इत्थं ममाभवद् बुद्धिर् इत्थं मे निश्चयो ह्य् अभूत् । इति कर्मफलावाप्तिर् योक्तिस् तद् दैवम् उच्यते
The thought, 'Thus was my understanding, thus was my resolve,' and the attainment of the result of action—this reasoning is what is called fate.
इष्टानिष्टफलावाप्ताव् एवम् इत्यर्थवाचकम् । आश्वासनामात्रवचो दैवम् इत्य् एव कथ्यते
The expression 'thus' regarding the attainment of desirable or undesirable results is merely a word of consolation; this alone is what is called fate.
भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ प्राग् यत् कर्मोपसञ्चितम् । तद् एतद् दैवम् इत्य् उक्तम् अपमृष्टं कथं त्वया
O Lord, knower of all dharmas, the actions previously accumulated—this is what is called fate; how have you dismissed it?
साधु राघव जानासि शृणु वक्ष्यामि ते ऽखिलम् । दैवं नास्तीति ते येन स्थिरा बुद्धिर् भविष्यति
Well said, Raghava, you understand; listen, I will tell you everything, so that your understanding will become firm in the view that fate does not exist.
या मग्ना वासना पूर्वं बभूव किल भूरिशः । सैवेयं कर्मभावेन नॄणां परिणतिं गता
The inclination that was once deeply embedded in the past has now, through the force of action, reached its fruition in people.
जन्तुर् यद्वासनो नाम तत्कर्मा भवति क्षणात् । अन्यकर्मान्यभावश् चेत्य् एतन् नैवोपपद्यते
A creature’s actions instantly follow its inherent tendencies; the absence of other actions or tendencies does not occur.
ग्रामगो ग्रामम् आप्नोति पत्तनार्थी च पत्तनम् । यो यो यद्वासनस् तत् तत् स स प्रयतते तथा
One who desires a village attains a village; one who seeks a city attains a city. Each strives according to their own inclination.
यद् एव तीव्रसंवेगाद् इह कर्म कृतं पुरा । तद् एव दैवशब्देन पर्यायेण हि कथ्यते
Whatever actions were performed here in the past with intense resolve are, by convention, referred to as 'destiny.'
एवं दैवं स्वकर्माणि कर्म प्रौढा स्ववासना । वासना मनसो नान्या मनो हि पुरुषस् स्मृतः
Thus, destiny is one’s own actions; actions are the mature form of one’s inclinations. Inclination is not different from the mind, for the mind is regarded as the person.
यद् दैवं तानि कर्माणि कर्म साधो मनो हि तत् । मनो हि पुरुषस् तस्माद् दैवं नास्तीति निश्चयः
What is called destiny is simply those actions; action, indeed, is the mind. Since the mind is the person, it is certain that destiny does not exist apart from it.
एकम् एव मनो जन्तोर् यथा प्रयतते हि यत् । नूनं तत् तद् अवाप्नोति स्वत एव न दैवतः
Whatever a creature’s mind strives for, it surely attains that by its own effort, not by destiny.
मनश् चित्तं वासना च कर्म दैवं स्वनिश्चयः । राम पुंनिश्चयस्यैतास् सञ्ज्ञास् सद्भिर् उदाहृताः
Mind, consciousness, inclination, action, destiny, and self-determination—these are the terms used by the wise for the resolve of a person, O Rama.
एवंनामा हि पुरुषो दृढभावनया यथा । नित्यं प्रयतते राम फलम् आप्नोत्य् अलं तथा
Indeed, a person who is steadfast in such conviction, Rama, strives constantly and thereby attains the desired result accordingly.
एवं पुरुषकारेण सर्वम् एव रघूद्वह । प्राप्यते नेतरेणेह तस्मात् स शुभदो ऽस्तु ते
In this way, O best of the Raghu lineage, everything is attained through personal effort alone, not otherwise; therefore, may such auspicious effort be yours.
प्राक्तनं वासनाजालं नियोजयति मां यथा । मुने तथैव तिष्ठामि कृपणः किं करोम्य् अहम्
Just as the web of past tendencies directs me, O sage, so I remain, helpless—what can I do?
