Shloka 5
Adhyātma-krama: Indriya–Manas–Buddhi–Ātman Hierarchy and Citta-Prasāda (आध्यात्मक्रमः)
पौरुषं कर्म दैवं च कालवृत्तिस्वभावत: । त्रयमेतत् पृथग्भूतमविवेक॑ तु केचन
pauruṣaṁ karma daivaṁ ca kālavṛtti-svabhāvataḥ | trayam etat pṛthag-bhūtam avivekaṁ tu kecana ||
毗耶娑说：人的努力之行、命运，以及随时间流转的自然趋向——这三者被说为各自不同的因。然而有些人缺乏辨别，将其割裂，偏执其一为主而贬抑其二；另一些人则不加分割，认为三者合力运作，才是诸事发生的真实原因。
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames events as arising from three causal factors—human effort (pauruṣa/karma), destiny (daiva), and the natural course of time (kāla). It cautions against simplistic thinking that makes only one factor supreme; wiser reflection sees that outcomes often emerge from their combined interplay.
In Śānti Parva’s reflective instruction, Vyāsa is explaining how to understand causation behind success, failure, and moral outcomes. He contrasts views that isolate one cause (effort alone, fate alone, or time alone) with the more integrated view that all three operate together.