Shloka 16
Uttanka’s Inquiry and Vāsudeva’s Adhyātma Exposition
Guṇa–Ritual–Immanence Teaching
न दिष्टमप्यतिक्रान्तुं शक््यं बुद्धया बलेन वा,महर्षे! प्रारब्धके विधानको कोई बुद्धि अथवा बलसे नहीं मिटा सकता। अनघ! आपको तो ये सब बातें मालूम ही होंगी कि कौरवोंने मेरी, भीष्मजीकी तथा विदुरजीकी सम्मतिको भी ठुकरा दिया
na diṣṭam apy atikrāntuṁ śakyaṁ buddhyā balena vā, maharṣe! prārabdhake vidhānako ko'pi buddhi athavā balena na miṭā sakatā. anagha! āpako to ye sab bāteṁ mālūm hī hoṅgī ki kauravoṁ ne merī, bhīṣmajīkī tathā vidurajīkī sammatiko bhī ṭhukrā diyā.
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai maharsi, apa yang telah ditetapkan oleh takdir tak dapat dilampaui—baik oleh kecerdasan maupun oleh kekuatan. Tiada seorang pun mampu menghapus prārabdha yang telah mulai berbuah sebagai ketentuan nasib. Wahai yang tak bercela, engkau tentu mengetahui semuanya: para Kaurava menolak nasihatku, bahkan juga nasihat Bhīṣma dan Vidura.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the force of diṣṭa/prārabdha—events already set in motion by destiny (fructifying karma) cannot be nullified merely through cleverness or power. Ethically, it also implies that ignoring wise counsel (especially dharmic counsel) accelerates ruin when fate is already turning adverse.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains to the addressed sage that the Kauravas’ downfall was not only a matter of poor choices but also of destiny already ripening; they even spurned the well-intentioned advice of respected elders and counselors—Vaiśaṃpāyana himself, Bhīṣma, and Vidura—thereby sealing the course toward conflict and catastrophe.