अत एव हि हे राम श्रेयः प्राप्नोषि शाश्वतम् । स्वप्रयत्नोपनीतेन पौरुषेणैव नान्यथा
Therefore, O Rama, you attain the highest good, eternal and supreme, only by your own effort and personal endeavor, not otherwise.
द्विविधो वासनाव्यूहश् शुभश् चैवाशुभश् च ते । प्राक्तनो विद्यते राम द्वयोर् एकतरो ऽथ वा
There are two kinds of accumulations of tendencies: virtuous and non-virtuous; one or the other, or both, exist from the past, O Rama.
वासनौघेन शुद्धेन तत्र चेद् अद्य नीयसे । तत् क्रमेण शुभेनैव पदं प्राप्नोषि शाश्वतम्
If today you are led by a current of pure tendencies, then, by that virtue, you will gradually attain the eternal state.
अथ चेद् अशुभो भावस् त्वां योजयति सङ्कटे । प्राक्तनस् तद् असौ यत्नाज् जेतव्यो भवता बलात्
But if a non-virtuous disposition binds you in difficulty, then that past tendency must be forcefully overcome by your effort.
प्राज्ञ चेतनमात्रं त्वं न देहस् त्वं जडात्मकः । तद् एव चेतस्य् अन्येन चेत् तत् त्वं क्वेव विद्यसे
You are pure consciousness, wise one, not this inert body; if you are identified with another mind, then where and what are you truly?
अन्यस् त्वां चेतयति चेत् तत् त्वय्य् असति को ऽपरः । कम् इमं चेतयेत् तस्माद् अनवस्था न वास्तवी
If another causes your awareness, then, in your absence, who else could do so? Who would cause this awareness? Therefore, instability is not real.
शुभाशुभाभ्यां मार्गाभ्यां वहन्ती वासनासरित् । पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन योजनीया शुभे पथि
The river of tendencies flows along paths of good and evil; by human effort and diligence, it should be directed onto the path of virtue.
अशुभेषु समाविष्टं शुभेष्व् एवावतारयेत् । स्वमनः पुरुषार्थेन बलेन बलिनां वर
When immersed in evil, one should bring one's mind back to virtue by purposeful effort and strength, O best among the strong.
अशुभाच् चलितं याति शुभं तस्माद् अपीतरत् । जन्तोश् चित्तं तु पशुवत् तस्मात् तत् पालयेत् सदा
When it turns away from evil, it moves toward good, and otherwise as well; the mind of a creature is like that of an animal, so it should always be guarded.
समतासान्त्वनेनाशु न द्रागिति शनैश् शनैः । पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन पालयेच् चित्तबालकम्
By soothing it with equanimity—not quickly, but gradually, step by step—one should guard the childlike mind with human effort and diligence.
वासनौघस् त्वया पूर्वम् अभ्यासेन घनीकृतः । शुभो वाप्य् अशुभो राम शुभम् अद्य घनीकुरु
The mass of tendencies you previously strengthened through practice, whether good or evil, O Rama, now strengthen the good ones.
प्रागभ्यासवशाद् याता यदा ते वासनोदयम् । तदाभ्यासस्य साफल्यं विद्धि त्वम् अरिमर्दन
When, through the force of prior practice, your tendencies arise, then know that the practice has borne fruit, O destroyer of foes.
इदानीम् अपि ते याति घनतां वासनानघ । अभ्यासवशतस् तस्माच् छुभाभ्यासम् उपाहर
Even now, your tendencies are becoming strong, O sinless one; therefore, by the power of practice, cultivate the practice of virtue.
पूर्वं चेद् घनतां याता नाभ्यासात् तव वासना । वर्धिष्यते तु नेदानीम् अपि तात सुखी भव
If previously your tendencies had become strong through lack of practice, they would increase even now; but as it is, dear one, be happy.
सन्दिग्धायाम् अपि भृशं शुभम् एव समाहर । अस्यां तु वासनावृद्धौ शुभाद् दोषो न कश्चन
Even when in doubt, always cultivate what is good; in the growth of these tendencies, there is no fault in pursuing the good.