Shloka 13
अध्याय १७८ — प्राणवायुगतिः तथा शारीराग्निव्यवस्था
Adhyāya 178 — The courses of prāṇa-vāyu and the regulation of the bodily fire
यदि वाप्युपपद्येत पौरुषं नाम करहिचित् | अन्विष्यमाणं तदपि दैवमेवावतिष्ठते,“यदि कभी कोई पुरुषार्थ सफल होता दिखायी देता है तो वहाँ भी खोज करनेपर दैवका ही सहयोग सिद्ध होता है
yadi vāpy upapadyeta pauruṣaṁ nāma karhicit | anviṣyamāṇaṁ tad api daivam evāvatiṣṭhate ||
ビーシュマは言った。「たとえいつか『人の努力』と呼ばれるものが成功しているように見えても、つぶさに探れば、決定的な支えとして背後に立つのは、やはり天命ただそれのみである。」
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when personal effort seems to achieve results, deeper reflection shows that destiny (daiva)—the larger causal order, often understood through karma—remains the decisive enabling factor. Therefore one should act without arrogance, acknowledging limits of control and cultivating humility.
In the Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and the principles governing life after the war. Here he emphasizes the relationship between human striving (pauruṣa/puruṣārtha) and destiny (daiva), arguing that apparent success of effort still depends on providential support.