Shloka 22
Śaṅkha–Likhita Upākhyāna: Daṇḍa, Confession, and the Purification of Kingship (शङ्ख-लिखितोपाख्यानम्)
विच्छिद्यन्ते समारब्धा सिद्धान्ते चापि दैवत:ः । कृते पुरुषकारे तु नैनः स्पृशति पार्थिवम्,“आरम्भ किये हुए कार्य दैवकी प्रतिकूलतासे नष्ट हो जाते हैं और उसके अनुकूल होनेपर सिद्ध भी हो जाते हैं; परंतु अपनी ओरसे (यथोचित) पुरुषार्थ कर देनेपर (यदि कार्यकी सिद्धि नहीं भी हुई तो) राजाको पापका स्पर्श नहीं प्राप्त होता है
vicchidyante samārabdhā siddhānte cāpi daivataḥ | kṛte puruṣakāre tu nainaḥ spṛśati pārthivam ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ang mga gawaing nasimulan ay napuputol kapag sumalungat ang tadhana, at natatapos kapag pumanig ang tadhana. Ngunit kung ang hari ay nagsikap nang nararapat ayon sa lakas ng tao, kung magkagayon—kahit hindi magtagumpay—hindi siya masasaling ng kasalanan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse balances destiny (daiva) with human initiative (puruṣakāra): outcomes may depend on fate, but moral accountability depends on whether one has made proper effort. A ruler who acts with due diligence and right exertion is not stained by sin merely because the result fails.
In the didactic discourse of the Śānti Parva, Vaiśampāyana states a general principle for governance and conduct: enterprises can fail or succeed according to destiny, yet ethical blame does not attach to a king who has fulfilled his duty through appropriate personal effort.