Verse 7.205

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

सर्वं कर्मैदमायत्तं विधाने दैवमानुषे ।
तयोर्दैवमचिन्त्यं तु मानुषे विद्यते क्रिया ॥ २०५ ॥

sarvaṃ karmaidamāyattaṃ vidhāne daivamānuṣe |
tayordaivamacintyaṃ tu mānuṣe vidyate kriyā || 205 ||

All this undertaking is dependent upon the ordering of Destiny and of Human Exertion; of these two, Destiny is incomprehensible, and action is possible only in regard to Human Exertion.—(205)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Undertaking’, action done for the purpose of bringing about a desirable result,—‘all this’ is dependent upon something.

‘Vidhāna’, ‘ordering’, is that which ordains, the effect of actions. That which ordains an act also qualifies it;—‘of Destiny and of Human Exertion’,—‘Destiny’ consisting in Merit &c., resulting from previous acts, in the shape of doing what is prescribed and also what is forbidden. The doing of an act has its motives noticeable in morality or immorlity. Says the Śṛuti— “Vidhi, (creator)’ Vidhāna (ordinance) Niyati (Destiny), Svabhāva (Nature), Kāla (Time), Brahma, Īśvara (God,) Karma (Deed), Daiva (Fate), Bhāgya (Luck), Puṇya (Merit) Bhutāntaryoga (co-operation of Beings)—these are the synonyms of “Previous Act”;—and the Smṛti also “Destiny should be understood as what is done by the man himself in his previous body; and Human Exertion is what he does during this life”. From this it is clear that as between ‘Destiny’ and ‘Human Exertion’, the latter becomes, after death, the cause of the former.

It is on this ‘effect’ that every undertaking and its result are ‘dependent’. Destiny by itself, apart from Human Exertion, does not bring about any results; it must need the help of Human Effort; and Human Effort must need the help of Destiny. If results followed from mere Destiny, independently of Human Exertion, then it would he possible for results to accrue to the embryo also; since however there are no such results, it has to be inferred that results follow from Destiny only when it is accompanied by Human Exertion; similarly, if Human Exertion were productive of results, independently by itself,; then all kinds of results would accrue to all kinds of men. As a matter of fact, no such thing ever actually happens. Hence it follows that causal efficiency belongs to both conjointly. So says Vyāsa—‘All human undertakings are the effects of twofold Karma,—Destiny and Human Exertion; apart from these two there is nothing else.’ (Mahābhārata, Sauptika-parva, 2.2); and in the Samāna-tantra (?) also—‘Destiny and Human Exertion maintain the moral and immoral activities of men.’

Those who hold that Destiny is the sole cause of things argue as follows:—“Destiny is the only cause. As a matter of fact, we find that idiots, eunuchs, cripples, lame persons and others, though absolutely unable to put forth any exertion, are still happy; though entirely helpless, yet they obtain the good results of past acts. On the other hand, it is often found that persons with enough means at their command, able-bodied, brave and clever and versed in the scriptures, are unhappy, even though putting forth all their efforts; and people go on experiencing gains and losses, brought about Destiny alone, independently of all efforts of their own. It is only under this theory that all activities tending to bring about results in the other world come to have their use; the idea in the mind of the actors being—‘we are experiencing in this world the results of past deeds and in the other world we shall experience those of our present deeds’; and it is when they know this that they engage themselves in meritorious deeds, and it is on this account that doubts also arise in the minds of people. (In support of the fatalist’s stand-point) they quote the following saying—‘I know what is righteous, and yet I do not act up to it; and I know what is unrighteous, and yet I do not desist from it;; I do exactly as I am prompted to do by God; apart from Him there is no other guide’.”

On the other hand, those who would depend entirely upon Human Exertion argue, thus:—“Human Exertion is the sole cause of all activities. It is only when the man laboriously exerts towards agricultural operations that he obtains the fruits of cultivation in the shape of good harvest. To this end it has been declared that—‘In this world, it is only one who resorts to activity and performs acts that enjoys their results’. Even when food is there, people do not have their hunger satisfied unless they actually do the eating; so that it stands to reason that since the result of the act of eating accrues to the man only after he has done that act, it should be attributed to the act (and not to any thing else). It is only thus that all injunctions regarding the doing of acts become useful. To this end they say—‘The wise man sometimes sets aside even Destiny itself, just as he keeps off heat and cold and brings on as well as drives off rain.’”

From all these arguments it follows that causal efficiency belongs to both, Destiny and Human Exertion; specially as it is found that in the absence of either of the two, proper results do not appear. In some cases, one, and in others, the other, happens to be chiefly conducive to a particular result, and hence comes to be regarded as the cause of that result. It often happens that human exertion, even though put forth, is baffled when overpowered by a more powerful Destiny; just as wet fuel, even though put in fire, does not burn, if the fire is weak. And even if Destiny be weak, if it is helped by strong human effort, it succeeds in producing its results; just as even wet fuel burns when put in powerful fire, and it does not quench the fire. To this end there is the following saying—‘Destiny, when weak, is set aside by Human Exertion, and even intelligent effort is baffled by more powerful Destiny.’

