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Shloka 19

Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization

केचित्‌ पुरुषकार तु प्राहु: कर्मसु मानवा: । दैवमित्यपरे विप्रा: स्वभावं भूतचिन्तका:,कुछ लोग कर्मोंकी सिद्धिमें पुरुषार्थको ही प्रधान मानते हैं। दूसरे ब्राह्मण दैवको प्रधानता देते हैं और भूतचिन्तक नास्तिकगण स्वभावको ही कार्यसिद्धिका कारण बताते हैं

kecit puruṣakāraṃ tu prāhuḥ karmasu mānavāḥ | daivam ity apare viprāḥ svabhāvaṃ bhūtacintakāḥ ||

ヴィヤーサは言った。人々の中には、行為の成就において人の努力(プルシャカーラ)こそが第一の因であると説く者がいる。別の者たち—学識あるバラモン—は、天命(ダイヴァ)こそ決定の力だと言う。さらに、諸元素を論じて高次の主宰を否定する者は、生得の自性(スヴァバーヴァ)だけが行為の果をもたらすのだと断言する。

केचित्some (people)
केचित्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootक- (किम्-प्रातिपदिक; केचित् = के + चित्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पुरुषकारम्human effort, exertion
पुरुषकारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुषकार
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
प्राहुःsay, declare
प्राहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + अह् (धा. ‘अह्/ब्रू’ = to say; perfect form)
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
कर्मसुin actions/works
कर्मसु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
मानवाःmen, humans
मानवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
दैवम्fate, destiny, divine dispensation
दैवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदैव
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इतिthus/so (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विप्राःbrahmins, learned men
विप्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्वभावम्nature, inherent disposition
स्वभावम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्वभाव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भूतचिन्तकाःthinkers about (only) elements/beings; materialists
भूतचिन्तकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभूतचिन्तक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
M
mānavāḥ (human beings)
V
viprāḥ (Brahmins)
B
bhūtacintakāḥ (naturalist thinkers)

Educational Q&A

The verse presents three competing explanations for the success of actions—personal effort (puruṣakāra), destiny/providence (daiva), and innate nature (svabhāva)—inviting reflection on moral responsibility and how one should attribute outcomes.

In Śānti Parva’s reflective discourse, Vyāsa introduces a philosophical debate by reporting differing viewpoints held by various groups, setting up a broader inquiry into causality, agency, and the grounds for ethical action.