Shloka 20
अकृत्वा मानुषं कर्म यो दैवमनुवर्तते । वृथा श्राम्यति सम्प्राप्पय पतिं क्लीबमिवाड़ना
akṛtvā mānuṣaṁ karma yo daivam anuvartate | vṛthā śrāmyati samprāpya patiṁ klībam ivāṅganā ||
ビーシュマは言った。「人としてなすべき努力（プルシャールタ）をなさず、ただ『天命』（ダイヴァ）なるものに従う者は、運命に寄りかかって徒に疲れ果てるだけである。それは、夫を得ながらなお苦しむ女のようなものだ——その夫が不能だからである。教えは明らかだ。ダルマは目的ある人間の精進を求める。なすべき務めを果たさず天命を口にしても、得られるのは苛立ちと無果のみ。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not abandon proper human effort (mānuṣa-karma) and hide behind ‘fate’ (daiva). Dharma is fulfilled through responsible action; relying on destiny alone leads to wasted hardship and no meaningful result.
Bhīṣma is instructing on nīti and dharma, warning against fatalism. He uses a sharp simile: just as a woman suffers even after ‘obtaining a husband’ if he is klība (incapable), so too a person suffers fruitlessly when ‘destiny’ is treated as the sole support while one’s own duty is left undone.