Mahābhārata · Adhyāya 13.9
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13.9.1
पितामह महाप्राज्ञ सर्वसास्त्रविशारद ।
दैवे पुरुषकारे च किंस्विच्छ्रेष्ठतरं भवेत् ॥ १३.९.१ ॥
Grandfather, greatly wise and expert in all the sciences, between fate and human effort, which would be more excellent?
13.9.2
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् ।
वसिष्ठस्य च संवादं ब्रह्मणश्च युधिष्ठिर ॥ १३.९.२ ॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, on this matter too they recite this ancient tale, the dialogue of Vasiṣṭha and Brahmā.
13.9.3
दैवमानुषयोः किंस्वित्कर्मणोः श्रेष्ठमित्युत ।
पुरा वसिष्ठो भगवान्पितामहमपृच्छत ॥ १३.९.३ ॥
Long ago the venerable Vasiṣṭha asked the Grandfather which of the two actions, fate or human deed, is the better.
13.9.4
ततः पद्मोद्भवो राजन्देवदेवः पितामहः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यमर्थवद्धेतुभूषितम् ॥ १३.९.४ ॥
Then, O king, the Grandfather, god of gods, born of the lotus, spoke sweet words, full of meaning and adorned with reasons.
13.9.5
बीजतो ह्यङ्कुरोत्पत्तिरङ्कुरात्पर्णसम्भवः ।
पर्णान्नालाः प्रसूयन्ते नालात्स्कन्धः प्रवर्तते ॥ १३.९.५ ॥
From the seed arises the sprout, from the sprout the leaf, from the leaves the stalks are produced, and from the stalk the trunk advances.
13.9.6
स्कन्धात्प्रवर्तते पुष्पं पुष्पात्संवर्धते फलम् ।
फलान्निर्वर्तते बीजं बीजात्स्यात्सम्भवः पुनः ॥ १३.९.६ ॥
From the trunk comes forth the flower, from the flower the fruit grows, from the fruit the seed is produced, and from the seed arises birth once again.
13.9.7
नाबीजं जायते किञ्चिन्न बीजेने विना फलम् ।
बीजाद्बीजं प्रभवति नाबीजं विद्यते फलम् ॥ १३.९.७ ॥
Nothing arises without a seed, and without a seed there is no fruit. A seed comes forth only from a seed; no fruit is found without a seed.
13.9.8
यादृशं वपते बीजं क्षेत्रमासाद्य वापकः ।
सुकृते दुष्कृते वाऽपि तादृशं लभते फलम् ॥ १३.९.८ ॥
Whatever kind of seed the sower sows in the field, that kind of fruit he obtains, whether from a good deed or from a bad deed.
13.9.9
यथा बीजं विना क्षेत्रमुप्तं भवति निष्फलम् ।
तथा पुरुषकारेण विना दैवं न सिध्यति ॥ १३.९.९ ॥
Just as sown ground without seed becomes fruitless, so fate is not accomplished without human effort.
13.9.10
क्षेत्रं पुरुषकारस्तु दैवं बीजमुदाहृतम् ।
क्षेत्रबीजसमायोगात्ततः सस्यं समृद्ध्यते ॥ १३.९.१० ॥
Human effort is declared to be the field, and fate the seed. From the union of field and seed, the crop then flourishes.
13.9.11
कर्मणः फलनिर्वृत्तिं स्वयमश्नाति कारकः ।
प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यते लोके कृतस्याप्यकृतस्य च ॥ १३.९.११ ॥
The doer himself partakes of the fruit that his action brings about. This is seen plainly in the world, both of what has been done and of what has not been done.
13.9.12
शुभेन कर्मणा सौख्यं दुःखं पापेन कर्मणा ।
कृतं सर्वत्र लभते नाकृतं भुज्यते क्वचित् ॥ १३.९.१२ ॥
Happiness comes from good action, and suffering from evil action. What has been done bears fruit everywhere; what has not been done is never experienced.
13.9.13
कृती सर्वत्र लभते प्रतिष्ठां भाग्यवीक्षितः ।
अकृती लभते भ्रष्टः क्षते क्षारावसेचनम् ॥ १३.९.१३ ॥
The doer obtains honor everywhere, and fortune looks upon him. The one who does not act falls and is like salt water poured on a wound.
