Shloka 14
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Saṃvāda
Kṛpa’s Counsel on Destiny and Human Effort
चेष्टामकुर्वल्लैभते यदि किंचिद् यदृच्छया । यो वा न लभते कृत्वा दुर्दर्शा तावुभावषि
ceṣṭām akurvan laibhate yadi kiñcid yadṛcchayā | yo vā na labhate kṛtvā durdarśā tāv ubhāv api ||
Dijo Kṛpa: «Si alguien, sin esforzarse, llega a obtener algo sólo por azar, o si otro, aun esforzándose, no obtiene nada, hallar a cualquiera de esos dos tipos de hombres es sumamente raro».
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two extremes—gain without effort and lack of gain despite effort—to highlight the unpredictability of outcomes and to provoke reflection on the relationship between human agency (ceṣṭā/puruṣārtha) and chance or fate (yadṛcchā).
In the Sauptika Parva’s tense aftermath of the war, Kṛpa speaks in a reflective, advisory tone, commenting on how results do not always align with effort—an observation relevant to decisions and moral judgment in a chaotic, consequence-laden moment.