(31) Daivam is synonymous to effort

EXTRACT FROM MUMUKSHU VYAVAHAARA PRAKARANAM

DENIAL OF DAIVAM-CONCEPT

(Daivam is that which bestows fruits of actions as a natural law ordained by the creator.

Nowadays it refers to some divine entity something equal to a supreme God.

Whether Daivam is a god for you, or a supernatural power, both have no place in the success or failure of efforts. It is an imagined concept and not real.)

तस्मात्प्राक्पौरुषाद्दैवं नान्यत्तत्प्रोज्ज्ञ्य दूरतः साधुसङ्गमसच्छास्त्रैर्जीवमुत्तारयेत्बलात् ।

Therefore, there is nothing called Daivam other than what has been endeavored for in the past.

(You have to yourself change your past beliefs and habits which are blocking your path in the path of knowledge. You need Paurusha for that, courage and sincerity.

That can be referred to as Daivam if you so much want a Daivam in your life.)

यथा यथा प्रयत्नः स्याद्भवेदाशु फलं तथा इति पौरुषमेवास्ति दैवमस्तु तदेव ह ।   

As per the extent of effort, result will be to that extent only and depends on the ‘Paurusha’; that alone is to be considered as Daivam. (Endeavor alone is there in the world bestowing results; that alone is the fate or destiny or the supernatural.)

दुःखाद्यथा दुःखकाले हा कष्टमिति कथ्यते हा कष्टशब्द पर्यायस्तथा हा दैवमित्यपि ।  

When any difficulty is met with, then the people lament “Alas the difficulty” (without trying to remedy it).

“Alas the Daivam” is just a synonym for the statement “Alas, the difficulty”.

(It is as if you want put the blame on some other person, when failure occurs because of your own lack of effort. It is an act of deceiving yourself and others; and utterly cowardly.)

प्राक्स्वकर्मेतराकारं दैवं नाम न विद्यते बाल: प्रबलपुम्सेव तज्जेतुमिह शक्यते ।  

There is nothing called Daivam except in the form of past actions. That can be over-powered easily like a child by a mighty man.

ह्यस्तनो दुष्ट आचार आचारेणाद्य चारुणा यथाशु शुभतामेयि प्राक्तनं कर्म​ तत्तथा ।

A wicked action of yesterday can be turned into an auspicious act by acting in a proper way today. So also the result of the past action can be dealt with.

तज्जयाय यतन्ते ये न लोभलवलंपटा: ते दीनाः प्राकृता मूढाः स्थिता दैवपरायणाः ।

Those who do not try to overpower their past actions are just wasted men who are after the least joys of the senses; they are wretched lowly idiots; and worshippers of unseen destiny.

पौरुषेण कृतं कर्म दैवाद्यदपि नश्यति  तत्र नाशयितुर्ज्ञेयं पौरुषं बलवत्तरम् ।

If after sincere effort also, some failure occurs as if forced by Daivam, then one should understand that the destruction was caused by the strong force of endeavor only that was done the wrong way in the past.

यदेकवृन्तफलयोरथैकं शून्यकोटरं  अत्र प्रयत्नः स्फुरितस्तथा तद्रससंविदः ।

If out of the two fruits of a creeper, only one is (worm-eaten and) hollow inside (and the other one is fully grown), that is also effort that was expressed by some insect or worm which was attracted by its taste.

(It is not that Daivam favored one and disregarded the other.)

यत्प्रयान्ति जगद्भावाः संसिद्धाऽपि संक्षयं क्षयकारकयत्नस्य ह्यत्र ज्ञेयं महद्बलम् ।

If the objects of the world which are well-made do perish, then that is because of the greater strength of the destructive forces only (and not any Daivam.)

(If your new house blows off in a storm, it was because the effort in making the house as storm-proof was less; and the storm just blew with its natural strength. You cannot blame a Daivam for it.

The same logic applies to wherever failures are met with.)

द्वौ हुडाविव युध्येते पुरुषार्थौ परस्परं य एव बलवांस्तत्र स एव जयति क्षणात् ।

When two rams attach each other for some achievement, the stronger one always wins.

(Even the food you eat requires some sort of effort from you. Nothing happens by a magic of Daivam.

Harder work means harder effort!)

