Devanagari
ईशो दुरत्यय: काल इति सत्यवती श्रुति: ।
वृद्धानामपि यद् बुद्धिर्बालवाक्यैर्विभिद्यते ॥ ३१ ॥
Verse text
īśo duratyayaḥ kāla
iti satyavatī srutiḥ
vṛddhānām api yad buddhir
bāla-vākyair vibhidyate
Synonyms
īśaḥ
—
the supreme controller
;
duratyayaḥ
—
unavoidable
;
kālaḥ
—
time
;
iti
—
thus
;
satya
—
vatī — truthful
;
srutiḥ
—
the revealed statement of the Vedas
;
vṛddhānām
—
of elder authorities
;
api
—
even
;
yat
—
since
;
buddhiḥ
—
the intelligence
;
bāla
—
of a boy
;
vākyaiḥ
—
by the words
;
vibhidyate
—
is diverted .
Translation
[Śiśupāla said:] The statement of the Vedas that time is the unavoidable controller of all has indeed been proven true, since the intelligence of wise elders has now become diverted by the words of a mere boy.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
[Śiśupāla said:] The statement of the Vedas that time is the unavoidable controller of all has indeed been proven true, since the intelligence of wise elders has now become diverted by the words of a mere boy.
KB 10.74.31
“Ladies and gentlemen, I can appreciate now the statement of the Vedas that, after all, time is the predominating factor. In spite of all endeavors to the contrary, the time element executes its own plan without opposition. For example, one may try his best to live, but when the time for death comes, no one can check it. I see here that although many stalwart personalities are present in this assembly, the influence of time is so strong that they have been misled by the statement of a boy who has foolishly spoken about Kṛṣṇa. Many learned sages and elder persons are present, but still they have accepted the statement of a foolish boy. This means that by the influence of time even the intelligence of such honored persons as those present in this meeting can be misdirected.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Here was the intention of Sisupala in speaking after the worship was over instead of speaking before the worship. "If I object before the worship and supply many reasons why Krsna is inelegilbe for the worship, I certainly cannot be defeated in argument. The assembly, hearing my points, will then not worship Krsna and select someone else for the worship who is qualified. Then the sacrifice will proceed properly. But I want to stop
the sacrifice. So I will remain silent now, After he is worshipped I will establish his lack of qualification. It is said that if one worships who is not qualified then it is a violation for the worshipped person. Where there is such violation then all auspiciousness is prevented. This is the statement of scripture. I will then announce that the sacrifice of Yudhisthira is destroyed. Departing with my associates, many kings, learned brahmanas, and his relatives like Duryodhana, and laughing, my desire will be fulfilled."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
To conciliate the assembly he first spoke in order to give his own interpretation to Sahadeva’s words and in order to scold. Time is capable of doing the impossible (īśaḥ) and it is not possible to avoid (duratyayaḥ). The Vedas or tradition speaks the truth. Why? Something astonishing has happened. Because of time, the intelligence of elders has been diverted by a child’s words.