TEXT 27
kala-kanyodita-vaco
nisamya yavanesvarah
cikirsur deva-guhyam sa
sasmitam tam abhasata
SYNONYMS
kala-kanyaby the daughter of Time; uditaexpressed; vacahwords; nisamyahearing; yavana-isvarahthe King of the Yavanas; cikirsuhdesiring to execute; devaof providence; guhyamconfidential duty; sahhe; sa-smitamsmilingly; tamher; abhasataaddressed.
TRANSLATION
After hearing the statement of Kalakanya, daughter of Time, the King of the Yavanas began to smile and devise a means for executing his confidential duty on behalf of providence. He then addressed Kalakanya as follows.
PURPORT
In Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 5.142) it is said:
Actually the supreme controller is the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and everyone is His servant. Yavana-raja, the King of the Yavanas, was also a servant of Krsna. Consequently, he wanted to execute the purpose of Krsna through the agency of Kalakanya. Although Kalakanya means invalidity or old age, Yavana-raja wanted to serve Krsna by introducing Kalakanya everywhere. Thus a sane person, by attaining old age, will become fearful of death. Foolish people engage in material activities as if they will live forever and enjoy material advancement, but actually there is no material advancement. Under illusion people think that material opulence will save them, but although there has been much advancement in material science, the problems of human societybirth, death, old age and diseaseare still unsolved. Nonetheless foolish scientists are thinking that they have advanced materially. When Kalakanya, the invalidity of old age, attacks them, they become fearful of death, if they are sane. Those who are insane simply do not care for death, nor do they know what is going to happen after death. They are under the wrong impression that after death there is no life, and consequently they act very irresponsibly in this life and enjoy unrestricted sense gratification. For an intelligent person, the appearance of old age is an impetus to spiritual life. People naturally fear impending death. The King of the Yavanas tried to utilize Kalakanya for this purpose.

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