शुभेन पौरुषेणाशु शुभम् आसाद्यते फलम् । अशुभेनाशुभं नित्यं दैवं नाम न किञ्चन
Through noble effort, a noble result is quickly attained; through ignoble effort, ignoble results always follow. 'Fate' is nothing at all.
प्रत्यक्षदृष्टम् उत्सृज्य यो ऽनुमानमनास् त्व् असौ । स्वभुजाभ्याम् इमौ सर्पाव् इति प्रेक्ष्य पलायताम्
Abandoning direct perception for mere inference, one who does not use his own arms, seeing these two snakes, flees.
दैवं सम्प्रेरयति माम् इति मुग्धधियां मुखम् । अदृष्टश्रेष्ठदृष्टीनां दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मीर् निवर्तते
The phrase 'fate impels me' is the mark of the foolish; when the best of unseen causes is perceived, fortune departs.
तस्मात् पुरुषयत्नेन विवेकं पूर्णम् आश्रयेत् । आत्मज्ञानमयार्थानि शास्त्राणि प्रविचारयेत्
Therefore, one should fully rely on discernment through personal effort, and examine scriptures whose meaning is rooted in self-knowledge.
चित्ते चिन्तयताम् अर्थं यथाशास्त्रं निजेहितैः । असंसाधयताम् एव मूढानां धिग् दुरीप्सितम्
When people ponder an objective in their minds, following the scriptures and their own efforts, yet fail to accomplish it, such misguided ones are to be reproached for their ill-conceived aims.
पौरुषं च न चानन्तं न यन् नामाभिवाञ्छ्यते । न यत्नेनापि महता तैलम् आसाद्यते ऽश्मनः
Human effort is not boundless, nor is everything one desires attainable; just as, even with great exertion, oil cannot be extracted from a stone.
यथा घटः परिमितो यथा परिमितः पटः । नियतः परिमाणस्थः पुरुषार्थस् तथैव वः
Just as a pot has a fixed size, and a cloth too is limited, so too is the scope of human endeavor always confined within set bounds.
स च शास्त्रार्थसत्सङ्गसमाचारैर् निजं फलम् । ददातीति स्वभावो ऽयम् अन्यथानर्थसिद्धये
And this fruit of human effort is indeed produced by proper conduct, association with the wise, and understanding of scripture; this is its nature, otherwise it leads only to misfortune.
स्वरूपं पौरुषस्यैतद् एवं व्यवहरन् नरः । याति निष्फलयत्नत्वं न कदाचन कश्चन
Thus, when a person acts in accordance with the true nature of human effort, no one ever becomes fruitless in their striving.
दैन्यदारिद्र्यदुःखार्ता अप्य् अन्ये पुरुषोत्तमाः । पौरुषेणैव यत्नेन याता देवेन्द्रतुल्यताम्
Even others who were afflicted by misery, poverty, and sorrow have, through effort and perseverance alone, attained a status equal to that of Indra, king of the gods.
आ बाल्याच् चैवम् अभ्यस्तैश् शास्त्रसत्सङ्गमादिभिः । गुणैः पुरुषयत्नेन स्वो ऽर्थस् सम्प्राप्यते हि तैः
Indeed, from childhood, by cultivating virtues such as study of scripture and association with the wise, one’s own goal is achieved through human effort.
इति प्रत्यक्षतो दृष्टम् अनुभूतं श्रुतं कृतम् । दैवोत्थम् इति मन्यन्ते ये हतास् ते कुबुद्धयः
Thus, what is seen directly, experienced, heard, and done, all attest to this; those who think everything arises from fate alone are ruined and possess poor understanding.
आलस्यं यदि न भवेज् जगत्य् अनर्थः को न स्याद् बहुधनिको बहुश्रुतो वा । आलस्याद् इयम् अवनिस् ससागरान्ता सम्पूर्णा नरपशुभिश् च निर्धनैश् च
If there were no laziness, what misfortune would remain in the world? Who would not be wealthy or learned? Because of laziness, this earth, bounded by oceans, is filled with human beasts and the destitute.
बाल्ये गते ऽविरतकल्पितकेलिलोले पौगण्डमण्डनवयःप्रभृति प्रयत्नात् । सत्सङ्गमैः पदपदार्थविबुद्धबुद्धिः कुर्यान् नरस् स्वगुणदोषविचारणानि
When childhood has passed, and the mind is no longer absorbed in ceaseless play, from the onset of youth, one should, through effort and noble company, cultivate discernment regarding the true nature of things, and reflect upon one's own virtues and faults.
