8. Chapter 8

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । नाकृतिर्न च कर्माणि न स्पन्दो न पराक्रमः । तन्मिथ्याज्ञानवद्रूढं दैवं नाम किमुच्यते ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | nākṛtirna ca karmāṇi na spando na parākramaḥ | tanmithyājñānavadrūḍhaṃ daivaṃ nāma kimucyate || 1 ||

Vasishtha continued saying that said:—What does destiny mean, which has no form, nor act, no motion nor might, but is a false notion rooted in the (minds) of the ignorant.

स्वकर्मफलसंप्राप्ताविदमित्थमितीति याः । गिरस्ता दैवनाम्नैताः प्रसिद्धिं समुपागताः ॥ २ ॥

svakarmaphalasaṃprāptāvidamitthamitīti yāḥ | girastā daivanāmnaitāḥ prasiddhiṃ samupāgatāḥ || 2 ||

It is a word that has come into vogue from the idea of the future retribution of one's past actions (or retributive justice) and the like, which is designated "destiny".

तत्रैव मूढमतिभिर्दैवमस्तीति निश्चयः । आत्तो दुरवबोधेन रज्ज्वामिव भुजंगमः ॥ ३ ॥

tatraiva mūḍhamatibhirdaivamastīti niścayaḥ | ātto duravabodhena rajjvāmiva bhujaṃgamaḥ || 3 ||

From this the ignorant are led to believe that there is a thing as destiny: the inscrutability of which has led them to the fallacy as that of the supposition of a snake in a rope.

ह्यस्तनी दुष्क्रियाभ्येति शोभां सत्क्रियया यथा । अद्यैवं प्राक्तनी तस्माद्यत्नात्सत्कार्यवान्भवेत् ॥ ४ ॥

hyastanī duṣkriyābhyeti śobhāṃ satkriyayā yathā | adyaivaṃ prāktanī tasmādyatnātsatkāryavānbhavet || 4 ||

As a past misdeed of yesterday is rectified by a good action of the following day, let this day therefore supercede the past, and employ yourself to-day to action.

मूढानुमानसंसिद्धं दैवं यस्यास्ति दुर्मतेः । दैवाद्दाहोऽस्ति नैवेति गन्तव्यं तेन पावके ॥ ५ ॥

mūḍhānumānasaṃsiddhaṃ daivaṃ yasyāsti durmateḥ | daivāddāho'sti naiveti gantavyaṃ tena pāvake || 5 ||

The perverted understanding that believes in a destiny grounded on its erroneous conception, may well enter into the fire from his conviction that it will not burn him unless it is so destined.

दैवमेवेह चेत्कर्तुं पुंसः किमिव चेष्टया । स्नानदानासनोच्चारान्दैवमेव करिष्यति ॥ ५ ॥

daivameveha cetkartuṃ puṃsaḥ kimiva ceṣṭayā | snānadānāsanoccārāndaivameva kariṣyati || 5 ||

The perverted understanding that believes in a destiny grounded on its erroneous conception, may well enter into the fire from his conviction that it will not burn him unless it is so destined.

किंवा शास्त्रोपदेशेन मूकोऽयं पुरुषः किल । संचार्यते तु दैवेन किं कस्येहोपदिश्यते ॥ ७ ॥

kiṃvā śāstropadeśena mūko'yaṃ puruṣaḥ kila | saṃcāryate tu daivena kiṃ kasyehopadiśyate || 7 ||

What then is the necessity of one's advising another to do a thing when destiny is the director of all? Let then all be silent and say nothing to nobody.

न च निस्पन्दता लोके दृष्टेह शवतां विना । स्पन्दाच्च फलसंप्राप्तिस्तस्माद्दैवं निरर्थकम् ॥ ८ ॥

na ca nispandatā loke dṛṣṭeha śavatāṃ vinā | spandācca phalasaṃprāptistasmāddaivaṃ nirarthakam || 8 ||

There is no one to be seen on earth that is motionless except the bodies of the dead; and if it is action that produces anything, it is useless to believe in destiny.

न चामूर्तेन दैवेन मूर्तस्य सहकर्तृता । पुंसः संदृश्यते काचित्तस्माद्दैवं निरर्थकम् ॥ ९ ॥

na cāmūrtena daivena mūrtasya sahakartṛtā | puṃsaḥ saṃdṛśyate kācittasmāddaivaṃ nirarthakam || 9 ||

Nor is there any co-operative power of the invisible destiny perceptible in the actions of men, whence it is but a meaningless word.

