Shloka 13
Adhyāya 290: Sāṃkhya-vidhi, Deha-doṣa, Guṇa-vicāra, and Mokṣa-gati
Bhīṣma–Yudhiṣṭhira Dialogue
दैवं तात न पश्यामि नास्ति दैवस्य साधनम् । स्वभावतो हि संसिद्धा देवगन्धर्वदानवा:
daivaṁ tāta na paśyāmi nāsti daivasya sādhanam | svabhāvato hi saṁsiddhā devagandharvadānavāḥ ||
Parāśara berkata: “Wahai anakku, aku tidak melihat adanya ‘takdir’ sebagai suatu kuasa yang berdiri sendiri, dan aku juga tidak melihat sarana yang melahirkan atau menguasai takdir itu. Para dewa, Gandharva, dan Dānava mencapai kemampuan serta keadaan masing-masing menurut sifat semula jadi mereka sendiri.”
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse challenges the idea of an independent, external ‘fate’ (daiva) governing outcomes. It emphasizes svabhāva—innate nature or inherent constitution—as the primary explanatory principle for the capacities and conditions of different beings, implying responsibility and causality rooted in nature rather than an unseen destiny.
Parāśara addresses his son in a didactic context within Śānti Parva’s philosophical discussions. He presents a viewpoint that denies a separate agency called ‘fate’ and instead explains the status of gods, Gandharvas, and Dānavas as arising from their inherent nature.