Shloka 40
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
राजर्षि धुन्धुमार यज्ञ करते-करते बूढ़े हो गये तथापि देवताओंके प्रसन्नतापूर्वक दिये हुए वरदानको त्यागकर गिरिवत्रजमें सो गये (यज्ञका फल नहीं पा सके) ।।
rājarṣiḥ dhundhumāraḥ yajñaṃ kurvan kurvan vṛddho 'bhavat tathāpi devatābhiḥ prasannatāpūrvakaṃ dattam varadānaṃ tyaktvā girivraje suṣvāpa (yajñaphalaṃ na prāpa) || pāṇḍavānāṃ hūtaṃ rājyaṃ dhārtarāṣṭra-mahābalaiḥ punaḥ pratyāhṛtaṃ caiva na daivād bhujasaṃśrayāt ||
Bhīṣma dit : Le sage royal Dhundhumāra vieillit en accomplissant des sacrifices ; pourtant, renonçant même au don accordé par des dieux satisfaits, il s’étendit pour dormir à Girivraja, et ne recueillit pas le fruit de son rite. De même, les puissants fils de Dhṛtarāṣṭra s’emparèrent du royaume que les Pāṇḍava avaient acquis de plein droit ; et les Pāṇḍava le reconquirent non en s’en remettant au destin, mais en prenant appui sur la force de leurs propres bras.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not abandon rightful action by leaning on “fate.” Even divine boons or ritual merit become fruitless if one lapses into passivity; success in dharma and kingship requires timely human effort (bhuja-saṃśraya) alongside whatever destiny provides.
Bhishma gives two illustrative cases: (1) the sage-king Dhundhumara, despite long sacrifice and a boon from pleased gods, renounces it and sleeps at Girivraja, losing the sacrifice’s fruit; (2) the Kauravas seize the Pandavas’ kingdom, and the Pandavas regain it through their own strength rather than trusting fate.