universes and become the very self of all, does not wait even a moment, even for the great."

Pointers for Reflection:

विश्वात्मता — the self of all. Time is described in terms used of the supreme. Is Time the Absolute, or only its shadow? The sarga will move between the two.

Verse 1.23.7¶

युगवत्सरकल्पाख्यैः किंचित्प्रकटतां गतः ।
रूपैरलक्ष्यरूपात्मा सर्वमाक्रम्य तिष्ठति ॥ १.२३.७ ॥

अलक्ष्य-रूप-आत्मा (whose own form cannot be perceived) युग-वत्सर-कल्प-आख्यैः रूपैः (through forms called ages, years and kalpas) किंचित् प्रकटतां गतः (becoming slightly manifest) सर्वम् आक्रम्य तिष्ठति (stands, pervading all).

Translation: "Its true form cannot be seen; it shows itself only a little, in the forms we call ages, years and aeons — and so it stands, pervading everything."

Pointers for Reflection:

Invisible Time. We never see Time, only its divisions — years, ages. Its own nature is unseen, like that of the Self.
Maitri Upaniṣad 6.15: द्वे वाव ब्रह्मणो रूपे कालश्चाकालश्च — Brahman has two forms: Time and the Timeless.

Verse 1.23.8¶

ये रम्या ये शुभारम्भाः सुमेरुगुरवोऽपि ये ।
कालेन विनिगीर्णास्ते गरुडेनेव पन्नगाः ॥ १.२३.८ ॥

ये रम्याः (whatever is lovely) ये शुभ-आरम्भाः (whatever began auspiciously) ये सुमेरु-गुरवः अपि (whatever is weighty as Sumeru), ते (they) कालेन (by Time) गरुडेन पन्नगाः इव (as snakes by Garuḍa) विनिगीर्णाः (are swallowed).

Translation: "All that is lovely, all that began well, all that is weighty as Mount Sumeru — Time swallows them, as Garuḍa swallows snakes."

Pointers for Reflection:

Garuḍa and the snakes. Garuḍa, Viṣṇu's eagle, is the natural enemy of serpents. The beautiful and the mighty are as helpless before Time as snakes before Garuḍa.

Verse 1.23.9¶

निर्दयः कठिनः क्रूरः कर्कशः कृपणोऽधमः ।
न तदस्ति यदद्यापि न कालो निगिरत्ययम् ॥ १.२३.९ ॥

अयं कालः (this Time) निर्दयः कठिनः क्रूरः कर्कशः कृपणः अधमः (pitiless, hard, cruel, harsh, miserly, base); तत् न अस्ति (there is nothing) यत् (which) अद्य अपि (even now) न निगिरति (it does not swallow).

Translation: "Time is pitiless, hard, cruel, harsh, miserly and base. There is nothing it does not swallow, even now."

Pointers for Reflection:

A list of six harsh words. Rāma piles them up as one piles up stones against fear. Compare Arjuna's terror before the cosmic form (Gītā 11.25, दंष्ट्राकरालानि च ते मुखानि).

Verse 1.23.10¶

कालः कवलनैकान्तमतिरत्ति गिरन्नपि ।
अनन्तैरपि लोकौघैर्नायं तृप्तो महाशनः ॥ १.२३.१० ॥

कवलन-एकान्त-मतिः कालः (Time, whose only thought is to swallow) गिरन् अपि अत्ति (eats even while swallowing); अयं महा-अशनः (this great eater) अनन्तैः अपि लोक-ओघैः (even by endless floods of worlds) न तृप्तः (is not satisfied).

Translation: "Time, whose only thought is to devour, eats even as it swallows. This great eater is never satisfied, not even with endless floods of worlds."

Pointers for Reflection:

Never satisfied. Like craving (1.17.11). Time and craving share the same insatiable nature — perhaps because craving is Time felt from within.

Verse 1.23.11¶

हरत्ययं नाशयति करोत्यत्ति निहन्ति च ।
कालः संसारनृत्तं हि नानारूपं यथा नटः ॥ १.२३.११ ॥

अयं कालः (this Time) हरति नाशयति करोति अत्ति निहन्ति च (takes, destroys, makes, eats and kills); हि (indeed) [सः] नटः यथा (like an actor) नाना-रूपं संसार-नृत्तम् [करोति] ([performs] the many-formed dance of the world).

