Mahabharata · 7.57.5–6
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः कृष्णो महातेजा जानन् पार्थस्य निश्चयम् ॥
कुन्तीपुत्रम् इदं वाक्यम् आसीनः स्थितम् अब्रवीत् ॥
मा विषादे मनः पार्थ कृथाः कालो हि दुर्जयः ॥
कालः सर्वाणि भूतानि नियच्छति परे विधौ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ kṛṣṇo mahātejā jānan pārthasya niścayam ||
kuntīputram idaṃ vākyam āsīnaḥ sthitam abravīt ||
mā viṣāde manaḥ pārtha kṛthāḥ kālo hi durjayaḥ ||
kālaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni niyacchati pare vidhau ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततः कृष्णः महातेजाःtataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ mahātejāḥthen Krishna the mighty; then Krishna the mighty
जानन् पार्थस्य निश्चयम्jānan pārthasya niścayamknowing Partha's resolve; knowing Partha's resolve
कुन्तीपुत्रम् इदम् वाक्यम्kuntīputram idam vākyamto the son of Kunti such a word; to the son of Kunti such a word
आसीनः स्थितम् अब्रवीत्āsīnaḥ sthitam abravītseated, spoke to him standing; seated, spoke to the one standing
मा विषादे मनः पार्थ कृथाःmā viṣāde manaḥ pārtha kṛthāḥdo not give your mind to despair, Partha; do not give way to despair, Partha
कालः हि दुर्जयःkālaḥ hi durjayaḥfor Time indeed is unconquerable; for Time indeed is unconquerable
कालः सर्वाणि भूतानिkālaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāniTime all beings; Time all beings
नियच्छति परे विधौniyacchati pare vidhaugoverns [subjects] by the higher law; rules by the higher law
Translation
Then Krishna the mighty, knowing Partha's resolve, seated, spoke this word to the son of Kunti standing before him: "Do not give way to despair, Partha, for Time is unconquerable; Time governs all beings by the higher law."
Version
2cdea4e47cd0 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:36:52 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The Lord begins not with weapons but with the healing of the spirit: "mā viṣāde manaḥ kṛthāḥ," "do not give way to despair." And the ground of this consolation is the truth about Time: "kālaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni niyacchati pare vidhau," Time governs all by the higher law. It is significant that before granting strength, Krishna grants vision: everything lies in the hand of a higher order. The verse teaches that despair is healed not first by action but by right vision: remembering that all is subject to Time and to the higher law, a man is freed from despondency — and only then is he able to receive and use what is given.