Draupadi's Wisdom on Fate, Chance, and Action

 Draupadi’s Wisdom: Matters of Chance, Action, and Fate

Mahabharata 3.33.30-40

 

Yes, there are those who hold that everything is done by chance,

those who hold that it is fate, and those who hold that it springs from

man's efforts-it is called the triple answer. Others think that  is not

enough to account for task.  Of everything it is imperceptible whether

it is chance or fate that brought it about; for what is actually

perceived is the chain  of the thing, whether it springs from chance or

fate. Some comes from chance, some from fate, some from one's own

doing; and it is thus that a man gets the fruit, there is no fourth

factor involved: so profess capable men, wise in the principles.

Even so, the Placer is the one who gives wanted or unwanted

results to the creatures. If he were not the one, none of the creatures

would go wanting: whatever thing a man wanted, he would perform

the act to bring it about. And would each of the acts fructify, unless

they were done before ?

35 However, people who have no insight into the triple effectuation

of an intended result effect the wrong one, and they are as their

worlds are. Manu pronounces the decision, "The act has got to be

done!" for a man who does not try loses out completely. Generally,

Yudhisthira, if a man acts, his attempt works out, while the lazy man

nowhere finds things to succeed completely. If there is a good reason

for the result to be impossible, a rite of reparation is indicated; but as

long as the act is done, Indra among kings, one is acquitted. Bad luck

takes over the lazy, lying-down man; but a capable person, obtaining

40 indubitable results, achieves prosperity. Those who have shed all

doubt stop as useless the man whose condition is that of doubt, and so

does the poised and active man; but they do not stop the convinced.

At this time, of course, we have been rendered utterly useless. But

no, nothing is in doubt if you abide by action.

 

 

03033030a sarvam eva haṭhenaike diṣṭenaike vadanty uta

All. Indeed. by compulsion/chance. by what has been pointed to/fate. they say truly.

03033030c puruṣaprayatnajaṁ ke cit traidham etan nirucyate

Born (jam) human (purusa) effort (prayatna). Some. Triadic. Those. They maintain.

03033031a na caivaitāvatā kāryaṁ manyanta iti cāpare

Not. And of such an extent ca-eva-etavata. Matter, thing. They think. Thus, and others.

03033031c asti sarvam adr̥śyaṁ tu diṣṭaṁ caiva tathā haṭhaḥ

It is. All. Unseen/imperceptible. But. Fate. And indeed. Thus also. Chance.

03033031e dr̥śyate hi haṭhāc caiva diṣṭāc cārthasya saṁtatiḥ

What is seen. For. From chance. And indeed. From fate.and of the purpose artha. Stretching/extending/continuity/uninterruptedness/line/lineage/chain

03033032a kiṁ cid daivād dhaṭhāt kiṁ cit kiṁ cid eva svakarmataḥ

Some. From fate. Some. Some. Only. From one’s own sva- actions/karma-ness

03033032c puruṣaḥ phalam āpnoti caturthaṁ nātra kāraṇam

Human. Result. It obtains. Fourth. No other na-atra. Cause/factor.

03033032e kuśalāḥ pratijānanti ye tattvaviduṣo janāḥ

The propitious. Towards/back against prati- know. Those who. Facts/truths tattva-vidus wise/attentive. People janah.

03033033a tathaiva dhātā bhūtānām iṣṭāniṣṭaphalapradaḥ

Thus indeed tatha-eva. Placer. Creatures bhuta. Wanted/desired ista- unwanted anista results phala. Gives pradah.

03033033c yadi na syān na bhūtānāṁ kr̥paṇo nāma kaś cana

If. Not. They were. Not. Creatures. Inclined to grieve krpano’. Named/called nama. none/some kas cana.

03033034a yaṁ yam artham abhiprepsuḥ kurute karma pūruṣah

Whatever yam yam. Thing/goal/object/purpose/meaning artham. One would do to obtain abhi-/prap. One does karute. Karma. Person.

03033034c tat tat saphalam eva syād yadi na syāt purākr̥tam

That that. With fruit with result saphalam. Indeed. one would do syad. If. Not would do. previously done purakrtam.

03033035a tridvārām arthasiddhiṁ tu nānupaśyanti ye narāḥ

Three doors. Object artha- accomplished. But/however. Not na- anupasyanti they see (with). Those who ye. People narah.

03033035c tathaivānarthasiddhiṁ ca yathā lokās tathaiva te

Thus-indeed-without object-attained tatha-eva-anartha-siddhim. And. Just as yatha. Worlds lokas. So then tatha. Indeed eva. They.

03033036a kartavyaṁ tv eva karmeti manor eṣa viniścayaḥ

Is to be done. But. Indeed. karma. Iti quotation marker. Manu. This esa. Decision, vi-niS-caya.

03033036c ekāntena hy anīho ’yaṁ parābhavati pūruṣaḥ

By one’s self/solely ekanta. For. Listless, apathy aniho. This. Tries parabhavati. Person.

03033037a kurvato hi bhavaty eva prāyeṇeha yudhiṣṭhira

Acting. For. Becoming. Indeed. effort here. Prayena-iha. Yudhisthira (vocative)

03033037c ekāntaphalasiddhiṁ tu na vindaty alasaḥ kva cit

Ekanta-phala-siddhim, to the extent-result-achievment. But. Not. One says. Lazy alasa. Anywhere kva cit. (thus, not anywhere, nowhere, na-kva-cit)

03033038a asaṁbhave tv asya hetuḥ prāyaścittaṁ tu lakṣyate

Not occurring, impossible asambhave. But. Of this. Reason hetu. Expiation, reparation prayascittam. But, also.  Is indicated laksyate.

03033038c kr̥te karmaṇi rājendra tathānr̥ṇyam avāpyate

Done. Acts. O Indra among rajas. Then. Without debt an-nrnyam. One obtains avapyate.

03033039a alakṣmīr āviśaty enaṁ śayānam alasaṁ naram

Ill fortuine, bad luck alaksmi.  Overtake. This. Lay-down,sleeping, enervate sayanam. Lazy. Person.

03033039c niḥsaṁśayaṁ phalaṁ labdhvā dakṣo bhūtim upāśnute

Without a doubt. Fruit, result phalam. After having obtained. Capable daksa. Well-being bhutim. One achieves upasnute.

03033040a anarthaṁ saṁśayāvasthaṁ vr̥ṇvate muktasaṁśayāḥ

Without object, purpose anartham. Condition, state -avastham of doubt samsaya. They stop, occlude, consume vrnvate. Liberated mukta- doubt, those liberated of doubt.

03033040c dhīrā narāḥ karmaratā na tu niḥsaṁśayaṁ kva cit

Stable, poised. Person. Active-pleased, disposed karma-rata. Not. But. The unconvinced. Anywhere (not na anywhere, nowhere).

03033041a ekāntena hy anartho ’yaṁ vartate ’smāsu sāṁpratam

To this extent. For. Useless anartha. This. Rendered, turns vartate. In us asmasu. It is so achieved sampratam (meaning, “of course”)

03033041c na tu niḥsaṁśayaṁ na syāt tvayi karmaṇy avasthite

Not. But. Without-doubt nihsamsayam. Not. It would be syat. In you tvayi. Actions. You abide ava-/stha.