Translation: "Time takes away, destroys, creates, eats and kills. Like an actor, it performs the many-formed dance of the world."

Pointers for Reflection:

Time as dancer. The image of Śiva Naṭarāja, whose dance creates and destroys worlds. Sarga 25 will develop it fully.

Verse 1.23.12¶

भिनत्ति प्रविभागस्थभूतबीजान्यनारतम् ।
जगत्यसत्तया बन्धाद्दाडिमानि यथा शुकः ॥ १.२३.१२ ॥

शुकः दाडिमानि यथा (as a parrot [splits] pomegranates) [कालः] (Time) जगति (in the world) अनारतं (without pause) प्रविभाग-स्थ-भूत-बीजानि (the seeds of beings lying in their compartments) असत्तया बन्धात् (from the bond of unreality) भिनत्ति (splits open).

Translation: "Like a parrot splitting pomegranates, Time constantly breaks open the seeds of beings, lying in their compartments, bound by unreality."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The phrase असत्तया बन्धात् is obscure; the sense is that beings, held together by what is unreal, are broken apart by Time.

Verse 1.23.13¶

शुभाशुभविषाणाग्रविलूनजनपल्लवः ।
स्फूर्जति स्फीतजनताजीवराजीवनीगजः ॥ १.२३.१३ ॥

शुभ-अशुभ-विषाण-अग्र-विलून-जन-पल्लवः (whose tusk-tips, good and bad, tear the tender shoots of people) स्फीत-जनता-जीव-राजीवनी-गजः (an elephant in the lotus-pond of the lives of teeming people) [कालः] स्फूर्जति (Time rages).

Translation: "Time rages like an elephant in the lotus-pond of human lives, tearing the tender shoots of people with its two tusks — good and evil."

Pointers for Reflection:

Two tusks: good and evil. Both kinds of karma wound; both bind (compare 1.18.13, Gītā 2.50).

Verse 1.23.14¶

विरिञ्चिमूलब्रह्माण्डबृहद्देवफलद्रुमम् ।
ब्रह्मकाननमाभोगि परमावृत्य तिष्ठति ॥ १.२३.१४ ॥

[कालः] (Time) विरिञ्चि-मूल-ब्रह्माण्ड-बृहत्-देव-फल-द्रुमम् (the great tree of the cosmos, rooted in Brahmā, whose fruits are the gods) आभोगि ब्रह्म-काननम् (the vast forest of Brahmā) परम् आवृत्य तिष्ठति (stands enveloping completely).

Translation: "Time stands enveloping the vast forest of creation — the great tree of the cosmic egg, rooted in Brahmā, whose fruits are the gods."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The anvaya follows the sense of the verse: Time encompasses even Brahmā's creation, the whole cosmic tree.

Verse 1.23.15¶

यामिनी भ्रमरापूर्णा रचयन्दिनमञ्जरीः ।
वर्षकल्पकलावल्लीर्न कदाचन खिद्यते ॥ १.२३.१५ ॥

[कालः] (Time) भ्रमर-आपूर्णाः यामिनीः (nights full of bees) दिन-मञ्जरीः (day-blossoms) वर्ष-कल्प-कला-वल्लीः (vines of years, aeons and moments) रचयन् (making) कदाचन न खिद्यते (never tires).

Translation: "Time never tires of making its nights dark with bees, its days like clusters of blossom, its vines of moments, years and aeons."

Pointers for Reflection:

The tireless gardener. Day and night, year and aeon — Time keeps weaving them without rest.

Verse 1.23.16¶

भिद्यते नावभग्नोऽपि दग्धोऽपि हि न दह्यते ।
दृश्यते नापि दृश्योऽपि धूर्तचूडामणिर्मुने ॥ १.२३.१६ ॥

मुने (O sage), धूर्त-चूडा-मणिः (the crest-jewel of tricksters) अवभग्नः अपि न भिद्यते (though broken is not split), दग्धः अपि हि न दह्यते (though burnt is not burnt), दृश्यः अपि न दृश्यते (though visible is not seen).

Translation: "O sage, Time is the crest-jewel of tricksters: broken, it is not split; burnt, it does not burn; visible, it is not seen."

