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.
गुणाभावे फलं न्यूनं भवत्यफलमेव च। अनारम्भे हि न फलं न गुणो दृश्यते क्वचित्
When qualities are lacking, the result is diminished or even fruitless; for without undertaking, neither result nor merit is ever seen.
देशकालावुपायांश्च मङ्गलं स्वस्तिसिद्धये। युनक्ति मेधया धीरो यथायोगं यथाबलम्
A wise and steadfast person, with intelligence, applies place, time, means, and auspiciousness as appropriate and according to strength, for the attainment of success and well-being.
अप्युपायेन तत्कार्यमुपदेष्टा पराक्रमः। भूयिष्ठं कर्मयोगेषु सर्व एव पराक्रमः
Even by some means, that action should be accomplished; initiative is supreme, and in all undertakings, effort is indeed most important.
यत्रधीमानवेक्षेत श्रेयासं बहुभिर्गुणैः। साम्नैवार्थं ततो लिप्सेत्कर्म चास्मै प्रयोजयेत्
Where a discerning person perceives greater benefit through many virtues, there, by conciliation, he should obtain the objective and assign work to him.
व्यसनं नाभिकाङ्क्षेत्त विनाशं वा युधिष्ठिर। अपि सिन्धोर्गिरेर्वाऽपि किं पुनर्मर्त्यधर्मिणः
One should not desire misfortune or destruction, O Yudhishthira, not even of the ocean or a mountain—how much less, then, of a mortal being.
उत्थानयुक्तः सततं परेषामन्तरैषणे। आनृण्यमाप्नोति नरः परस्यात्मन एव च
A man who is always diligent in seeking opportunities among others attains freedom from debt, both towards others and himself.
न त्वेवात्माऽवमन्तव्यः पुरुषेण कदाचन। न ह्यात्मपरिभूतस् भूतिर्भवति शोभना
But one should never despise oneself; for when a person belittles himself, prosperity does not become splendid.
एवं संस्थितिका सिद्धिरियं लोकस्य भारत। चित्रा सिद्धिगतिः प्रोक्ता कालावस्थाविभागशः
Thus, O Bharata, this is the established way to success in the world; the path to accomplishment is said to be varied, according to divisions of time and circumstance.
ब्राह्मणं मे पिता पूर्वं वासयामास पण्डितम्। सर्वं चार्थमिमं प्राह पित्रे मे भरतर्षभ
My father once hosted a learned Brahmin, O best of the Bharatas, and he explained all this matter to my father.
नीतिं बृहस्पतिप्रोक्तां भ्रातृन्मेऽग्राहयन्पुरा। तेषां सकाशादश्रौषमहमेतां तदा गृहे
Long ago, my brothers received from him the polity taught by Brihaspati; from them I heard this, at home, at that time.