मिथोऽङ्गानि समासाद्य द्वयोरेकैककर्तृता । हस्तादीनां हतत्वे ह न दैवेन क्वचित्कृतम् ॥ १० ॥

mitho'ṅgāni samāsādya dvayorekaikakartṛtā | hastādīnāṃ hatatve ha na daivena kvacitkṛtam || 10 ||

Two things as the implements and members of the body being joined together, have each their several action; (as that of the pen and razor and the hand in writing and shaving); but the hand being wanted, nothing can be done by destiny.

मनोबुद्धिवदप्येतद्दैवं नेहानुभूयते । आगोपालं कृतप्रज्ञैस्तेन दैवमसत्सदा ॥ ११ ॥

manobuddhivadapyetaddaivaṃ nehānubhūyate | āgopālaṃ kṛtaprajñaistena daivamasatsadā || 11 ||

There is no such clear idea of a destiny like those of the mind and intellect, even in the (illiterate) cow-herd or in the (learned) pandit. Hence it is a mere non-entity.

पृथक्चेद्बुद्धिरन्योऽर्थः सैव चेत्कान्यता तयोः । कल्पनायां प्रमाणं चेत्पौरुषं किं न कल्प्यते ॥ १२ ॥

pṛthakcedbuddhiranyo'rthaḥ saiva cetkānyatā tayoḥ | kalpanāyāṃ pramāṇaṃ cetpauruṣaṃ kiṃ na kalpyate || 12 ||

If the concept of destiny be other (than that of an agent), it must mean something else; or if it be the same thing (with the agent) why then give it a different name (as destiny)? If it be proved to be an imaginary term, then why not imagine your exertion to be agent (of your action)?

नामूर्तेस्तेन सङ्गोऽस्ति नभसेव वपुष्मतः । मूर्तं च दृश्यते लग्नं तस्माद्दैवं न विद्यते ॥ १३ ॥

nāmūrtestena saṅgo'sti nabhaseva vapuṣmataḥ | mūrtaṃ ca dṛśyate lagnaṃ tasmāddaivaṃ na vidyate || 13 ||

The immaterial destiny like vacuity has no connection with the material body. If it had a form or figure it would be visible (to some one or other); hence destiny is a nullity.

विनियोक्रथ भूतानामस्त्यन्यच्चेज्जगत्त्रये । शेरते भूतवृन्दानि दैवं सर्वं करिष्यति ॥ १४ ॥

viniyokratha bhūtānāmastyanyaccejjagattraye | śerate bhūtavṛndāni daivaṃ sarvaṃ kariṣyati || 14 ||

If destiny is the main spring of the movements of all beings in the three worlds, then let all creatures rest at ease (with the assurance) that destiny will perform their parts.

दैवेन त्वभियुक्तोऽहं तत्करोमीदृशं स्थितम् । समाश्वासनवागेषा न दैवं परमार्थतः ॥ १५ ॥

daivena tvabhiyukto'haṃ tatkaromīdṛśaṃ sthitam | samāśvāsanavāgeṣā na daivaṃ paramārthataḥ || 15 ||

The belief that we are guided by destiny and do as we are led to do, is a deception and an allegation (of self excuse); in fact there is no such thing as destiny.

मूढैः प्रकल्पितं दैवं तत्परास्ते क्षयं गताः । प्राज्ञास्तु पौरुषार्थेन पदमुत्तमतां गताः ॥ १६ ॥

mūḍhaiḥ prakalpitaṃ daivaṃ tatparāste kṣayaṃ gatāḥ | prājñāstu pauruṣārthena padamuttamatāṃ gatāḥ || 16 ||

It is the fool that fancies to himself a destiny and relies on it to his own disadvantage; while the intelligent raise themselves to better states by means of their exertion.

ये शूरा ये च विक्रान्ता ये प्राज्ञा ये च पण्डिताः । तैस्तैः किमिव लोकेऽस्मिन्वद दैवं प्रतीक्ष्यते ॥ १७ ॥

ye śūrā ye ca vikrāntā ye prājñā ye ca paṇḍitāḥ | taistaiḥ kimiva loke'sminvada daivaṃ pratīkṣyate || 17 ||

Say who is there among the mighty and brave, the intelligent and learned, that looks or waits upon destiny in this world?