Pointers for Reflection:

Paradoxes. Time cannot be broken or burnt — the same language the Gītā uses of the Self (2.23, नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः). Rāma sees in Time something of the indestructibility of the Absolute.

Verse 1.23.17¶

एकेनैव निमेषेण किंचिदुत्थापयत्यलम् ।
किंचिद्विनाशयत्युच्चैर्मनोराज्यवदाततः ॥ १.२३.१७ ॥

[कालः] एकेन एव निमेषेण (in a single blink) किंचित् अलम् उत्थापयति (raises something up) किंचित् उच्चैः विनाशयति (and utterly destroys something); अतः (thus) मनः-राज्य-वत् आततः (it is spread out like a kingdom of the mind).

Translation: "In a single blink Time raises one thing up and utterly destroys another; it is spread out like a kingdom built in the mind."

Pointers for Reflection:

मनोराज्य — a kingdom of the mind, a daydream. Time builds and destroys as easily as a daydream builds castles. A hint that Time itself is a construction of the mind.

Verse 1.23.18¶

दुर्विलासविलासिन्या चेष्टया कष्टषुष्टया ।
द्रव्यैकरूपकृद्रूपं जनमावर्तयन्स्थितः ॥ १.२३.१८ ॥

[कालः] (Time) दुर्विलास-विलासिन्या (sporting wickedly) कष्ट-पुष्टया चेष्टया (by activity that thrives on trouble) द्रव्य-एक-रूप-कृत्-रूपं जनम् (people, who take all objects as one solid reality) आवर्तयन् स्थितः (stands turning around).

Translation: "Time stays busy turning people round and round, with its wicked play that thrives on trouble — people who take objects to be solid and real."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. The compound द्रव्यैकरूपकृद्रूपम् is difficult; the translation takes it as people who mistake the world of objects for something substantial.

Verse 1.23.19¶

तृणं पांसुं महेन्द्रं च सुमेरुं पर्णमर्णवम् ।
आत्मंभरितया सर्वमात्मसात्कर्तुमुद्यतः ॥ १.२३.१९ ॥

[कालः] (Time) आत्मंभरितया (from self-feeding greed) तृणं पांसुं महेन्द्रं च सुमेरुं पर्णम् अर्णवम् (grass, dust, great Indra, Sumeru, a leaf, the ocean) सर्वम् आत्मसात् कर्तुम् उद्यतः (is ready to make all its own).

Translation: "In its greed to feed itself, Time is ready to take everything as its own: a blade of grass, a speck of dust, great Indra, Mount Sumeru, a leaf, the ocean."

Pointers for Reflection:

Great and small alike. Time does not distinguish between a leaf and Indra. All are equally food.

Verse 1.23.20¶

क्रौर्यमत्रैव पर्याप्तं लुब्धतात्रैव संस्थिता ।
सर्वदौर्भाग्यमत्रैव चापलं वापि दुःसहम् ॥ १.२३.२० ॥

क्रौर्यम् अत्र एव पर्याप्तम् (cruelty is complete here) लुब्धता अत्र एव संस्थिता (greed is established here) सर्व-दौर्भाग्यम् अत्र एव (all misfortune is here) दुःसहं चापलं वा अपि (and unbearable fickleness too).

Translation: "In Time cruelty reaches its fullness; here greed has its home; here is all misfortune, and unbearable restlessness."

Pointers for Reflection:

All faults in one. Rāma has found faults in wealth, craving, body and youth; here he finds them all gathered in Time.

Verse 1.23.21¶

प्रेरयँल्लीलयार्केन्दू क्रीडतीव नभस्तले ।
निक्षिप्तलीलायुगलो निजे बाल इवाङ्गणे ॥ १.२३.२१ ॥

नभः-तले (in the sky) अर्क-इन्दू लीलया प्रेरयन् (playfully moving the sun and moon) निक्षिप्त-लीला-युगलः (having set down a pair of toys) निजे अङ्गणे बालः इव (like a child in its own courtyard) क्रीडति इव (as if playing).

Translation: "Moving the sun and moon across the sky at play, Time seems to amuse itself like a child with a pair of toys set down in its own courtyard."

Pointers for Reflection:

Time as a child at play. A shift in tone: the terrible becomes playful. This is लीला, the divine play — a key idea of the later teaching.

