युधिष्ठिर उवाच पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद। दैवे पुरुषकारे च किंस्विच्छ्रेष्ठतरं भवेत्॥
Yudhishthira said Of Exertion and Destiny, tell me O learned sire who are versed in all the scriptures, which is the more potent?
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं ब्रह्मणश्च युधिष्ठिर॥
Bhishma said This ancient story of the conversation of Vasishtha and Brahman. O Yudhishthira, explain this matter.
दैवमानुषयोः किंस्वित् कर्मणोः श्रेष्ठमित्युत। पुरा वसिष्ठो भगवान् पितामहमपृच्छत॥
In days of yore the worshipful Vasishta enquired of Brahman as to which among these two, viz., the Karma of a creature acquired in this life, or that acquired in pristine lives (and called Destiny), is the more powerful in shaping his life.
ततः पद्मोद्भवो राजन् देवदेवः पितामहः। उवाच मधुरं वाक्यमर्थवद्धेतुभूषितम्॥
Then, O king, the great god Brahman, who had originated from the primeval lotus. answered him in these sweet and wellreasoned pregnant words.
ब्रह्मोवाच नाबीजं जायते किंचिन्न बीजेन विना फलम्। बीजाद् बीजं प्रभवति बीजादेव फलं स्मृतम्॥
Brahmana said Nothing springs into existence without seed. Without seed, fruits do not grow. From seeds originate other seeds. Hence are fruits known to be sprung from seeds.
यादृशं वपते बीजं क्षेत्रमासाद्य कर्षकः। सुकृते दुष्कृते वापि तादृशं लभते फलम्॥
According to the good or bad seed that the husbandman sows in his field, he reaps good or bad fruits.
यथा बीजं विना क्षेत्रमुप्तं भवति निष्फलम्। तथा पुरुषकारेण विना दैवं न सिध्यति॥
As, unsown with seed, the soil, through tilled, becomes fruitless, so, without personal Exertion, Destiny is of no use.
क्षेत्रं पुरुषकारस्तु दैवं बीजमुदाहृतम्। क्षेत्रबीजसमायोगात् ततः सस्यं समृद्ध्यते॥
One's own deeds are like the soil, and Destiny is compared to the seed. The harvest grows from the union of the soil and seed.
कर्मणः फलनिर्वृत्तिं स्वयमश्नाति कारकः। प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यते लोके कृतस्यापकृतस्य च॥ शुभेन कर्मणा सौख्यं दुःखं पापेन कर्मणा। कृतं फलति सर्वत्र नाकृतं भुज्यते क्वचित्॥
It is seen every day in the world that the doer reaps the fruit of his good and evil acts; that happiness results from goods deeds, and pain is the outcome of evil ones; that acts, when done, always fructify; and that, if not done, no fruit arises.
कृती सर्वत्र लभते प्रतिष्ठां भाग्यसंयुताम्। अकृती लभते भ्रष्टः क्षते क्षारावसेचनम्॥
A man of (good) act gains merits with good fortune, while and idler loses his estate, and reaps evil like the infusion of alkaline matter injected into a wound.
तपसा रूपसौभाग्यं रत्नानि विविधानि च। प्राप्यते कर्मणा सर्वे न दैवादकृतात्मना॥
By firm application, one acquires beauty, fortune, and all sorts of riches. Everything can be obtained by Exertion: but nothing can be gained through Destiny only, by a man who lacks personal Exertion.
तथा स्वर्गश्च भोगश्च निष्ठा या च मनीषिता। सर्वं पुरुषकारेण कृतेनेहोपलभ्यते॥
One attains to heaven, and all the object of enjoyment, as also the fulfilment of his heart's desires, by wellapplied personal Exertion.
ज्योतींषि त्रिदशा नागा यक्षाश्चन्द्राकमारुताः। सर्वे पुरुषकारेण मानुष्याद् देवतां गताः॥
All the luminaries in the sky, all the gods, the Nagas, and the Rakshasas, as also the Sun and the Moon and the Winds, have acquired their high status by evolution from man's status, by dint of their own action.
अर्थो वा मित्रवर्गा वा ऐश्वर्यं वा कुलान्वितम्। श्रीश्चापि दुर्लभा भोक्तुं तथैवाकृतकर्मभिः॥
Riches, friends, prosperity coming down from generatica to generation, as also the sweets of life, are difficult of attainment by those who want Exertion.
शौचेन लभते विप्रः क्षत्रियो विक्रमेण तु। वैश्यः पुरुषकारेण शूद्रः शुश्रूषया श्रियम्॥
The Brahmana acquires prosperity by holy living, the Kshatriya by prowess, the Vaishya by manly exertion, and the Shudra by service.
नादातारं भजन्त्यर्था न क्लीबं नापि निष्क्रियम्। नाकर्मशीलं नाशूरं तथा नैवातपस्विनम्॥
The stingy, the impotent, or the idler do not acquire riches and other objects of enjoyment. Nor are these ever acquired by the man who is not active or inanly or devoted to the exercise of religious austerities.
