Shloka 7

यथा बीजं विना क्षेत्रमुप्तं भवति निष्फलम्‌ | तथा पुरुषकारेण विना दैवं न सिध्यति,जैसे बीज खेतमें बोये बिना फल नहीं दे सकता, उसी प्रकार दैव (प्रारब्ध) भी पुरुषार्थके बिना नहीं सिद्ध होता

yathā bījaṃ vinā kṣetram uptaṃ bhavati niṣphalam | tathā puruṣakāreṇa vinā daivaṃ na sidhyati ||

ภีษมะกล่าวว่า “ดุจทุ่งนาไร้เมล็ด แม้จะหว่านและบำรุงรักษา ก็ย่อมไม่ให้ผล ฉันใด โชคชะตา (ผลแห่งกรรมเก่า) ก็ไม่สำเร็จผลได้หากปราศจากความเพียรของมนุษย์ ฉันนั้น”

यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
बीजम्seed
बीजम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबीज
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
विनाwithout
विना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना
क्षेत्रम्field
क्षेत्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootक्षेत्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
उप्तम्sown
उप्तम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवप्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Nominative, Singular
भवतिbecomes/is
भवति:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
निष्फलम्fruitless
निष्फलम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootनिष्फल
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
तथाso/likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
पुरुषकारेणby human effort
पुरुषकारेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुषकार
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
विनाwithout
विना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना
दैवम्fate/fortune (destiny)
दैवम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदैव
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
सिध्यतिis accomplished/succeeds
सिध्यति:
TypeVerb
Rootसिध्
FormPresent (Lat), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada

भीष्म उवाच

B
Bhishma
S
seed (bīja)
F
field (kṣetra)
D
daiva (fate/destiny)
P
puruṣakāra (human effort)

Educational Q&A

Destiny (daiva/prārabdha) is not independently productive; it requires puruṣakāra—conscientious human effort—to manifest results. The verse argues for moral agency and disciplined action rather than fatalism.

In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhishma is instructing Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he uses an agricultural analogy—seed and field—to explain the relationship between fate and personal exertion.