Shloka 16
Uttanka’s Inquiry and Vāsudeva’s Adhyātma Exposition
Guṇa–Ritual–Immanence Teaching
न दिष्टमप्यतिक्रान्तुं शक््यं बुद्धया बलेन वा,महर्षे! प्रारब्धके विधानको कोई बुद्धि अथवा बलसे नहीं मिटा सकता। अनघ! आपको तो ये सब बातें मालूम ही होंगी कि कौरवोंने मेरी, भीष्मजीकी तथा विदुरजीकी सम्मतिको भी ठुकरा दिया
na diṣṭam apy atikrāntuṁ śakyaṁ buddhyā balena vā, maharṣe! prārabdhake vidhānako ko'pi buddhi athavā balena na miṭā sakatā. anagha! āpako to ye sab bāteṁ mālūm hī hoṅgī ki kauravoṁ ne merī, bhīṣmajīkī tathā vidurajīkī sammatiko bhī ṭhukrā diyā.
वैशम्पायन उवाच—न दिष्टमप्यतिक्रान्तुं शक्यं बुद्ध्या बलेन वा, महर्षे । न हि प्रारब्धं फलवद्भूतं केनचिद् व्यपनीयते । अनघ! त्वं ह्येतत् सर्वं जानासि—कौरवाः मम भीष्मस्य विदुरस्य च सम्मतिमपि प्रत्याख्यान्ति ॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the force of diṣṭa/prārabdha—events already set in motion by destiny (fructifying karma) cannot be nullified merely through cleverness or power. Ethically, it also implies that ignoring wise counsel (especially dharmic counsel) accelerates ruin when fate is already turning adverse.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains to the addressed sage that the Kauravas’ downfall was not only a matter of poor choices but also of destiny already ripening; they even spurned the well-intentioned advice of respected elders and counselors—Vaiśaṃpāyana himself, Bhīṣma, and Vidura—thereby sealing the course toward conflict and catastrophe.