Shloka 50

Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma

Devanagari script

कुर्वतो नार्थसिद्धिर्मे भवतीति ह भारत । निर्वेदो नात्र कर्तव्यो द्वावन्यौ हात्र कारणम्‌,भारत! पुरुषार्थ करनेपर भी यदि अपनेको सिद्धि न प्राप्त हो तो इस बातको लेकर मन-ही-मन खिन्न नहीं होना चाहिये; क्योंकि फलकी सिद्धिमें पुरुषार्थके सिवा दो और भी कारण हैं--प्रारब्ध और ईश्वरकृपा

Transliteration

kurvato nārthasiddhir me bhavatīti ha bhārata | nirvedo nātra kartavyo dvāv anyau hātra kāraṇam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O Bhārata, even when one exerts oneself, if success in one’s intended aim does not come, one should not sink into inner dejection over it. For in the attainment of results there are, besides human effort, two other causes as well.”

Word by Word

• {'kurvataḥ': 'of one who is acting/striving

• while making effort', 'na': 'not', 'artha-siddhiḥ': 'accomplishment of the desired end

• success in one’s purpose', 'me': 'to me / for me', 'bhavati': 'happens

• comes to be', 'iti ha': 'thus indeed (quotative/emphatic particle)', 'bhārata': 'O Bhārata (address to a descendant of Bharata

• here, a vocative of address)', 'nirvedaḥ': 'despondency

• inner discouragement', 'na atra': 'not here/in this matter', 'kartavyaḥ': 'ought to be done

• should be adopted', 'dvau': 'two', 'anyau': 'other (besides the one already mentioned)', 'atra': 'here

• in this context', 'kāraṇam': 'cause

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Bhārata

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should not fall into dejection when results do not match one’s effort, because outcomes are not produced by effort alone; other causal factors also operate. The ethical emphasis is on steady, responsible action without inner collapse when success is delayed or denied.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses “Bhārata” and reflects on the relationship between human striving and the attainment of results, advising against discouragement when one’s aims are not fulfilled despite effort.