धातापि हि स्वकर्मैव तैस्तैर्हेतुभिरीश्वरः। विदधाति विभज्येह फलं पूर्वकतं नृणाम्
Even the Creator, the Lord, distributes the fruits of previous actions among people, assigning them according to various causes.
यद्धि यः पुरुषः किंचित्कुरुते वै शुभाशुभम्। तद्धातृविहितं विद्धि पूर्वकर्मफलोदयम्
Whatever good or bad a person does, know that it is ordained by the Creator and arises from the fruition of past actions.
कारणं तस्य देहोऽयं धातुः कर्मणि कर्मणि। स यथा प्रेरयत्येनं तथाऽयं कुरुतेऽवशः
This body is the instrument for action, and the Creator impels it in each deed; as He directs, so this one acts, helplessly.
तेषुतेषु हि कृत्येषु विनियोक्ता महेश्वरः। सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय कारयत्यवशान्यपि
In all these tasks, the great Lord assigns duties; O Kaunteya, He causes all beings to act, even against their will.
मनसाऽर्थान्विनिश्चित्य पश्चात्प्राप्नोति कर्मणा। बुद्धिपूर्वं स्वयं वीर पुरुषस्तत्र कारणम्
After discerning objects with the mind, one attains them through action; first comes understanding, O hero, and in that, the person is the cause.
संख्यातुं नैव शक्यानि कर्माणि पुरुषर्षभ। अगारनगराणां हि सिद्धिः पुरुषहैतुकी
Actions cannot be counted, O best among men; the success of houses and cities depends on human effort.
तिले तैलं गवि क्षीरं काष्ठे पावकमन्ततः। एवं धीरो विजानीयादुपायं चास्य सिद्धये
As oil is in sesame, milk in the cow, and fire in wood, so the wise should know the means for achieving success.
ततः प्रवर्तते पश्चात्कारणेष्वस्व सिद्धये। तां सिद्धिमुपजीवन्ति कर्मणामिह जन्तवः
Then, one proceeds according to the causes for one's own success; living beings here attain that success through action.
कुशलेन कृतं कर्म कर्त्रा साधु स्वनुष्ठितम्। इदं त्वकुशलेनेति विशेषादुपलभ्यते
An act done skillfully by the doer, properly performed, is recognized as good; but if done unskillfully, it is distinguished as otherwise.
इष्टापूर्त्तफलं न स्यान्न शिष्यो न गुरुर्भवेत्। पुरुषः कर्मसाध्येषु स्वाच्चेदयमकारणम्
The fruit of sacrifice and charity would not exist, nor would there be disciple or teacher, if a person were not the cause in accomplishing actions.
कर्तृत्वादेव पुरुषः कर्मसिद्धौ प्रशस्यते। असिद्धौ निन्द्यते चापि कर्मनाशः कथं त्विह
Because of agency, a person is praised for success in action; in failure, he is blamed, but how could action be destroyed here?
सर्वमेव हठेनैके दैवेनैके वदन्त्युत। पुंसः प्रयत्नजं केचिद्दैवमेतद्विशिष्यते
Some say everything is by force, others by destiny; some claim it is from human effort, and others hold destiny to be superior.
न चैवैतावता कार्यं मन्यन्त इति चापरे। अस्ति सर्वमदृश्यं तु दिष्टं चैव तथा हठः
And others hold that even by this, the task is not accomplished; all is unseen, and so too is destiny and effort.
दृश्यते हि हठाच्चैव दिष्टाच्चार्थस्य संततिः। किंचिद्दैवाद्धठात्किंचित्किंचिदेव स्वकर्मतः
For indeed, the continuity of results is seen from effort and from destiny; some things arise from fate, some from effort, and some from one's own actions.
पुरुषः फलमाप्नोति चतुर्थं नात्र कारणम्। कुशलाः प्रतिजानन्ति ये वै तत्त्वविदोजनाः
A person attains a fourth kind of result, for which there is no cause here; the skilled, those who know the truth, affirm this.