It is in view of all this that the Author says —‘of these two Destiny is verily incomprehensible; the term ‘tu’ denotes emphasis; the meaning is that the real character of Destiny cannot be comprehended. It cannot be even thought of at what time it will bring about its results; specially as apart from the scriptures, we cannot form any conception of it, we cannot fathom in what way it comes into existence and how it operates.

As regards Destiny then, any enquiry concerning it would be futile among human beings. Hence it is Human exertion, in the form of Action, that is going to be described, forming, as it does, the subject-mater of the treatise. And it is only in regard to ‘Human exertion’ that ‘action is possible’. In connection with agricultural operations, it is possible for us to form some idea, such as—‘I should carry on such and such operations, by means of such and such appliances, and in this manner I shall obtain such and such results’. In fact people undertake only that action of which the beginning, the middle and the end can be perceived. As regards ‘Destiny’, it is absolutely unthinkable in what manner even men in trouble should act, until the result is actually perceived. Thus Destiny bring ‘incomprehensible’, it is not necessary [to devote much attention to it. It is human activity which we can think over and then do what has to be done; in fact the man who acts in a happazard manner, without thinking of what he does, always comes to grief.

When the king is equipped with all the three ‘powers’, and endowed with due exertion and energy, there arises in his mind a keen desire to conquer other kingdoms; and it is when Human Exertion becomes helped by Destiny that it accomplishes all his purposes. And towards the final result it is Destiny that adds to excellence and all the rest of it is accomplished by Human Exertion alone. In the case of the king who has set out on conquest, if the enemy happens at the time to be under some calamity, this is due entirely to Destiny; and in action, it is Human Exertion that is most effective; so. in fact both stand on the same footing.

Further, it has been held that “when Human exertion functions, irrespectively of the ordering of Destiny, then it is with great difficulty that it leads to success”. This means that if the man puts forth his efforts when Destiny is against him, then, in regard to all the eight forms of activity, cither it accomplishes his purpose only with great difficulty, or it becomes entirely futile. Hence, even though there be prospect of difficulties, yet no one shall rest satisfied with simply resigning himself to Destiny.

When, on the other hand, Human Exertion operates in co-operation with Destiny, then it accomplishes all his purposes—as delineated in the Vedic texts—without difficulty. Thus whenever Human Exertion functions, while Destiny is favourable, it accomplishes all his purpose without any trouble at all. This idea is further confirmed by the following two verses:—‘In some cases, when the man has put forth his effort in the field—even though Destiny is against him—it brings him its due reward;—sometimes the field is as if it were dead, and then all effort is futile.’ It has often been found that though the man tries again and again, the result does not accrue if the necessary aid in the form of favourable Destiny does not come to his rescue.

Then again, ‘even though the man may have his Destiny favourable, yet, in the absence of Exertion, no field can bear fruits without due Human Exertion’. In fact it is only when the result has been gained that the presence of favourable Destiny is inferred. Hence when there is no Result, it follows that favourable Destiny was absent.

Others have held the view that when it has been found that Destiny has been duly operative, and yet the result does not appear, this only indicates that there has been no human exertion in the case; the case being analogous to that of there being no tree when there is no seed. In this view, Destiny is held to be represented by the Sun, the Moon and the other planets, as also by Vāyu, Agni and Apas; and it is set right by Human Exertion put forth with special care.—(205)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Kriyā’—‘Action, for attaining success’ (Govindarāja and Kullūka);—‘remedial action’ (Nārāyaṇa);—‘effort’

‘Mānuṣe vidyate kriyā’—‘It is only when there is human effort, that fate becomes operative’ (Nandana).

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Rājanīti, p. 312).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Yājñavalkya (l.348, 349).—‘The success of an act is dependent upon Fate and upon Human Effort; of these Fate is determined by previous births, and Human Effort is apparent. Some acts succeed by chance, some through human effort; human effort is at the root of them all.’

Viṣṇudharmottara (Vīramitrodaya-Rājanīti, p. 313).—‘Fate is one’s own deeds committed in previous births, hence the wise have held Effort to be superior to Fate; adverse Fate is set aside by Effort. Fate, Effort and Time,—on these three together depends the success of man’s operations.’

Rāmāyaṇa (Vīramitrodaya-Rājanīti, p. 314).—‘It is only the man who is weak and devoid of virility that depends upon Fate; one who is strong and virile never gives in to Fate. One who tries to suppress Fate by Human Effort never suffers.’

Vyāsa (Do., p. 315).—‘Fate consists of what the man has done himself during his previous lives, and Human Effort is what he does during the present life.’