पौरुषेणान्न​माक्रम्य यथा दन्तेन चूर्ण्यते अन्यः पौरुषमाश्रित्य तथा शूरेण चूर्ण्यते ।

One makes effort; grabs the food; powders it with his teeth; so also a valorous man wins over another by making effort.

अन्नभूता हि महतां लघवो यत्नशालिनां  यथेष्टं विनियोज्यन्ते तेन कर्मसु लोष्टवत् ।

शक्तस्य पौरुषं दृश्यमदृश्यं वापि यद्भवेत्तद्दैवमित्यशक्तेन बुद्धमात्मन्यबुद्धिना ।

The weaker ones are like the food for the brave ones who make effort; and use these weaklings for their own advantage like handling a clay piece. (Weaker ones do not make an effort to fight back.)

The effort of a strong man is directly seen or not seen; but a weaker man will foolishly blame that on a Daivam alone in his mind (instead of becoming stronger himself.)

भूतानां बलवद्भूतं यन्न दैवमिति स्थितं तत्तेषामप्यधिष्टातृ सतामेतत्स्फुटं मिथः ।

Even for the strong ones, that which stays as Daivam (making them bully the weak), is their controller (who made the laws of strong and weak); this is clearly known to all the common lot.

भिक्षुको मङ्गलेभेन नृपो यत्क्रियते बलात्तदमात्येभपौराणां प्रयत्नस्य बलं महत् ।

शास्त्रामात्येभपौराणामविकल्पा स्वभावधीः या सा भिक्षुकराज्यस्य कर्तृ धर्तृ प्रजास्थितेः ।

भिक्षुको मङ्गलेभेन नृपो यत्क्रियते क्वचित्प्राक्तनं पौरुषं तत्र बलवद्वापि कारणम् ।  

A beggar becomes a king if garlanded by the auspicious elephant forced as if by unseen fate; it is actually the result of the effort put forth by the ministers and citizens. The unified thought force of the Shaastras, ministers and citizens alone is the maker of a beggar into a king; and supports the well-being of the populace also. When the beggar turns into a king by the auspicious elephant garlanding him, that also is because of some endeavor he made in the past that acts the strong force in that situation.

(At least he must have walked up to the royal road to make such a thing happen.)

ऐहिकः प्राक्तनं हन्ति प्राक्तनोऽद्यतनं बलात्सर्वदा पुरुषस्पन्दस्तत्रानुद्वेगवाञ्जयी ।

द्वयोरद्यतनस्यैव प्रत्य​क्षात्वलिता भवेद्दैव​ जेतुमतः यत्नैर्बालो यूनेव शक्यते ।

Today’s endeavor kills the result of a past endeavor; and the result of the past endeavor kills today’s endeavor by force; that which is steady, that alone wins. Between the two, today’s endeavor is directly experienced; therefore by effort it can be conquered as a child by a youth.

मेघेन यद्वद्वत्सरोपार्जिता कृषिः मेघस्य पुरुषार्थोऽसौ जयत्यधिकयत्नवान् । ​

That strength which was cultivated for a year by the cloud is the endeavor of the cloud (which pours out as hail stones). One who makes more effort wins for sure.

(You cannot blame Daivam, if the hard earned crops get destroyed.

In the spiritual path also, if you swerve and fall at the sight of a sense object, blame your lack of effort in self-control; not the poor non-existent Daivam.)

क्रमेणोपार्जितेsप्यर्थे नष्टे कार्या न खेदिता न बलं यत्र मे शक्तं तत्र का परिदेवना ।

यन्न शक्नोमि तस्यार्थे यदि दुःखं करोम्यहं तदमारितमृत्योर्मे  युक्तं प्रत्यहरोदनं ।

Even if after hard work, failure alone is met with; one should not give way to despondency.

Where my strength itself proves as not enough, what is the use of lamenting?

(Crying for a wrong act of desire-fulfillment is not going to help in any way.

Crying is not the solution for all your mistakes. If you want to cry really throughout your life and repent , then cry for the horrid death that stands behind you to gobble you up any moment; since anyway you are not going to make effort to study this book; but will cry only repenting the act of Daivam.)

If I cannot do anything and have to keep on crying, then I should cry every day; for the death never can be conquered.

