सकंठलग्नपाशं च न पश्येद्दैवमोहितः । कालः समविषमकृत्कालः सन्मानहानिदः
But, deluded by fate, it does not see the noose fastened around its neck; time acts equally or unequally, causing loss of honor.
परिभावकरः कालो यत्रकुत्रापि तिष्ठतः । नरं करोति दातारं याचितारं च वै पुनः
Time brings about disrespect wherever one may be; it makes a man a giver or a beggar again.
भूतानि स्थावरादीनि दिवि वा यदि वा भुवि । सर्वं कलयते कालः कालो ह्येक इदं जगत्
All beings, whether immovable or moving, in heaven or on earth—time measures all; time alone is this world.
अनादिनिधनो धाता जगतः कारणं परम् । लोकान्कालः स पचति वृक्षे फलमिवाहितम्
Time, without beginning or end, is the creator, the supreme cause of the world; time ripens the worlds as a tree ripens its fruit.
न मंत्रा न तपो दानं न मित्राणि न बांधवाः । शक्नुवंति परित्रातुं नरं कालेन पीडितम्
Neither mantras, nor austerity, nor charity, nor friends, nor relatives are able to rescue a person afflicted by time.
त्रयः कालकृताः पाशाः शक्यंते नातिवर्तितुम् । विवाहो जन्ममरणं यदा यत्र तु येन च
There are three bonds created by time which cannot be surpassed: marriage, birth, and death—when, where, and by whom they occur.
यथा जलधरा व्योम्नि भ्राम्यंते मातरिश्वना । तथेदं कर्मयुक्तेन कालेन भ्राम्यते जगत्
Just as clouds are driven in the sky by the wind, so too this world is driven by time, bound to action.
सुकर्मोवाच-। कालोऽयं कर्मयुक्तस्तु यो नरैः समुपासितः । कालस्तु प्रेरयेत्कर्म न तं कालः करोति सः
Sukarma said: This time, joined with action, is served by people; time impels action, but it does not itself perform it.
उपद्रवा घातदोषाः सर्पाश्च व्याधयस्ततः । सर्वे कर्मनियुक्तास्ते प्रचरंति च मानुषे
Afflictions, fatal faults, serpents, and diseases—all these are bound to action and move among humans.
सुखस्य हेतवो ये च उपायाः पुण्यमिश्रिताः । ते सर्वे कर्मसंयुक्ता न पश्येयुः शुभाशुभम्
The causes and means of happiness, mixed with merit, are all connected to action; they do not perceive good or evil.
कर्मदा यदि वा लोके कर्मसंबधि बांधवाः । कर्माणि चोदयंतीह पुरुषं सुखदुःखयोः
Whether in this world there are givers of action or relatives connected to action, actions urge a person toward happiness and suffering.
सुवर्णं रजतं वापि यथा रूपं विनिश्चितम् । तथा निबध्यते जंतुः स्वकर्मणि वशानुगः
Just as gold or silver is shaped according to its form, so too a creature is bound to its own actions, following their power.
पंचैतानीह सृज्यंते गर्भस्थस्यैव देहिनः । आयुः कर्म च वित्तं च विद्यानिधनमेव च
These five are created here for the embodied one in the womb: lifespan, action, wealth, knowledge, and death.
यथा मृत्पिंडतः कर्ता कुरुते यद्यदिच्छति । तथा पूर्वकृतं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति
Just as a potter shapes whatever he wishes from a lump of clay, so too the action done previously follows the doer.
देवत्वमथ मानुष्यं पशुत्वं पक्षिता तथा । तिर्यक्त्वं स्थावरत्वं च प्राप्यते च स्वकर्मभिः
Divinity, humanity, animalhood, birdhood, as well as the state of lower creatures and immobile beings—all are attained by one's own actions.
स एव तत्तथा भुंक्ते नित्यं विहितमात्मना । आत्मना विहितं दुःखं चात्मना विहितं सुखम्
He alone experiences exactly that which is ordained for himself; suffering ordained by oneself, and happiness ordained by oneself.
गर्भशय्यामुपादाय भुंजते पूर्वदैहिकम् । संत्यजंति स्वकं कर्म न क्वचित्पुरुषा भुवि
Taking up the bed of the womb, one enjoys the results of previous embodiment; people never abandon their own actions anywhere on earth.
बलेन प्रज्ञया वापि समर्थाः कर्तुमन्यथा । सुकृतान्युपभुंजंति दुःखानि च सुखानि च
Whether by strength or by wisdom, though capable of acting otherwise, people experience good deeds, sufferings, and pleasures.
हेतुं प्राप्य नरो नित्यं कर्मबंधैस्तु बध्यते । यथा धेनुसहस्रेषु वत्सो विंदति मातरम्
Upon finding the cause, a person is always bound by the bonds of action, just as a calf finds its mother among thousands of cows.
तथा शुभाशुभं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति । उपभोगादृते यस्य नाश एव न विद्यते
Thus, good and evil actions follow the doer; apart from enjoyment, there is no destruction of them.
प्राक्तनं बंधनं कर्म कोन्यथा कर्तुमर्हति । सुशीघ्रमपि धावंतं विधानमनुधावति
Who can alter the bondage of previous action? Even one who runs swiftly is pursued by destiny.
शेते सह शयानेन पुरा कर्म यथाकृतम् । उपतिष्ठति तिष्ठंतं गच्छंतमनुगच्छति
One lies with the companion as previously done by action; it approaches the one standing, and follows the one going.
करोति कुर्वतः कर्मच्छायेवानु विधीयते । यथा छायातपौ नित्यं सुसंबद्धौ परस्परम्
Action is performed by the doer, and its shadow follows accordingly; just as shadow and sunlight are always closely bound together.
तद्वत्कर्म च कर्ता च सुसंबद्धौ परस्परम् । ग्रहा रोगा विषाः सर्पाः शाकिन्यो राक्षसास्तथा
In the same way, action and the agent are closely bound together; planets, diseases, poisons, serpents, witches, and demons likewise.
पीडयंति नरं पश्चात्पीडितं पूर्वकर्मणा । येन यत्रोपभोक्तव्यं सुखं वा दुःखमेव वा
They afflict a person afterwards, afflicted by previous actions; wherever happiness or suffering is to be experienced by him.
स तत्र बद्ध्वा रज्ज्वा वै बलाद्दैवेन नीयते । दैवः प्रभुर्हि भूतानां सुखदुःखोपपादने
He is bound there with a rope and led forcibly by fate; for fate is indeed the master of beings in the bestowal of happiness and suffering.
अन्यथा चिंत्यते कर्म जाग्रता स्वपतापि वा । अन्यथा स तथा प्राज्ञ दैव एवं जिघांसति
Action is considered differently, whether awake or asleep; but the wise know that fate alone acts thus.
शस्त्राग्नि विष दुर्गेभ्यो रक्षितव्यं च रक्षति । अरक्षितं भवेत्सत्यं तदेवं दैवरक्षितम्
That which is protected from weapons, fire, poison, and fortresses, is indeed protected; what is unprotected becomes true, thus it is protected by fate.
दैवेन नाशितं यत्तु तस्य रक्षा न दृश्यते । यथा पृथिव्यां बीजानि उप्तानि च धनानि च
That which is destroyed by fate finds no protection; just as seeds and wealth sown in the earth.
तथैवात्मनि कर्माणि तिष्ठंति प्रभवंति च । तैलक्षयाद्यथा दीपो निर्वाणमधिगच्छति
In the same way, actions remain and arise in the self; just as a lamp is extinguished when its oil is exhausted.