13.9.14
तपसा रूपसौभाग्यं रत्नानि विविधानि च ।
प्राप्यते कर्मणा सर्वं न दैवादकृतात्मना ॥ १३.९.१४ ॥
By austerity one obtains beauty, good fortune and many kinds of jewels. Everything is obtained through action, not through fate by one who has not acted.
13.9.15
तथा स्वर्गश्च भोगश्च निष्ठा या च मनीषिता ।
सर्वं पुरुषकारेण कृतेनेहोपलभ्यते ॥ १३.९.१५ ॥
Likewise heaven, enjoyment, and the steadfast goal desired by the wise are all attained here through human effort and deeds done.
13.9.16
ज्योतींषि त्रिदशा नागा यक्षाश्चन्द्रार्कमारुताः ।
सर्वे पुरुषकारेण मानुष्याद्देवतां गताः ॥ १३.९.१६ ॥
The celestial lights, the thirty gods, the nāgas, the yakṣas, the moon, the sun, and the winds - all of them, through human effort, have gone from the human state to divinity.
13.9.17
अर्थो वा मित्रवर्गो वा ऐश्वर्यं वा कुलान्वितम् ।
श्रीश्चापि दुर्लभा भोक्तुं तथैवाकृतकर्मभिः ॥ १३.९.१७ ॥
Wealth, a circle of friends, sovereignty joined with noble birth, or even fortune itself, are hard for those who have not acted to enjoy.
13.9.18
शौचेन लभते विप्रः क्षत्रियो विक्रमेण तु ।
वैश्यः पुरुषकारेण शूद्रः शुश्रूषया श्रियम् ॥ १३.९.१८ ॥
The brahmin obtains prosperity through purity, the kṣatriya through valor, the vaiśya through human effort, and the śūdra through service.
13.9.19
नादातारं भजन्त्यर्था न क्लीबं नापि निष्क्रियम् ।
नाकर्मशीलं नाशूरं तथा नैवातपस्विनम् ॥ १३.९.१९ ॥
Wealth does not attend one who is not a giver, nor a eunuch, nor one who is inactive, nor one of no active habit, nor a brave man, nor one without austerity.
13.9.20
येन लोकास्त्रयः सृष्टा दैत्याः सर्वाश्च देवताः ।
स एष भगवान्विष्णुः समुद्रे तप्यते तपः ॥ १३.९.२० ॥
He by whom the three worlds, the Daityas and all the gods were created, that very blessed Viṣṇu, performs austerity in the ocean.
13.9.21
स्वं चेत्कर्मफलं न स्यात्सर्वमेवाफलं भवेत् ।
लोको दैवं समालक्ष्य उदासीनो भवेद्यदि ॥ १३.९.२१ ॥
If one's own action bore no fruit, all would become fruitless; if people, looking only to fate, became indifferent…
13.9.22
अकृत्वा मानुषं कर्म यो दैवमनुवर्तते ।
वृथा श्राम्यति सम्प्राप्य पतिं क्लीबमिवाङ्गना ॥ १३.९.२२ ॥
He who, without performing human action, follows fate, toils in vain, like a woman who has obtained an impotent husband.
13.9.23
न तथा मानुषे लोके फलमस्ति शुभाशुभे ।
यथा त्रिदशलोके हि फलमल्पेन जायते ॥ १३.९.२३ ॥
In the human world the fruit of good and evil is not as it is in the world of the thirty gods, where fruit is produced with little effort.
13.9.24
कृतः पुरुषकारस्तु दैवमेवानुवर्तते ।
न दैवमकृते किञ्चित्कस्यचिद्दातुमर्हति ॥ १३.९.२४ ॥
But when human effort is made, fate too follows; when no effort is made, fate is not able to give anything to anyone.
13.9.25
यथा स्थानान्यनित्यानि दृश्यन्ते दैवतेष्वपि ।
कथं कर्म विना दैवं स्थास्यति स्थापयिष्यतः ॥ १३.९.२५ ॥
Just as positions among the gods too are seen to be impermanent, how will fate stand without action, and how will one who would establish it establish it?
13.9.26
न दैवतानि लोकेऽस्मिन्व्यापारं यान्ति कस्यचित् ।
व्यासङ्गं जनयन्त्युग्रमात्माभिभवशङ्कया ॥ १३.९.२६ ॥
In this world the gods do not enter into anyone's undertaking; out of fear of their own overthrow, they plunge a person into fierce attachment.
