Shloka 40
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
राजर्षि धुन्धुमार यज्ञ करते-करते बूढ़े हो गये तथापि देवताओंके प्रसन्नतापूर्वक दिये हुए वरदानको त्यागकर गिरिवत्रजमें सो गये (यज्ञका फल नहीं पा सके) ।।
rājarṣiḥ dhundhumāraḥ yajñaṃ kurvan kurvan vṛddho 'bhavat tathāpi devatābhiḥ prasannatāpūrvakaṃ dattam varadānaṃ tyaktvā girivraje suṣvāpa (yajñaphalaṃ na prāpa) || pāṇḍavānāṃ hūtaṃ rājyaṃ dhārtarāṣṭra-mahābalaiḥ punaḥ pratyāhṛtaṃ caiva na daivād bhujasaṃśrayāt ||
ビーシュマは言った。「王仙ドゥンドゥマーラは祭祀を行ううちに老いた。しかも、神々が喜んで授けた恩寵の賜物さえ捨て、ギリヴラジャに横たわって眠りについたため、祭祀の果報を得なかった。同じく、持国王の強大な息子たちは、パーンダヴァが正当に得た王国を奪ったが、パーンダヴァは天命に寄りかからず、自らの腕力に拠ってそれを再び取り戻した。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not abandon rightful action by leaning on “fate.” Even divine boons or ritual merit become fruitless if one lapses into passivity; success in dharma and kingship requires timely human effort (bhuja-saṃśraya) alongside whatever destiny provides.
Bhishma gives two illustrative cases: (1) the sage-king Dhundhumara, despite long sacrifice and a boon from pleased gods, renounces it and sleeps at Girivraja, losing the sacrifice’s fruit; (2) the Kauravas seize the Pandavas’ kingdom, and the Pandavas regain it through their own strength rather than trusting fate.