देशकालक्रियाद्रव्यवशतो विस्फुरन्त्यमी सर्वैव जगद्भावा जयत्यधिकयत्नवान् ।

तस्मात्पौरुषमाश्रित्य सच्छास्त्रैर्सत्समागमैर्प्रज्ञाममलतां नीत्वा संसारजलधिं तरेत्।

Place, time, action, ingredients all these control the objects in this world; he who makes more effort wins.

Therefore one should take recourse to Paurusha only; seek the company of the good; study good scriptures; purify the intellect; and cross over the ocean of Samsaara.

प्राक्तनश्चैहिकश्चेमौ पुरुषार्थौ फलद्रुमौ संजातौ पुरुषारण्ये जयत्यभ्यधिकस्तयोः ।

कर्म यः प्राक्तनं तुच्छं न निहन्ति शुभेहितैरज्ञो जन्तुरनीशोऽसावात्मनः सुखदुःखयोः ।

ईश्वरप्रेरितो गच्छेत्स्वर्गं नरकमेव वा स सदैव पराधीनः पशुरेव न संशयः ।

The past and the present endeavors are like two fruit giving trees in the forest of a man’s life; that which is bigger survives. He, who cannot get rid of the results of the past actions through the auspicious actions of today, is an idiot animal who has no control over the joys and sorrows of his life.

(If everything is the will of an Ishvara, then why bother about anything; be like an animal where some one will take you wherever he wants, and drag you like an animal in chains.)

He will go to heaven or hell by the will of a god only; since he is certainly an animal under the control of another one.

यस्तूदारचमत्कारः सदाचारविहारवान्स​ निर्याति जगन्मोहान्मृगेन्द्रः पञ्जरादिव ।

He who sincerely follows the instructions and develops a proper conduct, he performs the lofty miracle and escapes from the illusory presentation called the world, like a lion from the cage. (He is his own Ishvara!)

कश्चिन्मां प्रेरयत्येवमित्यनर्थकुकल्पने यः स्थितो दृष्टमुत्सृज्य त्याज्योऽसौ दूरतोऽधमः ।

‘Some one else directs all my actions’ – he who stays in such idiotic imaginations without accepting the direct evidences of life occurrences, he is to be discarded as a worst fool ever.

व्यवहारसहस्राणि यान्युपायान्ति यान्ति च यथाशास्त्रं विहर्तव्यं  तेषु त्यक्त्वा सुखासुखे ।

यथाशास्त्रमनुच्छिनां मर्यादां स्वामनुञ्झतः उपतिष्टन्ति सर्वाणि रत्नान्यम्बुनिधाविव ।

Thousands of events occur in life, bringing in good and bad results; one should always act as directed by the scriptures and be never affected by joy or sorrow by any result.

Never stumbling away from the controlled stability maintained as instructed by the scriptures, one should preserve the virtues like gems kept inside the ocean.

MEANINGS OF TERMS

स्वार्थप्रापककार्यैकप्रयत्नपरा बुधैः प्रोक्ता पौरुषशब्देन सा सिद्ध्यै शास्त्रयन्त्रिता ।

The wise refer to the word ‘Paurusha’ as meaning, ‘sincere effort, in actions that make one reach the desired goal’; and that will surely succeed if guided by the scriptures.

(Know first what Moksha is; develop the qualities prescribed for the study of this scripture and then make a sincere effort to understand the truths, who are already established in the realized state.)

क्रियया स्पन्दधर्मिण्या स्वार्थसाधकता स्वयं साधुसङ्ग्गमसच्छास्त्रतीक्ष्ण्योन्नीयते धिया ।

The body and mind are of the nature of movement only; their actions have to be made conducive to the attainment of the highest state; and that is possible by the sharpening the brain by the study of scriptures and the company of the good. (Body is inert; mind is inert; they just keep vibrating with Praana and thoughts; move both in the right direction.)
अनन्तं समतानन्दं परमार्थं विदुर्बुधाः स येभ्यः प्राप्यते नित्यं ते सेव्याः शास्त्रसाधवः ।

(Whom should you take help from?)

The wise refer to the ‘endless state of bliss which attains the state of uniform vision of knowledge’ as the supreme state to be attained.

Those men who are able to bestow it are alone the masters of the scriptures (not the ordinary orators of scriptures who do not experience that state.)