येन लोकास्त्रयः सृष्टा दैत्याः सर्वाश्च देवताः। स एष भगवान् विष्णुः समुद्रे तप्यते तपः॥
Even he, the worshipful Vishnu, who created the three worlds with the Daityas and all the gods, even He is engaged in austere penances in the heart of the deep.
स्वं चेत् कर्मफलं न स्यात् सर्वमेवाफलं भवेत्। लोको दैवं समालक्ष्य उदासीनो भवेन्ननु॥
If one's Karma bore no fruit, then all actions would become fruitless and depending on desting men should become idlers.
अकृत्वा मानुषं कर्म यो दैवमनुवर्तते। वृथा श्राम्यति सम्प्राप्य पतिं क्लीबमिवाङ्गना॥
He who, without following the human modes of action follows Destiny only, acts in vain, like the woman who has an impotent husband.
न तथा मानुषे लोके भयमस्ति शुभाशुभे। तथा त्रिदशलोके हि भयमन्येन जायते॥
The apprehension of good or evil in this world is not Destiny be unfavourable as his apprehension of the same in the other world if Exertion be wanting while here. SO great if
कृतः पुरुषकारस्तु दैवमेवानुवर्तते। न दैवमकृते किंचित् कस्यचिद् दातुमर्हति॥
Man's powers, if properly applied only follow his Destiny, but Destiny alone cannot produce any good where Exertion is wanting.
यथा स्थानान्यनित्यानि दृश्यन्ते दैवतेष्वपि। कथं कर्म विना दैवं स्थास्यति स्थापयिष्यतः॥
When it is seen that even in the celestial regions, the position of the gods themselves is unstable, how would the gods maintain their own position or that of other of others without proper Karma.
न दैवतानि लोकेऽस्मिन् व्यापार यान्ति कस्यचित्। व्यासङ्गं जनयन्त्युग्रमात्माभिभवशङ्कया।॥
The gods do not always approve of the good actions of others in this world, for, fearing their own defeat, they try to thwart the acts of others.
ऋषीणां देवतानां च सदा भवति विग्रहः। कस्य वाचा ह्यदैवं स्याद्यतो दैवं प्रवर्तते॥
There is a constant rivalry between the gods and the Rishis, and if they all have to go through their Karma, still it can never be said that there is no such thing as Destiny, for it is the latter that introduces all Karma.
कथं तस्य समुत्पत्तिर्यतो दैवं प्रवर्तते। एवं त्रिदशलोकेऽपि प्राप्यन्ते बहवो गुणाः॥
How does Karma originate, if Destiny is the principal motive power of human action? By this means, many virtues are accumulated in the celesiial regions.
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः। आत्मैव ह्यात्मन: साक्षी कृतस्याप्यकृतस्य च।॥
One's own self is his friend and his enemy too, as also the witness of one's good and evil deeds.
कृतं चाप्यकृतं किंचित् कृते कर्मणि सिद्ध्यति। सुकृतं दुष्कृतं कर्म न यथार्थे प्रपद्यते॥
Good and evil appear through Karma. Good and evil acts do not produce sufficient results.
देवानां शरणं पुण्यं सर्वं पुण्यैरवाप्यते। पुण्यशीलं नरं प्राप्य किं दैवं प्रकरिष्यति॥
Virtue is the refuge of the gods, and by virtue everything is acquired. Destiny thwarts not the man who has acquired virtue and righteousness.
पुरा ययातिर्विभ्रष्टश्च्यावितः पतितः क्षितौ। पुनरारोपितः स्वर्गं दौहित्रैः पुण्यकर्मभिः॥
In days of yore, Yayati, falling from his high position in heaven, descended on the Earth but was again restored to the celestial regions by the good deeds of his pious grandsons.
पुरूरवाश्च राजर्षिर्द्विजैरभिहितः पुरा। ऐल इत्यभिविख्यातः स्वर्गं प्राप्तो महीपतिः॥
The royal sage Pururavas, well known as the descendant of lla, attained to heaven through the intercession of the Brahmanas.
अश्वमेधादिभिर्यज्ञैः सत्कृत: कोसलाधिपः। महर्षिशापात् सौदासः पुरुषादत्वमागतः॥
Saudasa, the king of Koshala, though dignified by the performance of Ashvamedha and other sacrifices, came by the status of a maneating Rakshasa, through the course of a great Rishi.
अश्वत्थामा च रामश्च मुनिपुत्रौ धनुर्धरौ। न गच्छतः स्वर्गलोकं सुकृतेनेह कर्मणा॥
Ashvatthaman and Rama, though both warriors and Sons of Ascetics, failed to acquired heaven by virtue of their own actions in this world.
वसुर्यज्ञशतैरिष्ट्वा द्वितीय इव वासवः। मिथ्याभिधानेनैकेन रसातलतलं गतः॥
Vasu, though he celebrated a hundred sacrifices, like a second Vasava, was sent to the nethermost regions, for making a single false statement.
