Shloka 11
उत्थानं च मनुष्याणां दक्षाणां दैववर्जितम् । अफल दृश्यते लोके सम्यगप्युपपादितम्,चतुर मनुष्योंद्वारा अच्छी तरह सम्पादित किया हुआ पुरुषार्थ भी यदि दैवके सहयोगसे वंचित है तो वह संसारमें निष्फल होता दिखायी देता है
utthānaṃ ca manuṣyāṇāṃ dakṣāṇāṃ daivavarjitam | aphalaṃ dṛśyate loke samyag apy upapāditam ||
Kṛpa said: Even the energetic striving of capable people, if deprived of the support of destiny, is seen in this world to become fruitless—though it may have been carried out with full care and competence. The verse underscores a sober ethical reflection in the war’s aftermath: human effort matters, yet outcomes can still be overturned by forces beyond one’s control, urging humility and restraint in judging success or failure.
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that even well-executed human effort (puruṣārtha/utthāna) can fail if the factor of destiny (daiva) is absent; therefore one should act diligently yet remain humble about outcomes and avoid harsh moral judgment based solely on success.
In the Sauptika Parva’s tense aftermath of the great war, Kṛpa reflects on causality and results: he remarks that competence and careful planning do not guarantee success when destiny does not align, framing the characters’ deliberations with a fatalistic, cautionary tone.