Shloka 19
Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization
केचित् पुरुषकार तु प्राहु: कर्मसु मानवा: । दैवमित्यपरे विप्रा: स्वभावं भूतचिन्तका:
kecit puruṣakāraṃ tu prāhuḥ karmasu mānavāḥ | daivam ity apare viprāḥ svabhāvaṃ bhūtacintakāḥ ||
मनुष्यों में कुछ लोग कर्मों की सिद्धि में पुरुषार्थ को ही प्रधान मानते हैं। दूसरे विद्वान ब्राह्मण दैव को निर्णायक कहते हैं, और भूतचिन्तक नास्तिकगण स्वभाव को ही कार्यसिद्धि का कारण बताते हैं।
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents three competing explanations for the success of actions—personal effort (puruṣakāra), destiny/providence (daiva), and innate nature (svabhāva)—inviting reflection on moral responsibility and how one should attribute outcomes.
In Śānti Parva’s reflective discourse, Vyāsa introduces a philosophical debate by reporting differing viewpoints held by various groups, setting up a broader inquiry into causality, agency, and the grounds for ethical action.