13.9.27
ऋषीणां देवतानां च सदा भवति विग्रहः ।
कस्य वाचा ह्यदैवं स्याद्यतो दैवं प्रवर्तते ॥ १३.९.२७ ॥
Between sages and gods there is always conflict. By whose word could there be non-fate, from which fate arises?
13.9.28
कथं तस्य समुत्पत्तिर्यतो दैवं प्रवर्तते ।
एवं त्रिदशलोकेऽपि प्राप्यते परमं सुखम् ॥ १३.९.२८ ॥
How is the origin of that from which fate arises? Thus, even in the world of the thirty gods, supreme happiness is attained.
13.9.29
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनः साक्षी कृतस्याप्यकृतस्य च ॥ १३.९.२९ ॥
The self alone is one's own friend; the self alone is one's own enemy. The self alone is one's own witness, of what is done and of what is not done.
13.9.30
कृतं च विकृतं किञ्चित्सिद्ध्यते गुरुकर्मणा ।
सुकृतं दुष्कृतं कर्म अकृतार्थं प्रपद्यते ॥ १३.९.३० ॥
Something done or spoiled is accomplished by a weighty deed; good and bad deeds attain their result even when their purpose is unfulfilled.
13.9.31
देवानां शरणं पुण्यं सर्वं पुण्यैरवाप्यते ।
पुण्यहीनं नरं प्राप्य किं दैवं प्रकरिष्यति ॥ १३.९.३१ ॥
The refuge of the gods is merit; everything is obtained through merits. Having reached a man without merit, what will fate do?
13.9.32
पुरा ययातिर्विभ्रष्टश्च्यावितः पतितः क्षितौ ।
पुनरारोपितः स्वर्गं दौहित्रैः पुण्यकर्मभिः ॥ १३.९.३२ ॥
Formerly Yayāti, fallen and cast down from heaven, lay upon the earth; but his grandsons, who had done meritorious deeds, raised him up again to heaven.
13.9.33
पुरूरवाश्च राजर्षिर्द्विजैरभिहितः पुरा ।
ऐल इत्यभिविख्यातः स्वर्गं प्राप्तो महीपतिः ॥ १३.९.३३ ॥
Formerly the royal sage Purūravas, declared by the twice-born to be renowned as Aila, that lord of the earth attained heaven.
13.9.34
अश्वमेधादिभिर्यज्ञैः सत्कृतः कोसलाधिपः ।
महर्षिशापात्सौदासः पुरुषादत्वमागतः ॥ १३.९.३४ ॥
Saudāsa, lord of Kosala, honored with the Aśvamedha and other sacrifices, came to the state of a man-eater through the curse of a great sage.
13.9.35
अश्वत्थामा च रामश्च मुनिपुत्रौ धनुर्धरौ ।
न गच्छतः स्वर्गलोकं वेददृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥ १३.९.३५ ॥
Aśvatthāman and Rāma, both sons of sages and archers, do not go to the world of heaven by the action seen in the Veda.
13.9.36
वसुर्यज्ञशतैरिष्ट्वा द्वितीय इव वासवः ।
मिथ्याभिधानेनैकेन रसातलतलं गतः ॥ १३.९.३६ ॥
Vasu, having performed a hundred sacrifices and become like a second Vāsava (Indra), went down to the depths of Rasātala by a single false statement.
13.9.37
बलिर्वैरोचनिर्बद्धो धर्मपाशेन दैवतैः ।
विष्णोः पुरुषकारेण पातालसदनः कृपः ॥ १३.९.३७ ॥
Bali, son of Virocana, was bound by the gods with the noose of dharma; by Viṣṇu's manly effort he came to dwell in the netherworld, a pitiable one.
13.9.38
शक्रस्याथ रथोपस्थे विष्ठितो जनमेजयः ।
द्विजस्त्रीणां वधं कृत्वा किं दैवेन न वारितः ॥ १३.९.३८ ॥
Janamejaya, seated on the chariot-seat of Indra, having slain brahmin women — why was he not restrained by fate?
13.9.39
अज्ञानाद्ब्राह्मणं हत्वा स्पृष्टो बालवधेन च ।
वैशंपायनविप्रर्षिः किं दैवेन न वारितः ॥ १३.९.३९ ॥
Having slain a brahmin out of ignorance and been touched by the killing of a child, why was the brahmin sage Vaiśampāyana not restrained by fate?