Verse 1.23.22¶

सर्वभूतास्थिमालाभिरापादवलिताकृतिः ।
विलसत्येव कल्पान्ते कालः कलितकल्पनः ॥ १.२३.२२ ॥

कल्प-अन्ते (at the end of the kalpa) सर्व-भूत-अस्थि-मालाभिः (with garlands of the bones of all beings) आपाद-वलित-आकृतिः (wrapped from head to foot) कलित-कल्पनः कालः (Time, who has fashioned all imaginings) विलसति एव (shines forth).

Translation: "At the end of an aeon, Time shines forth, wrapped from head to foot in garlands of the bones of all beings — Time, who has fashioned all imaginings."

Pointers for Reflection:

The image of Bhairava. Śiva in his terrible form wears garlands of skulls and bones. Time is pictured as Mahākāla at the dissolution of the world.

Verse 1.23.23¶

अस्योड्डामरवृत्तस्य कल्पान्तेऽङ्गविनिर्गतैः ।
प्रस्फुरत्यम्बरे मेरुर्भूर्जत्वगिव वायुभिः ॥ १.२३.२३ ॥

कल्प-अन्ते (at the end of the kalpa) अस्य उड्डामर-वृत्तस्य (of this fearsome being) अङ्ग-विनिर्गतैः वायुभिः (by the winds coming from its limbs) मेरुः (Mount Meru) अम्बरे (in the sky) भूर्ज-त्वक् इव (like birch bark) प्रस्फुरति (flutters).

Translation: "At the end of an aeon, the winds rushing from Time's limbs make Mount Meru flutter in the sky like a strip of birch bark."

Pointers for Reflection:

Meru like birch bark. Even the axis of the world is weightless before Time.

Verse 1.23.24¶

रुद्रो भूत्वा भवत्येष महेन्द्रोऽथ पितामहः ।
शक्रो वैश्रवणश्चापि पुनरेव न किंचन ॥ १.२३.२४ ॥

एषः (this) रुद्रः भूत्वा (having become Rudra) महेन्द्रः अथ पितामहः (Indra, then Brahmā) शक्रः वैश्रवणः च अपि (Śakra and Kubera too) भवति (becomes); पुनः एव न किंचन [भवति] (and again becomes nothing at all).

Translation: "Time becomes Rudra, then Indra, then Brahmā, Śakra and Kubera — and then once more becomes nothing at all."

Pointers for Reflection:

The gods too are forms of Time. And they too return to nothing. Only the Absolute is beyond Time.

Verse 1.23.25¶

धत्तेऽजस्रोत्थितोद्ध्वस्तान्सर्गानमितभास्वरान् ।
अन्यान्दधद्दिवानक्तं वीचीरब्धिरिवात्मनि ॥ १.२३.२५ ॥

अब्धिः वीचीः इव (as the ocean [bears] waves) [कालः] (Time) आत्मनि (within itself) दिवा-नक्तं (day and night) अजस्र-उत्थित-उद्ध्वस्तान् (ceaselessly rising and destroyed) अमित-भास्वरान् सर्गान् (countless shining creations) अन्यान् [च] दधत् (and others) धत्ते (holds).

Translation: "Like the ocean bearing its waves, Time holds within itself, day and night, countless shining creations that rise and are destroyed without end."

Pointers for Reflection:

Ocean and waves. The Yoga Vasiṣṭha's central image of the one and the many. Here applied to Time; later to consciousness itself (Brahman as ocean, worlds as waves).

Verse 1.23.26¶

महाकल्पाभिधानेभ्यो वृक्षेभ्यः परिशातयन् ।
देवासुरगणान्पक्वान्फलभारानिव स्थितः ॥ १.२३.२६ ॥

[कालः] महा-कल्प-अभिधानेभ्यः वृक्षेभ्यः (from the trees called great aeons) देव-असुर-गणान् (the hosts of gods and demons) पक्वान् फल-भारान् इव (like loads of ripe fruit) परिशातयन् स्थितः (stands shaking down).

Translation: "Time stands shaking the hosts of gods and demons down from the trees called great aeons, like loads of ripe fruit."

Pointers for Reflection:

Gods as ripe fruit. Even divine beings fall when their time is ripe.

