Shloka 56
Nakula’s Adaptive Counsel to Kṛṣṇa in the Kuru Assembly (उद्योगपर्व, अध्याय ७८)
दैवं तु न मया शक्यं कर्म कर्तु कथंचन । मैं पुरुषार्थसे जितना हो सकता है
daivaṃ tu na mayā śakyaṃ karma kartuṃ kathaṃcana |
Arjuna sagte: „Doch was vom Schicksal verordnet ist, vermag ich auf keinerlei Weise zu bewirken. Ich werde die größtmögliche menschliche Anstrengung aufbieten, um Frieden und Versöhnung zu stiften; aber dem Spruch des Geschicks—dem prārabdha—auszuweichen oder ihn zu ändern, liegt nicht in meiner Macht.“
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical balance: one must apply maximum human effort toward a righteous goal (here, peace), while recognizing that the final outcome may be governed by daiva/prārabdha beyond personal control. Responsibility lies in sincere effort, not in guaranteeing results.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Arjuna expresses resolve to strive for a settlement, yet acknowledges that if destiny has fixed the course toward conflict, he cannot overturn that decree—only act rightly within his capacity.