देवलोकादिहागत्य लोकद्वयहितं भवेत्प्राक्तनं पौरुषं तद्वै दैवशब्देन कथ्यते ।

(What is Daivam?)

The ‘past endeavor which brings the welfare in both the worlds, here and hereafter’, which has arrived from the world of the Creator, as the ordained law (Niyati); that alone is referred to by the term Daivam.

(The past endeavor of development of good qualities alone has made you take this text for your studies.)

तद्युक्तमेतदेतस्मिन्नास्ति नापवदामहे  मूढैर्प्रकल्पितं दैवं मन्यन्ते ये क्षयं गताः  ।

Such an effect of Daivam is there in all the actions (as past endeavor); we are not denying it; but those who believe in the Daivam (supernatural power of destiny) as stupidly imagined by the fools, ruin their lives.

नित्यं स्वपौरुषादेव लोकद्वयहितं भवेत् ह्यस्तनी दुष्क्रियाभ्येति शोभां सत्क्रियया यथा ।

At all times, one should strive with sincere effort, to make his actions bring welfare here and hereafter; so that the wrong action of the yesterday attains the luster of today’s good action.

अद्यैवं प्राक्तनी तस्माद्यत्नाद्यः कार्यवान्भवेत् क​​रामलकवद्दृष्टं पौरुषादेव तत्फलं ।

मूढः प्रत्यक्षमुत्सृज्य दैवमोहे निमज्जति ।  

He who engages in such a turnover of actions of yesterday from today (this moment) itself, he will see success as a gooseberry held in one’s palm. Such a success is the result of a hard endeavor only. A fool rejects what is seen directly and drowns in the delusion of Daivam, believing it to be an entity controlling his actions.

सकलकारणकार्यविवर्जितं निजविकल्पबलादुपकल्पितं
तदनपेक्ष्य हि दैवमसन्मयं श्रय शुभाशय पौरुषमात्मनः ।

Hey you who are endowed with auspicious undertaking!

Take shelter in only the Paurusha as belonging to oneself.

Ignore the Daivam which in no way effects any action or its result, which is non-existent, and which is an imagination that is invented by weakness of one’s own mind.

शास्त्रैर्सदाचारविजृम्भितदेशधर्मैर्यत्कल्पितं फलमतीव चिरप्ररूढं तस्मिन्हृदि स्फुरति चोपनमेति चित्तमङ्गावली तदनु पौरुषमेतदाहुः । 

That effort which is based on the instructions of the scriptures, modeled on the conduct of the noble; where the result is firmly established ; that is known as Paurusha which when blooms up in the heart, the mind will think in a channelized way; and the limbs will also act conducive in reaching the end.

(चोपनं स्पन्दं /चुप मन्दायां गतौ / channelized controlled slow movement of thoughts)

बुद्ध्वैव पौरुषफलं पुरुषत्वमेतदात्मप्रयत्नपरतैव सदैव कार्या नेया ततः सफलतां परमामथासौ सच्छात्रसाधुजनपण्डितसेवनेन । 

Having a firm ascertained trust that effort will surely result in the required fruit, one should always engage in making effort of the utmost kind and attain the goal supreme as per the guidance offered by good scriptures and the company of the noble men.

दैवपौरुषविचारचारुभिश्चेदमाचरितमात्मपौरुषं नित्यमेव जयतीति भावितैर्कार्य आर्यजनसेवयोद्यमः ।

Those who understand that - ‘sincere endeavor of oneself’ is the excellent form of ‘Daivam’, Paurusha and Vichaara’; and feel the ascertainment of success; should move on towards their goal, by serving the noble and taking their guidance.

जन्मप्रबन्धमयमामयमेष जीवो बुद्ध्वैहिकं सहजपौरुषमेव सिद्ध्यै शान्तिं नयत्ववितथेन वरौषधेन मृष्टेन तुष्टपरपण्डितसेवनेन ॥

A Jeeva here suffers from the disease of successive births over which he has no control, and experiences pain without a break. Here in this world, the effort made by a person alone gives the required result for him.

Therefore understanding this as an undeniable fact of life, let him attain the tranquil state of stabilized state by consuming the sweet and unfailing medicine of those excellent men of wisdom who are already in that state of happiness. (Why feel disheartened by a non-existent Daivam?)