Matsya Purana 221: adhyāyaḥ 221

221.1

daive puruṣakāre ca kiṃ jyāyya iti manupraśne matsyottaram.

Manu said:—"Lord! which is superior fate or one's own exertion and effort? I have got doubts on this, kindly solve them"—1

221.2

manuruvāca.
daive puruṣakāre ca kiṃ jyāyastad bravīhi me.
atra me saṃśayo deva! cchetumarhasya śeṣataḥ .. 221.1 ..

221.3

matsya uvāca.
tvameva karma daivākhyaṃ viddhi dehāntarārjitam.
tasmātpauruṣameveha śreṣṭhamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ .. 221.2 ..

Lord Matseya said:—The actions of the past life are known as fate or Daiva, consequently the wise have always held one's own effort and perseverance as superior A man who every day performs righteous and auspicious deeds turns even his ill luck into a good one Those who have performed good deeds and are filled with Satvaguna do not get the desired fruits without their personal efforts and exertions.—2 4

221.4

pratikūlantathā daivaṃ pauruṣeṇa vihanyate.
maṅgalācāra yuktānāṃ nityamutthāna śālinām .. 221.3 ..

221.5

yeṣāṃ pūrvakṛtaṃ karma sātvikaṃ manujottama!.
pauruṣeṇa vinā teṣāṃ keṣāñciddṛśyate phalam .. 221.4 ..

221.6

karmaṇā prāpyate loke rājasasya tathā phalam.
kṛcchreṇa karmaṇā viddhi tāmasasya tathā phalam .. 221.5 ..

Rajoguna class of men get fruits according to their perseverance and efforts A, man, by perseverance gets what he wants Those who have performed Tamoguna deeds attain their desires with great difficulty Those who are incapable of persevering regard fate alone as supreme Know, O King! that men get all their desired ends by their energy and efforts.—5 6

221.7

pauruṣeṇāpyate rājan! prārthitavyaṃ phalaṃ naraiḥ.
daivameva vijānanti narāḥ pauruṣavarjitāḥ .. 221.6 ..

221.8

tasmāttrikālaṃ saṃyuktaṃ daivantu saphalaṃ bhavet.
pauruṣaṃ daivasampattyā kāle phalati pārthiva!. 221.7 ..

Consequently fate conjoint with the present, the past and the future gives fruits while perseverance in most cases bears fruit in the present Fate, perseverance and time all three conjointly bear fruit to a man.—7 8

221.9

daivaṃ puruṣakāraśca kālaśca puruṣottama!.
trayametanmanuṣyasya piṇḍitaṃ syāt phalāvaham .. 221.8 ..

221.10

kṛṣṭi vṛṣṭi samā yogā dṛśyante phalasiddhayaḥ.
tāstu kāle pradṛśyante naiva kāle kathañcana .. 221.9 ..

Agricultural prospects thrive by rain which again depends on fixed time and not otherwise.—9

221.11

tasmātsadaiva kartavyaṃ sadharmaṃ pauruṣaṃ naraiḥ.
vipattāvapi yasyeha paraloke dhruvaṃ phalam .. 221.10 ..

A man should therefore persevere righteously he then gets high fruits during adversity even Even if he does not get fruits in this life, he is sure to get them in the next world.—10

221.12

nālasāḥ prāpnuvantyarthān na ca daivaparāyaṇāḥ.
tasmātsarvaprayatnena ācareddharmamuttamam .. 221.11 ..

Lazy people and those that only depend on fate do not ever gain their objects, so one should always persevere in the path of righteousness.—11

221.13

tyaktvā'lasān daivaparān manuṣyānutthānayuktān puruṣān hi lakṣmīḥ.
anviṣya yatnād vṛṇuyānnṛpendra! tasmātsadotthānavatā hi bhāvyam .. 221.12 ..

Prosperity forsakes those who always dream of fate and favours those who persevere, one should therefore always be active and alert.—12