Verse 1.23.27¶

कालोऽयं भूतमशकघुंघुमानां प्रपातिनाम् ।
ब्रह्माण्डोदुम्बरौघानां बृहत्पादपतां गतः ॥ १.२३.२७ ॥

अयं कालः (this Time) प्रपातिनां भूत-मशक-घुंघुमानां (of the buzzing mosquitoes, the beings, that fall away) ब्रह्माण्ड-उदुम्बर-ओघानां (of the masses of fig-fruits, the universes) बृहत्-पादपतां गतः (has become the great tree).

Translation: "Time has become the great fig-tree, its fruits the universes, full of buzzing mosquitoes — the beings who fall away."

Pointers for Reflection:

Universes as figs, beings as gnats. The udumbara fruit is full of tiny insects. Each universe, with all its life, is one fig on Time's tree.

Verse 1.23.28¶

सत्तामात्रकुमुद्वत्या चिज्ज्योत्स्नापरिफुल्लया ।
वपुर्विनोदयत्येकं क्रियाप्रियतमान्वितः ॥ १.२३.२८ ॥

क्रिया-प्रियतमा-अन्वितः [कालः] (Time, accompanied by his dearest beloved, Action) सत्ता-मात्र-कुमुद्वत्या (with the lily-pond of pure being) चित्-ज्योत्स्ना-परिफुल्लया (blossoming in the moonlight of consciousness) एकं वपुः विनोदयति (delights his single form).

Translation: "Accompanied by his beloved, Action, Time delights his one body in a lily-pond of pure being, blossoming in the moonlight of consciousness."

Pointers for Reflection:

A turn in the sarga. From here (1.23.28–1.23.33) Time is described in the language of the Absolute: pure being (सत्तामात्र), consciousness (चित्), one form, egoless. Time is revealed as the dynamic face of Brahman.
Time and Action (क्रिया) as husband and wife — like Śiva and Śakti in Kashmir Śaivism. Consciousness and its power of action are inseparable.

Verse 1.23.29¶

अनन्तापारपर्यन्तबद्धपीठं निजं वपुः ।
महाशैलवदुत्तुङ्गमवलम्ब्य व्यवस्थितः ॥ १.२३.२९ ॥

[कालः] (Time) अनन्त-अपार-पर्यन्त-बद्ध-पीठं (its base fixed in the endless and boundless) महा-शैल-वत् उत्तुङ्गं (lofty as a great mountain) निजं वपुः अवलम्ब्य (resting on its own form) व्यवस्थितः (stands firm).

Translation: "Time stands firm, resting on its own form, lofty as a great mountain, its base set in the endless and boundless."

Pointers for Reflection:

Resting on itself. The Absolute depends on nothing. Compare Chāndogya 7.24.1: स भगवः कस्मिन्प्रतिष्ठित इति स्वे महिम्नि. 'On what does it rest?' — 'On its own greatness.'

Verse 1.23.30¶

क्वचिच्छयामतमःश्यामं क्वचित्कान्तियुतं ततम् ।
द्वयेनापि क्वचिद्रिक्तं स्वभावं भावयन् स्थितः ॥ १.२३.३० ॥

[कालः] (Time) क्वचित् श्याम-तमः-श्यामं (sometimes dark with deepest darkness) क्वचित् कान्ति-युतं ततम् (sometimes vast and radiant) क्वचित् द्वयेन अपि रिक्तम् (sometimes empty of both) स्वभावं भावयन् स्थितः (stands, imagining its own nature).

Translation: "Time stands, bringing forth its own nature: at times dark with the deepest darkness, at times vast and radiant, at times empty of both."

Pointers for Reflection:

Empty of both light and dark. Beyond the opposites. The Upaniṣads describe the Absolute as beyond both: Śvetāśvatara 4.18, यदाऽतमस्तन्न दिवा न रात्रिः न सन्न चासच्छिव एव केवलः. When there is no darkness, there is neither day nor night, neither being nor non-being: only Śiva.

Verse 1.23.31¶

संलीनासंख्यसंसारसारया स्वात्मसत्तया ।
उर्व्येव भारघनया निबद्धपदतां गतः ॥ १.२३.३१ ॥

[कालः] (Time) संलीन-असंख्य-संसार-सारया (into which the essence of countless worlds has dissolved) स्व-आत्म-सत्तया (by its own being) भार-घनया उर्व्या इव (like the earth, dense with its load) निबद्ध-पदतां गतः (has become firmly established).

