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.
ऐहिकः प्राक्तनं हन्ति प्राक्तनो ऽद्यतनं बलात् । सर्वदा पुरुषस्पन्दस् तत्रानुद्वेगवाञ् जयी
The present destroys the past, and the past forcibly overcomes the present; yet always, the effort of a person who remains undisturbed is victorious therein.
द्वयोर् अद्यतनस्यैव प्रत्यक्षाद् बलिता भवेत् । दैवं जेतुम् अतो यत्नैर् बालो यूनेव शक्यते
Of the two, the present is stronger than the visible; thus, with effort, fate can be overcome, just as a child can be subdued by a youth.
मेघेन नीयते यद् वा वत्सरोपार्जिता कृषिः । मेघस्य पुरुषार्थो ऽसौ जयत्य् अधिकयत्नवान्
If a year's harvest, gained through effort, is carried away by a cloud, then the effort to influence the cloud prevails when one applies greater exertion.
क्रमेणोपार्जिते ऽप्य् अर्थे नष्टे कार्या न खेदिता । न बलं यत्र मे शक्तं तत्र का परिदेवना
When wealth acquired gradually is lost, one should not be distressed; where my strength is powerless, what is the use of lamentation?
यन् न शक्नोमि तस्यार्थे यदि दुःखं करोम्य् अहम् । तद् अमानितमृत्योर् मे युक्तं प्रत्यहरोदनम्
If I grieve over what I cannot accomplish, then that is a withdrawal befitting one who is unmindful of death.
देशकालक्रियाद्रव्यवशतो विस्फुरन्त्य् अमी । सर्व एव जगद्भावा जयत्य् अधिकयत्नवान्
All the conditions of the world arise according to place, time, action, and material; yet, one who exerts greater effort prevails over them all.
तस्मात् पौरुषम् आश्रित्य सच्छास्त्रैस् सत्समागमैः । प्रज्ञाम् अमलतां नीत्वा संसाराम्बुनिधिं तर
Therefore, relying on your own effort, and through true scriptures and association with the good, bring your understanding to purity and cross the ocean of worldly existence.
प्राक्तनश् चैहिकश् चेमौ पुरुषार्थौ फलद्रुमौ । ऐहिकः पुरुषार्थश् च जयत्य् अभ्यधिकस् तयोः
Both the past and present pursuits of human aims are trees bearing fruit; but the present pursuit surpasses the other and prevails.
कर्म यः प्राक्तनं तुच्छं न निहन्ति शुभेहितैः । अज्ञो जन्तुर् अनीशो ऽसौ वाङ्मनस्सुखदुःखयोः
He who does not dispel the insignificance of past actions by good deeds is an ignorant creature, powerless over the happiness and sorrow of speech and mind.
यस् तूदारचमत्कारस् सदाचारविहारवान् । स निर्याति जगन्मोहान् मृगेन्द्रः पञ्जराद् इव
But he who possesses noble wonder and lives in good conduct departs from the delusion of the world like a lion from its cage.
कश्चिन् मां प्रेरयत्य् एवम् इत्य् अनर्थकुकल्पने । यस् स्थितो दृष्टम् उत्सृज्य त्याज्यो ऽसौ दूरतो ऽधमः
The notion, 'Someone else impels me to act thus,' is a harmful delusion; whoever holds to this view, abandoning what is evident, should be shunned from afar as base.
व्यवहारसहस्राणि यान्य् उपायान्ति यान्ति च । यथाशास्त्रं विहर्तव्यं तेषु त्यक्त्वा सुखासुखे
Among the thousands of transactions that come and go, one should act according to the scriptures, having abandoned pleasure and pain in them.
यथाशास्त्रम् अनुच्छिन्नां मर्यादां स्वाम् अनुज्झतः । उपतिष्ठन्ति सर्वाणि रत्नान्य् अम्बुनिधेर् इव
For one who does not abandon the unbroken boundary of scriptural conduct, all treasures arise, as if from the ocean.
स्वार्थप्रापककार्यैकप्रयत्नपरता बुधैः । प्रोक्ता पौरुषशब्देन सा सिद्ध्यै शास्त्रयन्त्रिता
The wise have described single-minded effort toward attaining one's own purpose as 'human effort'; it succeeds when guided by scripture.
क्रियायास् स्पन्दधर्मिण्यास् स्वार्थसाधकता स्वयम् । साधुसङ्गमसच्छास्त्रतीक्ष्णयाभ्यूह्यते धिया
When action is vibrant and dynamic, it naturally accomplishes its own purpose; this is sharpened by the intellect through association with the virtuous and study of true scriptures.
अनन्तं समतानन्दं परमार्थं विदुर् बुधाः । स येभ्यः प्राप्यते ऽत्यन्तं ते सेव्याश् शास्त्रसाधवः
The wise know the supreme reality as endless, equal bliss; those by whom it is fully attained are the true teachers and scriptures to be served.
प्राक्तनं पौरुषं तच् चेद् दैवशब्देन कथ्यते । तद् युक्तम् एतद् एतस्मिन् नाम्नि नापवदामहे
If previous effort is referred to by the term 'destiny,' then it is appropriate; in this context, we do not reject that name.
मूढैः प्रकल्पितं दैवम् अन्यद् यैस् ते क्षयं गताः । नित्यं स्वपौरुषाद् एव लोकद्वयहितं भवेत्
Destiny imagined by the foolish as something else has led them to ruin; always, only one's own effort brings benefit to both worlds.
ह्यस्तनी दुष्क्रियाभ्येति शोभां सत्क्रियया यथा । अद्यैवं प्राक्तनी तस्माद् यत्नात् सत्कार्यवान् भव
Just as yesterday's wrong actions are replaced by today's good deeds with beauty, so too, previous actions are overcome; therefore, strive to be a doer of noble acts.
करामलकवद् दृष्टं पौरुषाद् एव यत् फलम् । मूढः प्रत्यक्षम् उत्सृज्य दैवमोहे निमज्जति
The fruit of effort is as clearly seen as an amla fruit in one's palm; the foolish, ignoring what is obvious, sink into the delusion of destiny.