Shloka 24

दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort

Devanagari script

न दैवतानि लोके5स्मिन्‌ व्यापारं यान्ति कस्यचित्‌ । व्यासडूं जनयन्त्युग्रमात्माभिभवशड्कया

Transliteration

na daivatāni loke 'smin vyāpāraṃ yānti kasyacit | vyāsaduṃ janayanty ugraṃ ātmābhibhavaśaṅkayā ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ଦେବତାମାନେ କାହାର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟବ୍ୟବହାରରେ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ହସ୍ତକ୍ଷେପ କରନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ। କିନ୍ତୁ କୌଣସି ପରମ ପୁଣ୍ୟାତ୍ମା ପୁରୁଷ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଅତିକ୍ରମ କରିଦେବେ ବୋଲି ଆଶଙ୍କା କରି, ସେମାନେ ତାହାର ମନରେ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଆସକ୍ତି ଜନ୍ମାନ୍ତି; ଯାହାରେ ତାହାର ଧର୍ମାଚରଣରେ ବିଘ୍ନ ଉପସ୍ଥିତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• दैवतानि: the deities
• दैवतानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यापारम्: activity; intervention
• व्यापारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यापार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यान्ति: go; engage (in)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (गत्यर्थक धातु)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कस्यचित्: of anyone; for anyone (in context)
• कस्यचित्: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• व्यासदुः: they (as 'vyāsaduḥ'—uncertain reading)
• व्यासदुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यासदु (पाठभेद/दुर्लभ-रूप)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जनयन्ति: cause to arise; generate
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (जनने)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Causative (णिच्)

• उग्रम्: fierce; intense
• उग्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आत्माभिभवशङ्कया: by fear of their own defeat/being overcome
• आत्माभिभवशङ्कया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + अभिभव + शङ्का
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• daivatāni (the gods/deities)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse cautions that ethical and spiritual life should not rely on expectations of divine endorsement or intervention; even subtle temptations—like intense attachment—can arise and obstruct dharma, so vigilance and self-mastery are essential.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma, instructing on dharma in the Anuśāsana Parva, explains a moral-psychological dynamic: deities are not portrayed as managing each person’s karmic affairs; instead, obstacles such as powerful attachment may arise, disrupting a virtuous person’s steady pursuit of righteousness.