Translation: "Through its own being, into which the essence of countless worlds has dissolved, Time has become firmly established, like the earth weighed down with its load."

Pointers for Reflection:

All worlds dissolve into its being. The same is said of Brahman: the worlds arise in it and return to it (1.1.1).

Verse 1.23.32¶

न खिद्यते नाद्रियते नायाति न च गच्छति ।
नास्तमेति न चोदेति महाकल्पशतैरपि ॥ १.२३.३२ ॥

[कालः] (Time) महा-कल्प-शतैः अपि (even in hundreds of great aeons) न खिद्यते (does not tire) न आद्रियते (does not care) न आयाति (does not come) न च गच्छति (nor go) न अस्तम् एति (does not set) न च उदेति (nor rise).

Translation: "Even over hundreds of great aeons, Time neither tires nor takes interest, neither comes nor goes, neither sets nor rises."

Pointers for Reflection:

Neither coming nor going. Exactly the language of the Self. Time, which seemed the great destroyer, is in its own nature changeless.
Gītā 2.20: न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः — it is never born and never dies; having been, it does not cease to be.
Gauḍapāda's Kārikā 2.32: न निरोधो न चोत्पत्तिर्न बद्धो न च साधकः । न मुमुक्षुर्न वै मुक्त इत्येषा परमार्थता ॥ — there is no dissolution, no origination, none bound, none striving, no seeker of liberation, none liberated.

Verse 1.23.33¶

केवलं जगदारम्भलीलया घनहेलया ।
पालयत्यात्मनात्मानमनहंकारमाततम् ॥ १.२३.३३ ॥

[कालः] (Time) केवलं (merely) घन-हेलया (with great ease) जगत्-आरम्भ-लीलया (by the play of beginning the world) अन्-अहंकारम् आततम् आत्मानम् (its own egoless, all-pervading self) आत्मना पालयति (sustains by itself).

Translation: "Merely by the effortless play of beginning the world, Time sustains its own pervading, egoless self by itself."

Pointers for Reflection:

अनहंकार — egoless. Time acts without an ego — the very ideal Rāma longed for in Sarga 15. The cosmic process is action without a doer (Gītā 3.27).

Verse 1.23.34¶

यामिनीपङ्ककलितां दिनकोकनदावलीम् ।
मेघभ्रमरिकामात्मसरस्यारोपयन्स्थितः ॥ १.२३.३४ ॥

[कालः] (Time) आत्म-सरसि (in the lake of its own self) यामिनी-पङ्क-कलितां (marked by the mud of night) दिन-कोकनद-आवलीं (rows of red day-lotuses) मेघ-भ्रमरिकां [च] (and bees of clouds) आरोपयन् स्थितः (stands planting).

Translation: "In the lake of its own self, Time plants rows of red lotuses, the days, rooted in the mud of the nights, with clouds for its bees."

Pointers for Reflection:

Planting in its own lake. Creation is superimposed (आरोप) on the Self, like flowers planted in a lake. आरोप is the technical word for superimposition in Advaita.

Verse 1.23.35¶

गृहीत्वा कृपणः कृष्णां रजनीं जीर्णमार्जनीम् ।
आलोककनकक्षोदानाहरत्यभितो गिरिम् ॥ १.२३.३५ ॥

कृपणः [कालः] (Time, the miser) कृष्णां रजनीं जीर्ण-मार्जनीं गृहीत्वा (taking the dark night as an old broom) अभितः गिरिम् (around the mountain) आलोक-कनक-क्षोदान् आहरति (sweeps up the gold-dust of light).

Translation: "Time, the miser, takes the dark night as an old broom and sweeps up the gold-dust of daylight all around the mountain."

Pointers for Reflection:

Time as a miser. A homely image: the evening sweeps away the gold of the day, as a miser sweeps up every speck of gold dust.

