Shloka 37

उत्सहन्ते च ते वृत्तिमन्यामप्युपसेवितुम्‌ । स्वकर्मणा तु नियतं भवितव्यं तु तत्‌ तथा,“वे दूसरी वृत्तिका सेवन करनेके लिये भी उत्साह रखते हैं; परंतु अपने कर्मके अनुसार जो नियत है, वैसा ही भविष्यमें होता है

utsahante ca te vṛttim anyām apy upasevitum | svakarmaṇā tu niyataṁ bhavitavyaṁ tu tat tathā ||

Bhīṣma sprach: „Sie mögen sogar Eifer zeigen, auch einen anderen Erwerb zu ergreifen; doch was durch das eigene Karma festgelegt ist, das muss geschehen — und so geschieht es in der Tat.“

उत्सहन्तेthey are eager/they strive
उत्सहन्ते:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootउत्सह् (उत्सहते)
FormLat, Present, Atmanepada, 3, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
तेthey/those
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
वृत्तिम्livelihood/means of living
वृत्तिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्ति
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
अन्याम्another/different
अन्याम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
उपसेवितुम्to practice/engage in/serve
उपसेवितुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootउप-सेव्
FormTumun (infinitive), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada (verbal base), purpose
स्वकर्मणाby one's own action/karma
स्वकर्मणा:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootस्वकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
तुbut/however
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
नियतंfixed/ordained
नियतं:
TypeAdjective
Rootनियत
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
भवितव्यम्is to be / must happen / is destined
भवितव्यम्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormTavya (gerundive/necessitative), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, impersonal (it must be/it is destined)
तुindeed/but
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तत्that (result/thing)
तत्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तथाthus/just so
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma

Educational Q&A

Human beings may attempt to change their occupation or life-course, but the outcome is ultimately shaped by what is determined through their own karma; effort operates within the bounds of karmic causality.

In Bhishma’s instruction during the Shanti Parva, he comments on people’s attempts to adopt alternative livelihoods, emphasizing that what is karmically fixed for a person is what will finally manifest.