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Shloka 19

Yoga-kṛtya (योककृत्य) — Vyāsa on Sense-Restraint, Obstacles, and Brahman-Realization

केचित्‌ पुरुषकार तु प्राहु: कर्मसु मानवा: । दैवमित्यपरे विप्रा: स्वभावं भूतचिन्तका:

kecit puruṣakāraṃ tu prāhuḥ karmasu mānavāḥ | daivam ity apare viprāḥ svabhāvaṃ bhūtacintakāḥ ||

Sinabi ni Vyāsa: Sa mga tao, may ilan na nagsasabing ang sariling pagsisikap (puruṣakāra) ang pangunahing salik sa tagumpay ng mga gawain. Ang iba—mga pantas na Brāhmaṇa—ay tumatawag sa tadhana (daiva) bilang kapangyarihang nagpapasya. Samantalang yaong nagmumuni sa mga elemento at tumatanggi sa mas mataas na pamamahala ay iginigiit na ang likas na pagkatao (svabhāva) lamang ang nagbubunga ng kinalabasan ng mga gawa.

केचित्some (people)
केचित्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootक- (किम्-प्रातिपदिक; केचित् = के + चित्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पुरुषकारम्human effort, exertion
पुरुषकारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुषकार
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
प्राहुःsay, declare
प्राहुः:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + अह् (धा. ‘अह्/ब्रू’ = to say; perfect form)
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
कर्मसुin actions/works
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
इतिthus/so (quotative)
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta
TypePronoun/Adjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विप्राःbrahmins, learned men
विप्राः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
स्वभावम्nature, inherent disposition
स्वभावम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootस्वभाव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भूतचिन्तकाःthinkers about (only) elements/beings; materialists
भूतचिन्तकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभूतचिन्तक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

व्यास उवाच

V
Vyāsa
M
mānavāḥ (human beings)
V
viprāḥ (Brahmins)
B
bhūtacintakāḥ (naturalist thinkers)

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.