Verse 1.23.36¶

संचारयन्क्रियाङ्गुल्या कोणकेष्वर्कदीपिकाम् ।
जगत्सद्मनि कार्पण्यात्क्व किमस्तीति वीक्षते ॥ १.२३.३६ ॥

[कालः] (Time) क्रिया-अङ्गुल्या (with the finger of action) अर्क-दीपिकां कोणकेषु सञ्चारयन् (moving the lamp of the sun into the corners) कार्पण्यात् (out of miserliness) जगत्-सद्मनि (in the house of the world) 'क्व किम् अस्ति' इति (where is what?) वीक्षते (looks).

Translation: "Moving the lamp of the sun into every corner with the finger of action, the miser Time searches the house of the world: 'What is there, and where?'"

Pointers for Reflection:

The sun as a searching lamp. Day after day, Time looks into every corner for what it can take.

Verse 1.23.37¶

प्रेक्ष्याहर्विनिमेषेण सूर्याक्ष्णा पाकवन्त्यलम् ।
लोकपालफलान्यत्ति जगज्जीर्णवनादयम् ॥ १.२३.३७ ॥

जगत्-जीर्ण-वन-आदिः अयं (this one, like an old world-forest) अहः-विनिमेषेण सूर्य-अक्ष्णा (with the eye of the sun, blinking as days) पाकवन्ति लोकपाल-फलानि (the ripened fruits, the guardians of the worlds) अलं प्रेक्ष्य (watching closely) अत्ति (eats).

Translation: "Watching with the eye of the sun, which blinks once each day, Time eats the ripened fruits of the world-forest — the guardians of the worlds themselves."

Pointers for Reflection:

The sun as Time's eye. Each day is a blink. The gods who guard the directions are only fruit waiting to ripen.

Verse 1.23.38¶

जगज्जीर्णकुटीकीर्णानर्पयत्युग्रकोटरे ।
क्रमेण गुणवल्लोकमणीन्मृत्युसमुद्गके ॥ १.२३.३८ ॥

[कालः] क्रमेण (in due course) जगत्-जीर्ण-कुटी-कीर्णान् (scattered in the old hut of the world) गुणवत्-लोक-मणीन् (the jewels, virtuous people) उग्र-कोटरे मृत्यु-समुद्गके (in the fearsome hollow, the casket of death) अर्पयति (places).

Translation: "One by one, Time gathers up the jewels — the virtuous people scattered in the old hut of the world — and places them in the dreadful casket of death."

Pointers for Reflection:

Even the virtuous. Goodness does not protect the body from Time. Only knowledge frees from the fear of it.

Verse 1.23.39¶

गुणैरापूर्यते यैव लोकरत्नावली भृशम् ।
भूषार्थमिव तामङ्गे कृत्वा भूयो निकृन्तति ॥ १.२३.३९ ॥

या एव लोक-रत्न-आवली (the very necklace of world-jewels which) गुणैः भृशम् आपूर्यते (is richly filled with virtues), ताम् (that) भूषा-अर्थम् इव (as if for ornament) अङ्गे कृत्वा (having put on its body) भूयः निकृन्तति (again cuts apart).

Translation: "The very necklace of jewel-like people, richly strung with virtues, Time wears for a while as an ornament — and then cuts it apart again."

Pointers for Reflection:

गुण — a pun. Virtue, and thread. The necklace is strung on the threads (गुण) of virtue; Time cuts the thread.

Verse 1.23.40¶

दिनहंसानुसृतया निशेन्दीवरमालया ।
तारकेसरयाजस्रं चपलो वलयत्यलम् ॥ १.२३.४० ॥

चपलः [कालः] (restless Time) दिन-हंस-अनुसृतया (followed by the swan of day) तार-केसरया (with stars as filaments) निशा-इन्दीवर-मालया (with the garland of blue lotuses, the nights) अजस्रम् अलं वलयति (constantly encircles).

Translation: "Restless Time endlessly wraps itself in a garland of blue lotuses — the nights — with stars for their filaments, followed by the white swan of the day."

Pointers for Reflection:

Day and night as a garland. Black lotuses and white swans alternating — the endless rhythm of days.

Verse 1.23.41¶

शैलार्णद्युधराशृङ्गजगदूर्णायुसौनिकः ।
प्रत्यहं पिबते प्रेक्ष्य तारारक्तकणानपि ॥ १.२३.४१ ॥

शैल-अर्ण-द्यु-धरा-शृङ्ग-जगत्-ऊर्णायु-सौनिकः (the butcher of the ram that is the world, with mountains, seas, sky and earth for its horns) [कालः] प्रत्यहं (daily) तारा-रक्त-कणान् अपि प्रेक्ष्य (seeing even the drops of blood, the stars) पिबते (drinks).

