Shloka 15
Śaṅkha–Likhita Upākhyāna: Daṇḍa, Confession, and the Purification of Kingship (शङ्ख-लिखितोपाख्यानम्)
दैवेनाभ्याहतो राजा कर्मकाले महद्ुते । न साधयति यत् कर्म न तत्राहुरतिक्रमम्
daivenābhyāhato rājā karmakāle mahadute | na sādhayati yat karma na tatrāhur atikramam ||
ବୈଶମ୍ପାୟନ କହିଲେ—“କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକାଳରେ ଦୈବାଘାତ ପାଇ ଯଦି ରାଜା ନିଜ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସିଦ୍ଧ କରିପାରେ ନାହିଁ, ତେବେ ଜ୍ଞାନୀମାନେ ତାହାକୁ ଧର୍ମାତିକ୍ରମ କହନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ। ସେ ଅସଫଳତା କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟଭଙ୍ଗ ନୁହେଁ; ପ୍ରବଳ ଭାଗ୍ୟର ଫଳ ବୋଲି ଧରାଯାଏ।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
If a ruler fails to complete an intended duty because overpowering fate intervenes at the crucial moment, that failure is not judged as a willful breach of dharma; culpability depends on intention and agency, not merely on outcome.
Vaiśampāyana states a general principle used in ethical reasoning: when circumstances attributed to daiva obstruct a king during the time of action, the tradition does not label the resulting non-fulfillment as an atikrama (transgression).