तथैव धाता भूतानामिष्टानिष्टफलप्रदः। यदि न स्वानन भूतानां कृपणो नाम कश्चन
Likewise, the Creator gives beings both desired and undesired results; if he did not give to his own creatures, he would be called miserly.
यंयमर्थमभिप्रेप्सुः कुरुते कर्म पूरुषः। तत्तत्सफलमेव स्याद्यदि न स्यात्पुरा कृतम्
Whatever action a person undertakes, desiring a particular result, that result is indeed attained, unless it has already been accomplished before.
त्रिद्वारामर्थसिद्धिं तु नानुपश्यन्ति ये नराः। तथैवानर्थसिद्धिं च यथा लोकास्तथैव ते
Those men who do not perceive the threefold means of attaining results, likewise do not perceive the means of attaining misfortune, just as others in the world.
कर्तव्यमेव कर्मेति मनोरेष विनिश्चयः। एकान्तेन ह्यनीहोऽयं वर्ततेऽस्मासु संप्रति
The conviction of the mind is that action must indeed be performed; for now, this inactivity prevails among us.
कुर्वतो हि भवत्येव प्रायेणेह युधिष्ठिर। एकान्तफलसिद्धिं तु न विन्दत्यलसः क्वचित्
For one who acts, results generally arise here, O Yudhishthira; but the lazy never attain complete fulfillment of results anywhere.
असंभवे त्वस्य हेतुः प्रायश्चित्तं तु लक्ष्यते। कृतेकर्मणि राजेन्द्र तथाऽनृण्यमवाप्नुते
When attainment is impossible, expiation is prescribed; having performed the action, O king, one thus becomes free from debt.
अलक्ष्मीराविशत्येनं शयानमलसं नरम्। निःसंशयं फलं लब्ध्वा दक्षो भूतिमुपाश्नुते
Misfortune enters the man who lies idle and lazy; but having certainly obtained the result, the diligent enjoys prosperity.
अनर्थं संशयावस्थं गृणन्त्यामुक्तसशंयाः। धीरा नराः कर्मरता न तु निःसंशयाः क्वचित्
Those who are indecisive and uncertain praise misfortune and doubt; but wise men devoted to action are never without certainty.
एकान्ते नह्यनर्थोऽयं वर्ततेऽस्मासु सांप्रतम्। स तु निःसंशयं न स्यात्त्वयि कर्मण्यवस्थिते
Complete misfortune does not prevail among us at present; but certainty is not found when you remain inaction regarding the task.
अथवाऽसिद्धिरेव स्यान्महिमा तु तदेव ते। वृकोदरस्य बीभत्सोर्भात्रोश्च यमयोरपि
Or else, failure itself may occur; yet that is your greatness—of Vrikodara, of Bibhatsu, and of the brothers Yama also.
पृथिवीं लाङ्गलेनेह कृष्ट्वा बीजं वपत्युत। आस्तेऽथ कर्षकस्तूष्णीं पर्जन्यस्तत्र कारणम्
Having plowed the earth here with a plow and sown the seed, the farmer then sits silently; the rain is the cause in that matter.
वृष्टिश्चेन्नानुगृह्णीयादनेनास्तत्र कर्षकः। यदन्यः पुरुषः कुर्यात्तत्कृतं सफलं मया
If the rain does not favor him, the farmer remains without result; whatever another person does, that which is done by me bears fruit.
तच्चेदं फलमस्माकमपराधो न मे क्वचित्। इति धीरोऽन्ववेक्ष्यैव नात्मानं तत्रगर्हयेत्
If this result belongs to us, there is no fault in me anywhere; thus the wise, having considered, should not blame themselves in that matter.
कुर्वतो नार्थसिद्धिर्मे भवतीति ह भारत। निर्वेदो नात्र गन्तव्यो द्वावन्तौ यस्य कर्मणः
If, while acting, I do not attain the result, O Bharata, despair should not be adopted; for there are only two outcomes of action.
सिद्धिर्वाऽप्यथवाऽसिद्धिरप्रवृत्तिरतोऽन्यथा। बहूनां समवाये हि भावानां कर्म सिध्यति
Success or failure, or non-engagement otherwise; for when many factors come together, action succeeds.