Translation: "Time is the butcher of the great ram of the world, whose horns are mountains, seas, sky and earth; and each day it drinks even the drops of its blood, the stars."

Pointers for Reflection:

Reading note. ऊर्णायु can mean a ram or a spider; the image of the butcher favours the ram. The stars fading at dawn are pictured as Time drinking them.

Verse 1.23.42¶

तारुण्यनलिनीसोम आयुर्मातङ्गकेसरी ।
न तदस्ति न यस्यायं तुच्छातुच्छस्य तस्करः ॥ १.२३.४२ ॥

अयं (this [Time]) तारुण्य-नलिनी-सोमः (the moon to the lotus-pond of youth) आयुः-मातङ्ग-केसरी (the lion to the elephant of life); तत् न अस्ति (there is nothing) यस्य (whose) अयं तुच्छ-अतुच्छस्य (whether small or great) तस्करः न (it is not the thief).

Translation: "Time is the moon that closes the lotus of youth, the lion that kills the elephant of life. There is nothing, small or great, that Time does not steal."

Pointers for Reflection:

The moon closes the lotus — as at 1.20.30.

Verse 1.23.43¶

कल्पकेलिविलासेन पिष्टपातितजन्तुना ।
अभावो भावभासेन रमते स्वात्मनात्मनि ॥ १.२३.४३ ॥

अभावः (non-being) कल्प-केलि-विलासेन (by the sport of the aeons) पिष्ट-पातित-जन्तुना (by creatures crushed and felled) भाव-भासेन (by the appearance of being) स्व-आत्मना (by its own nature) आत्मनि रमते (delights in itself).

Translation: "Non-being delights in itself, by itself — through the sport of the aeons, through creatures crushed and felled, and through the mere appearance of being."

Pointers for Reflection:

अभाव and भाव. The deepest verse of the sarga. All that appears as being is only the appearance (भास) of being, played out on something that is, from the world's point of view, 'nothing'.
A Buddhist echo. The language of emptiness (Madhyamaka) meets the Advaitic Self that delights in itself (आत्मरति, Chāndogya 7.25.2). See how the traditions meet.

Verse 1.23.44¶

कर्ता भोक्ताथ संहर्ता
स्मर्ता सर्वपदं गतः ॥ १.२३.४४ ॥

[कालः] (Time) कर्ता भोक्ता अथ संहर्ता स्मर्ता [च] (the doer, the enjoyer, the destroyer and the rememberer) सर्व-पदं गतः (has become every state).

Translation: "Time is the doer, the enjoyer, the destroyer and the rememberer: it has become every state."

Pointers for Reflection:

A half-verse. The text here has only two quarter-lines.
Gītā 13.22: उपद्रष्टानुमन्ता च भर्ता भोक्ता महेश्वरः — the witness, the approver, the supporter, the enjoyer, the great lord. What Rāma attributes to Time, the Gītā attributes to the supreme Self.

Verse 1.23.45¶

सकलमप्यकलाकलितान्तरं सुभगदुर्भगरूपधरं वपुः ।
प्रकटयन्सहसैव च गोपयन् विलसतीह हि कालबलं नृषु ॥ १.२३.४५ ॥

इह नृषु (here among people) काल-बलम् (the power of Time) अकला-कलित-अन्तरं (whose inner being is undivided) सुभग-दुर्भग-रूप-धरं (taking forms both fortunate and unfortunate) सकलम् अपि वपुः (its whole body) सहसा एव प्रकटयन् गोपयन् च (suddenly revealing and hiding) विलसति हि (plays indeed).

Translation: Here among people the power of Time is at play, suddenly revealing and suddenly hiding its whole body — undivided within, yet taking forms both fortunate and unfortunate.

Pointers for Reflection:

A closing verse in a longer metre (drutavilambita).
Revealing and hiding. In Kashmir Śaivism, concealment (तिरोधान) and grace (अनुग्रह) are two of the Lord's five acts. Time both hides and reveals; the teaching will show what it reveals.