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 ||
Disse Vyāsa: Entre os homens, alguns declaram que o esforço pessoal (puruṣakāra) é o fator principal no êxito das ações. Outros—brâmanes eruditos—chamam o destino (daiva) de poder decisivo; enquanto aqueles que especulam sobre os elementos e negam uma agência superior afirmam que apenas a natureza inata (svabhāva) faz frutificar os atos.
व्यास उवाच
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.