परं यत्नं कुर्वतां च त्वया सार्धं रणाजिरे ॥
हत्वास्माकं पौरुषं हि दैवं पश्चात् करोति नः ॥
सततं चेष्टमानानां निकृत्या विक्रमेण च ॥
दैवोपसृष्टः पुरुषो यत् कर्म कुरुते क्व चित् ॥
कृतं कृतं स्म तत् तस्य दैवेन विनिहन्यते ॥
यत् कर्तव्यं मनुष्येण व्यवसायवता सता ॥
तत् कार्यम् अविशङ्केन सिद्धिर् दैवे प्रतिष्ठिता ॥
paraṃ yatnaṃ kurvatāṃ ca tvayā sārdhaṃ raṇājire ||
hatvāsmākaṃ pauruṣaṃ hi daivaṃ paścāt karoti naḥ ||
satataṃ ceṣṭamānānāṃ nikṛtyā vikrameṇa ca ||
daivopasṛṣṭaḥ puruṣo yat karma kurute kva cit ||
kṛtaṃ kṛtaṃ sma tat tasya daivena vinihanyate ||
yat kartavyaṃ manuṣyeṇa vyavasāyavatā satā ||
tat kāryam aviśaṅkena siddhir daive pratiṣṭhitā ||
'And among those who made utmost effort together with you on the field of battle — having trampled our manly valor, fate afterward disposes of us. A man overtaken by fate, whatever deed he might do — however much it is done, that of his is brought to naught by fate. What a man, resolute and worthy, ought to do — that should be done without hesitation; [but] success rests in fate.'
28fc1354f4d3 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:31:38 PM UTC
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Here lies the core: 'do what must be done without hesitation, but success is in fate.' This is close to the teaching of the Gita on selfless action: the duty is ours, the fruit is not in our power. It is telling that Karna does not call for inaction, but for resolve detached from outcome. The verse teaches that wisdom lies not in commanding results, but in performing one's duty without hesitation, entrusting the outcome to the Highest; effort is our duty, success is not our possession.