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Shloka 4

Adhyātma-krama: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman Hierarchy and Citta-Prasāda (आध्यात्मक्रमः)

पौरुषं कारणं केचिदाहु: कर्मसु मानवा: । दैवमेके प्रशंसन्ति स्वभावमपरे जना:,कुछ मनुष्य कर्मोमें पुरुषार्थको कारण बताते हैं। कोई-कोई दैव (प्रारब्ध अथवा भावी) की प्रशंसा करते हैं और दूसरे लोग स्वभावके गुण गाते हैं

pauruṣaṃ kāraṇaṃ kecid āhuḥ karmasu mānavāḥ | daivam eke praśaṃsanti svabhāvam apare janāḥ ||

వ్యాసుడు పలికెను—కొంతమంది మనుష్యులు కర్మలలో పురుషార్థమే కారణమని చెబుతారు. మరికొందరు దైవం (భాగ్యం)ను ప్రశంసిస్తారు; ఇంకొందరు స్వభావాన్నే ప్రధానమని అంటారు.

पौरुषम्human effort, manly exertion
पौरुषम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपौरुष
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
कारणम्cause
कारणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकारण
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
केचित्some (people)
केचित्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootक-चित्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
आहुःsay, declare
आहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootअह्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
कर्मसुin actions, in deeds
कर्मसु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
मानवाःmen, humans
मानवाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमानव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
दैवम्fate, destiny, divine dispensation
दैवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदैव
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
एकेsome (others)
एके:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
प्रशंसन्तिpraise, extol
प्रशंसन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-शंस्
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
स्वभावम्one's own nature, inherent disposition
स्वभावम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्वभाव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
जनाःpeople
जनाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
M
mānavāḥ (human beings)

Educational Q&A

The verse presents three commonly asserted causes of action—personal effort (pauruṣa), destiny (daiva), and innate nature (svabhāva)—inviting reflection on how moral responsibility and ethical judgment should be understood when multiple causal explanations compete.

In the Śānti Parva’s reflective discourse, Vyāsa introduces a philosophical debate about what drives human action. This line sets up a broader inquiry into agency, causality, and dharma—how one should act and be held accountable amid claims of fate or inborn disposition.