बलिवैरोचनिर्बद्धो धर्मपाशेन दैवतैः। विष्णोः पुरुषकारेण पातालसदनः कृतः॥
Bali, the son of Virochana, virtuous bound by his promise, was sent to the regions under the Earth, by the prowess of Vishnu.
शक्रस्योद्रम्य चरणं प्रस्थितो जनमेजयः। द्विजस्त्रीणां वधं कृत्वा किं दैवेन न वारितः॥
Was not Janamejaya, who followed the footprints of Shakra, for slaying a Brahmana woman, checked and put down by the gods?.
अज्ञानाद् ब्राह्यणं हत्वा स्पृष्टो बालवधेन च। वैशम्पायनविप्रर्षिः किं दैवेन न वारितः॥
Was not the twiceborn Rishi Vaishampayana too, who killed a Brahmana in ignorance, and was polluted by the slaughter of a child, put down by the gods?
गोप्रदानेन मिथ्या च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महामखे। पुरा नृगश्च राजर्षिः कृकलासत्वमागतः॥
In days of yore the royal sage Nriga became changed into a lizard. He had made gifts of kine into the Brahmanas at his great sacrifice, but this did not help him.
धुन्धुमारश्च राजर्षिः सत्रेष्वेव जरां गतः। प्रीतिदायं परित्यज्य सुष्वाप स गिरिव्रजे॥
The royal sage Dhundhumara was possessed by decrepitude even while engaged in celebrating his sacrifices, and foregoing all the merits thereof the merits thereof he fell asleep at Girivraja.
पाण्डवानां हृतं राज्यं धार्तराष्ट्रैर्महाबलैः। पुनः प्रत्याहृतं चैव न दैवाद् भुजसंश्रयात्॥
The Pandavas too regained their lost kingdom, of which they had been deprived by the powerful sons of Dhritarashtra, not through the influence of the Fates, but by recourse of their own heroism.
तपोनियमसंयुक्ता मुनयः संशितव्रताः। किं त दैवबलाच्छापमुत्सृजन्ते न कर्मणा॥
Do the ascetics of rigid vows, and given to the practice of austere penances, denounce their curses by the help of any supernatural power or only in the exercise of their own power attained by individual acts?
पापमुत्सृजते लोके सर्वं प्राप्य सुदुर्लभम्। लोभमोहसमापन्नं न दैवं चायते नरम्॥
If possessed by the wicked, all the good which is gained with difficulty in this world, is soon lost to them. Destiny does not help the man that is full of spiritual ignorance and avarice.
यथाग्निः पवनोद्भूतः सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि महान् भवेत्। तथा कर्मसमायुक्तं दैवं साधु विवर्धते॥
Even as small fire, when fanned by the wind, becomes highly powerful, so does Destiny, when helped by individual Exertion, becomes greatly potent.
यथा तैलक्षयाद् दीपः प्रह्रासमुपगच्छति। तथा कर्मक्षयाद् दैवं प्रहासमुपगच्छति॥
As by the diminution of oil in the lamp its light is put out, so does the influence of Destiny, by the abatement of one's acts.
विपुलमपि धनौघं प्राप्य भोगान् स्त्रियो वा पुरुष इह न शक्तः कर्महीनो हि भोक्तम्। सुनिहितमपि चार्थं दैवतै रक्ष्यमाणं पुरुष इह महात्मा प्राप्नुते नित्ययुक्तः॥
Having obtained riches, and woman and all the enjoyments of this world, the, man who is not hardworking is unable to enjoy them long, but the great man, diligent in Exertion, can find riches buried deep in the Earth and watched over by the Fates.
व्ययगुणमपि साधुं कर्मणा संश्रयन्ते भवति मनुजलोकाद् देवलोको विशिष्टः। बहुतरसुसमृद्ध्या मानुषाणां गृहाणि। पितृवनभवनाभं दृश्यते चामराणाम्॥
The good man who is prodigal is sought by the gods for his good conduct, the celestial world being better than the world of men, but the house of miser though full of riches is looked upon by the gods as the house of the dead.
न च फलति विकर्मा जीवलोक न दैवं व्यपनयति विमार्गं नास्ति दैवे प्रभुत्वम्। गुरुमिव कृतमय्यं कर्म संयाति दैवं नयति पुरुषकारः संचितस्तत्र तत्र॥
The inan who does not cxert himself is never contented in this world, nor can Destiny change the course of a man who has gone wrong. There is no power inherent in Destiny. As the pupil follows the preceptor, so does one's action, guided by Destiny, follows his own personal exertion. Where one's own exertion is displayed, there only Destiny, shows its hand.
एतत् ते सर्वमाख्यातं मया वै मुनिसत्तम। फलं पुरुषकारस्य सदा संदृश्य तत्त्वतः॥
best of ascetics, I have thus described all the merits of personal Exertion, having always known in their true significance.
अभ्युत्थानेन दैवस्य समारब्धेन कर्मणा। विधिना कर्मणा चैव स्वर्गमार्गमवाप्नुयात्॥
By the influence of Destiny, and by showing personal Exertion, do men attain to heaven. The combined help of Destiny and Exertion, becomes fruitful.