11. The Superiority of Efforts to Fate

The Superiority of Efforts to Fate
बीजतो ह्यङगुरोत्पत्तिरङ्कुरात् पर्णसम्भव:। पर्णान्नाला: प्रसूयन्ते नालात् स्कन्ध: प्रवर्तते।। स्कन्धात् प्रवर्तते पुष्पं पुष्पान्निर्वर्तते फलम् फलान्निर्वत्र्यते बीजं—बीजं नाफलमुच्यते।।१।। महाभारत पृष्ठ ५४४५

Brahma said-Muni ! the small seed turns into germ (ankur) From germ we have leaf, from leaf the root, branches etc. Then the same seed turns into flower, the flower becomes fruit with the passage of time and that fruit gives forth to seed again. This process goes on. It shows that seed is never fruitless.

नाबीजं जायते िंकचिन्न बीजेन बिना फलम् । बीजाद् बीजं प्रभवति बीजादेव फलं स्मृतम् ।।५।।

We can get nothing without seed, neither fruit nor flower. The seed comes out of the seed and fruit also comes out the seed. So, it is seed that is most important.

यादृशं वपते बीजं क्षेत्रमासाद्य कृर्षक:। सुकृते दुष्कृते वापि तादृशं लभते फलम् ।।६।।

As the farmer sows in the field, so he reaps. Like that, we get what we do good or bad acts. i.e. virtuous acts and non-virtuous acts.

यथा बीजं बिना क्षेत्रामुप्तं भवति निष्फलम् । तथा पुरुषकारेण बिना दैवं न सिध्यति।।७।।

As without sowing the seed we cannot have fruits, similarly without efforts, fate is lame i.e. meaningless. Fate requires the help of efforts to bring its result, good or bad.

क्षेतं पुरुषकारस्तु दैवं बीजमुदाहृतम् । क्षेत्रबीज समायोगात् तत: सस्यं समृद्धयते।।८।।

The efforts is like the field and fate is like the seed. Both (i.e. efforts and fate) are essential to get the grains (fruits or success or results of our actions).

कर्मण: फलनिर्वृत्तिं स्वयमश्नाति कारक:। प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यते लोके कृतस्यापकृतस्य च।।९।।

The doer (the man who does karma) himself gets the result of his own good or bad karmas (actions). This is a well known thing that we see in our practical life.

शुभेन कर्मणा सौख्यं दु:खं पापेन कर्मणा। कृतं फलति सर्वत्र नाकृतं भुज्यते क्वचित् ।।१०।।

Good act brings happiness while evil act brings sufferings. The karma that we have done will surely bear its fruits while the karma that we have never done will not bear any kind of fruit.

कृती सर्वत्र लभते प्रतिष्ठां भाग्यसंयुताम् । अकृती लभते भ्रष्ट: क्षते क्षारावसेचनम् ।।११।।

It is true that even laborious (hard working) man gets good name according to his fate (luck) but the man who is coward and lazy, gets intolerable sufferings.

तपसा रूपसौभाग्यं रत्नानि विविधानि च। प्राप्यते कर्मना सर्वं न दैवादकृतात्मना।।१२।।

Man gets beauty, pleasures and various kind of jewels by Tapa. Man can get everything through efforts but it he sits idle doing nothing, he will get nothing.

तथा स्वर्गश्च भोगश्च निष्ठा या च मनीषिता। सर्वं पुरुषकारेण कृतेनेहोपलभ्यते।।१३।।

In this world, man can have the supreme pleasures of heaven, wisdon, and sincerity in religion if he is fully devoted to karma. I.e. karmaveera.

ज्योर्तीषि त्रिदशा नागा यक्षाश्चन्द्राकर्मारुता:। सर्वं पुरुषकारेण मानुष्याद् देवतां गता:।।१४।।

The Jyotish deva (a king of heavenly body), angels, nagadeva, yaksha, moon, sun, the pawan etc. all have gone to deve-loka (swarag) from madhya-loka due to efforts, i.e, good and noble efforts.

अर्थो वा मित्रवर्गो वा ऐश्वर्य वा कुलान्वितम्। श्रीश्चापि दुर्लभा भोक्तुं तथैवाकृतकर्माभि:।।१५।।

The lazy persons cannot enjoy the prosperity, good friendhip, noble birth and the goddess of wealth.

शौचेन लभते विप्र: क्षत्रियो विक्रमेण तु। वैश्य: पुरुषकारेण शूद्र: शुश्रूषया श्रियम्।।१६।।

Brahamin through good conduct, kshatriya through bravery, vaishya through karma and shudra through service get prospesity.

येन लोकास्त्रय: सृष्टा दैत्या: सर्वाश्च देवता:। स एष भगवान् विष्णु: समुद्रे तप्यते तप:।।१८।।

The great Lord Vishnu who has created the three lokas, all angels and devils but the himself does great penance in the ocean.

न तथा मानुषे लोके भयमस्ति शुभाशुभे। तथा त्रिदश लोके हि भयमल्पेन जायते।।२१।।

In the Madhya Loka (the kingdomm of human beings) man is not as afraid of his good or bad karma as in devaloka the fear is created due to very small sin i.e. misdeed.

कृत: पुरुषकारस्तु दैवमेवानुवर्तते। न दैवमकृते िंकचित् कस्यचिद् दातुमर्हति।।२२।।

It is only efforts that follows destiny. If the efforts are not done, then this fate is unable to give anything to anyone.

ऋषीणां देवतानां च सदा भवति विग्रह:। कस्य वाचा ह्यदैवं स्याद् यतो दैवं प्रवर्तते।।२५।।

The dispute goes on between Rishis (saints) and devas (angels). The angels put many obstancles in the way of munies, while munies destroy all the glory of angels through their siddhies. Oh, it is fate that is important for without it nobody can get happiness or sorrow. It is fate that is the base of karmas.

कथं तस्य समुत्पत्तिर्यतो दैवं प्रवर्तते। एवं त्रिदशलोकेऽपि प्राप्यन्ते बहवो गुणा:।ं२६।।

It is fate that is the basic origin of efforts. Without fate afforts cannot exist (the persons who have performed good deeds in previous life, they are inclined to the good and noble deeds in another life due to the actions of previous life. If the thing is not so, all people may do good acts. It never happens like that. In devaloks also many comforts and luxries are availed due to good luck or favouring destiny. This is the majesty of fate or destiny.

.  आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मन:। आत्मैव ह्यात्मना साक्षी कृतस्याप्यकृतस्य च।।२७।।

It is the soul that is friend of self, enemy of self and evidence of man's all done and undone karmas.