कालविद्भिर्विनिर्णीता यस्यातिचिरजीविता । स चेज्जीवति संछिन्नशिरास्तद्दैवमुत्तमम् ॥ १८ ॥

kālavidbhirvinirṇītā yasyāticirajīvitā | sa cejjīvati saṃchinnaśirāstaddaivamuttamam || 18 ||

Destiny may be said good, if it can have the power of saving a man from being beheaded, whom fortune-tellers had pronounced by their calculation to be long lived.

कालविद्भिर्विनिर्णीतं पाण्डित्यं यस्य राघव । अनध्यापित एवासौ तज्ज्ञश्चेद्दैवमुत्तमम् ॥ १९ ॥

kālavidbhirvinirṇītaṃ pāṇḍityaṃ yasya rāghava | anadhyāpita evāsau tajjñaśceddaivamuttamam || 19 ||

Again, O Raghava, should one who is foretold by his fortune-teller to become a learned man, attain his learning without being taught in it, then may we believe fortune to be true.

विश्वामित्रेण मुनिना दैवमुत्सृज्य दूरतः । पौरुषेणैव संप्राप्तं ब्राह्मण्यं राम नान्यथा ॥ २० ॥

viśvāmitreṇa muninā daivamutsṛjya dūrataḥ | pauruṣeṇaiva saṃprāptaṃ brāhmaṇyaṃ rāma nānyathā || 20 ||

Mark, O Rama! how the sage Viswamitra has cast away his destiny at a distance; and attained to Brahmahood by his own exertions.

अस्माभिरपरै राम पुरुषैर्मुनितां गतैः । पौरुषेणैव संप्राप्ता चिरं गगनगामिता ॥ २१ ॥

asmābhiraparai rāma puruṣairmunitāṃ gataiḥ | pauruṣeṇaiva saṃprāptā ciraṃ gaganagāmitā || 21 ||

Look at us and others who have become sages, that it was by our industry we became aeronauts or wanderers in the etherial regions.

उत्साद्य देवसंघातं चक्रुस्त्रिभुवनोदरे । पौरुषेणैव यत्नेन साम्राज्यं दानवेश्वराः ॥ २२ ॥

utsādya devasaṃghātaṃ cakrustribhuvanodare | pauruṣeṇaiva yatnena sāmrājyaṃ dānaveśvarāḥ || 22 ||

Remember, O Rama, how the chiefs of the Danava race, have established their empires on earth by their prowess, and by discarding their destinies altogether.

आलूनशीर्णमाभोगि जगदाजह्रुरोजसा । पौरुषेणैव यत्नेन दानवेभ्यः सुरेश्वराः ॥ २३ ॥

ālūnaśīrṇamābhogi jagadājahrurojasā | pauruṣeṇaiva yatnena dānavebhyaḥ sureśvarāḥ || 23 ||

Look again how the chiefs of gods have wrested the extensive earth from those demons by their valourous deeds of slaying and harassing them.

राम पौरुषयुक्त्या च सलिलं धार्यतेऽनया । चिरं करण्डके चारु न दैवं तत्र कारणम् ॥ २४ ॥

rāma pauruṣayuktyā ca salilaṃ dhāryate'nayā | ciraṃ karaṇḍake cāru na daivaṃ tatra kāraṇam || 24 ||

See Rama! how they make handsome wicker vessels (of bamboo work) for the holding of water by their own industry, and without the aid of any destiny to the completion of the same.

भरणादानसंरम्भविभ्रमश्रमभूमिषु । शक्तता दृश्यते राम न दैवस्यौषधेरिव ॥ २५ ॥

bharaṇādānasaṃrambhavibhramaśramabhūmiṣu | śaktatā dṛśyate rāma na daivasyauṣadheriva || 25 ||

In all our works of giving and receiving, walking, resting and the like, we see no causality of destiny in their completion, as we see of medicines.

सकलकारणकार्यविवर्जितं निजविकल्पवशादुपकल्पितम् । त्वमनपेक्ष्य हि दैवमसन्मयं श्रय शुभाशय पौरुषमुत्तमम् ॥ २६ ॥

sakalakāraṇakāryavivarjitaṃ nijavikalpavaśādupakalpitam | tvamanapekṣya hi daivamasanmayaṃ śraya śubhāśaya pauruṣamuttamam || 26 ||

Therefore O Rama, give up this destiny of your mistaken fancy; which is in reality devoid of its cause or effect, and is a false and ideal nullity; and betake yourself to your best exertions.