Shloka 26
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 31 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Instructions to Sañjaya
Peace Appeal and Five-Village Proposal
न त्वेव मन्ये पुरुषस्य कर्म संवर्तते सुप्रयुक्ते यथावत् । मातुः पितु: कर्मणाभिप्रसूत: संवर्धते विधिवद् भोजनेन
sañjaya uvāca | na tveva manye puruṣasya karma saṃvartate suprayukte yathāvat | mātuḥ pituḥ karmaṇābhiprasūtaḥ saṃvardhate vidhivad bhojanena |
قال سنجيا: «ومع ذلك لا أرى أن سعيَ الرجل، وإن أُحسن استعماله وعلى الوجه القويم، يثمر وحده النتيجة المقصودة. فالولد يُولد حقًّا بجهد الأم والأب، لكنه لا ينمو إلا إذا غُذِّي على الوجه الواجب بالطعام وما شابهه. وكذلك مسعى الإنسان يحتاج إلى شروطٍ مساندةٍ خارجةٍ عن قدرته؛ وفي هذا الأمر يكون القدر هو الحاسم.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Sañjaya questions the sufficiency of human effort alone: even well-directed action does not automatically yield results unless supporting conditions align. The verse uses the analogy of a child—conceived through parents’ effort but growing only with proper nourishment—to suggest that outcomes depend on factors beyond personal control, with destiny (daiva) playing a dominant role.
In the Udyoga Parva’s deliberations leading toward war, Sañjaya reflects on causality and responsibility. He frames a philosophical point relevant to political and ethical decision-making: plans and exertions may be sound, yet success is not guaranteed, implying that unseen forces or destiny can override even competent human agency.