इत्य् उक्तवत्य् अथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायन्तनाय विधये ऽस्तम् इनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश् च सहाजगाम
After the sage had spoken thus, the day drew to its evening close; the sun set. The assembly, having offered their salutations, went to bathe, and the dusk arrived together with the sun's rays fading.
तस्मात् प्राक्पौरुषं दैवं नान्यत् तत् प्रोज्झ्य दूरतः । साधुसङ्गमसच्छास्त्रैर् जीवम् उत्तारयेद् बलात्
Therefore, only human effort exists before destiny; abandon all else far away. By the force of good company and true scriptures, one should uplift one's life.
यथा यथा प्रयत्नस् स्याद् भवेद् आशु फलं तथा । इति पौरुषम् एवास्ति दैवम् अस्तु तद् एव वः
The greater the effort, the swifter the result will be. Thus, only human effort exists; let destiny be just that for you.
दुःखाद् यथा दुःखकाले हा कष्टम् इति कथ्यते । हाकष्टशब्दपर्यायस् तथा हा दैवम् इत्य् अपि
Just as, in times of suffering, one exclaims 'Alas, how painful!', so too, the word 'destiny' is merely another way of saying 'alas!'
प्राक्स्वकर्मेतराकारं दैवं नाम न विद्यते । बालः प्रबलपुंसेव तज् जेतुम् इह शक्यते
Apart from the form created by one's own past actions, there is no such thing as destiny; like a child facing a strong man, it can be overcome here.
ह्यस्तनो दुष्ट आचार आचारेणाद्य चारुणा । यथाशु शुभतां याति प्राक्तनं कुकृतं तथा
Just as bad conduct from yesterday quickly becomes good today through virtuous behavior, so too, past misdeeds are transformed.
तज्जयाय यतन्ते ये न लाभलवलम्पटाः । ते मूढाः प्राकृता दीनास् स्थिता दैवपरायणाः
Those who strive for victory without clinging to even a trace of gain—such people are deluded, ordinary, pitiable, and remain devoted to fate.
पौरुषेण कृतं कर्म दैवाद् यद् अभिनश्यति । तत्र नाशयितुर् ज्ञेयं पौरुषं बलवत्तरम्
When an action performed by effort is destroyed by fate, in that case, the effort of the destroyer should be understood as more powerful.
यद् एकवृन्तफलयोर् अप्य् एकं शून्यकोटरम् । तत्र प्रयत्नस् स्फुरितस् तथा तद्रससंविदः
When, even among two fruits on a single stalk, one has an empty cavity, there the effort and awareness of the essence differ accordingly.
यत् प्रयान्ति जगद्भावास् संसिद्धा अपि सङ्क्षयम् । क्षयकारकयत्नस्य तत्र ज्ञेयं महद् बलम्
When the phenomena of the world, though perfected, come to destruction, the great power of the effort causing that destruction should be recognized there.
भिक्षुको मङ्गलेभेन नृपो यत् क्रियते बलात् । तद् अमात्येभपौराणां प्रयत्नस्य महत् फलम्
When a beggar is forcibly made king by auspicious means, that is the great result of the effort of ministers, elephants, and citizens.
पौरुषेणान्नम् आक्रम्य यथा दन्तैर् विचूर्ण्यते । अल्पं पौरुषम् आक्रम्य तथा शूरेण चूर्ण्यते
Just as food is seized and crushed by the teeth through effort, so too is a little effort overcome and crushed by a hero.
अनुभूतं हि महतां लाघवं यत्नशालिनाम् । यथेष्टं विनियुज्यन्ते ते तैः कर्मसु लोष्टवत्
Indeed, the ease experienced by the great who are diligent in effort is such that they employ actions as they wish, as if they were mere clods of earth.
शक्तस्य पौरुषं दृश्यम् अदृश्यं वापि यद् भवेत् । तद् दैवम् इत्य् अशक्तेन बुद्धम् आत्मन्य् अबुद्धिना
Whatever effort of the capable is seen or unseen, that is called 'fate' by the incapable, lacking discernment within themselves.
भूतानां बलवद्भूतयत्नो दैवम् इति स्थितम् । तस्थुषाम् अप्य् अधिष्ठातृवताम् एतत् स्फुटं मिथः
The powerful effort of beings is regarded as fate; this is clearly seen even among those who are established as rulers.
शास्त्रामात्येभपौराणाम् अविकल्प्या स्वभावधीः । सा या भिक्षुकराज्यस्य कर्त्री धर्त्री प्रजास्थितेः
The natural discernment of ministers, elephants, and citizens, which is not subject to doubt, is what governs and sustains the state of a kingdom of beggars.