13.9.40
गोप्रदानेन मिथ्या च ब्राह्मणेभ्यो महामखे ।
पुरा नृगश्च राजर्षिः कृकलासत्वमागतः ॥ १३.९.४० ॥
At the great sacrifice, by giving falsely to brahmins the gift of cows, long ago the royal sage Nṛga came to the state of a lizard.
13.9.41
धुन्धुमारश्च राजर्षिः सत्रेष्वेव जरां गतः ।
प्रीतिदायं परित्यज्य सुष्वाप स गिरिव्रजे ॥ १३.९.४१ ॥
The royal sage Dhundhumāra too grew old at the sacrificial sessions; having renounced the gift of pleasure, he slept in Girivraja.
13.9.42
पाण्डवानां हृतं राज्यं धार्तराष्ट्रैर्महाबलैः ।
पुनः प्रत्याहृतं चैव न दैवाद्भुजसंश्रयात् ॥ १३.९.४२ ॥
The kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas was seized by the mighty sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra; and it was recovered again not by fate, but by reliance on the strength of arms.
13.9.43
तपोनियमसंयुक्ता मुनयः संशितव्रताः ।
किं ते दैवबलाच्छापमुत्सृजन्ते न कर्मणा ॥ १३.९.४३ ॥
Why do sages joined to austerity and discipline, keen in their vows, release a curse by the power of fate and not by action?
13.9.44
पापमुत्सृजते लोके सर्वं प्राप्य सुदुर्लभम् ।
लोभमोहसमापन्नं न दैवं त्रायते नरम् ॥ १३.९.४४ ॥
A man who, having obtained everything hard to obtain in the world, commits evil and is caught in greed and delusion, is not protected by fate.
13.9.45
यथाऽऽग्निः पवनोद्भूतः सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि महान्भवेत् ।
तथा कर्मसमायुक्तं दैवं साधु विवर्धते ॥ १३.९.४५ ॥
As fire kindled by the wind, though very small, becomes great, so fate joined with action grows well.
13.9.46
यथा तैलक्षयाद्दीपः प्रम्लानिमुपगच्छति ।
तथा कर्मक्षयाद्दैवं प्रम्लानिमुपगच्छति ॥ १३.९.४६ ॥
As a lamp grows dim when its oil runs out, so fate grows dim when action is exhausted.
13.9.47
विपुलमपि धनौघं प्राप्य भोगान्त्रियो वा ।
पुरुष इह न शक्तः कर्महीनो हि भोक्तुम्।
सुविहितमपि चार्थं दैवते रक्ष्यमाणं ।
पुरुष इह महात्मा प्राप्नुते नित्ययुक्तः ॥ १३.९.४७ ॥
Here a man, though he obtains a vast flood of wealth or the enjoyments of women, cannot enjoy them if he is lacking in action. But the wealth that is well arranged and guarded by fate, a great-souled man who is always diligent obtains here.
13.9.48
व्ययगुमपि साधुं कर्मणा संश्रयन्ते ।
भवती मनुजलोकाद्दैवलोको विशिष्टः।
बहुतरसुसमृद्ध्या मानुषाणां गृहाणि ।
पितृवनभवनाभं दृश्यते चामराणाम् ॥ १३.९.४८ ॥
Even the good man who has heaps of wealth resorts to action; the world of the gods becomes superior to the human world. Through great abundance, the houses of men appear like the forest-dwellings of the ancestors, and likewise those of the immortals.
13.9.49
न च फलति विकर्मा जीवलोके न दैवं ।
व्यपनयति विमार्गं नास्ति दैवे प्रभुत्वम्।
गुरुमिव कृतमग्र्यं कर्म संयाति दैवं ।
नयति पुरुषकारः सञ्चितस्तत्रतत्र ॥ १३.९.४९ ॥
In the world of living beings a wrong deed bears no fruit, and fate does not remove the wrong path; there is no lordship in fate. Like a heavy burden, an excellent deed done goes along with fate; accumulated human effort leads it here and there.
13.9.50
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं मया वै मुनिसत्तम ।
फलं पुरुषकारस्य सदा संदृश्य तत्त्वतः ॥ १३.९.५० ॥
O best of sages, I have told you all this, having always clearly seen in truth the fruit of human effort.
13.9.51
अभ्युत्थानेन दैवस्य समारब्धेन केनचित् ।
विधिना कर्मणा चैव स्वर्गमार्गमवाप्नुयात् ॥ १३.९.५१ ॥
By exertion undertaken by someone against fate, and by action performed according to rule, one should attain the path to heaven.