Shloka 24
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
न दैवतानि लोके5स्मिन् व्यापारं यान्ति कस्यचित् । व्यासडूं जनयन्त्युग्रमात्माभिभवशड्कया
na daivatāni loke 'smin vyāpāraṃ yānti kasyacit | vyāsaduṃ janayanty ugraṃ ātmābhibhavaśaṅkayā ||
Bhishma berkata: Di dunia ini para dewa tidak campur tangan secara langsung dalam urusan siapa pun. Namun, karena takut seorang insan yang sungguh saleh akan melampaui mereka, mereka dapat membangkitkan keterikatan yang dahsyat di dalam dirinya—sehingga rintangan muncul dalam laku dharmanya.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse cautions that ethical and spiritual life should not rely on expectations of divine endorsement or intervention; even subtle temptations—like intense attachment—can arise and obstruct dharma, so vigilance and self-mastery are essential.
Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma in the Anuśāsana Parva, explains a moral-psychological dynamic: deities are not portrayed as managing each person’s karmic affairs; instead, obstacles such as powerful attachment may arise, disrupting a virtuous person’s steady pursuit of righteousness.