Mahabharata · 7.127.21–22
॥
Devanāgarī
न तेषां मतिपूर्वं हि सुकृतं दृश्यते क्व चित् ॥
दुष्कृतं तव वा वीर बुद्ध्या हीनं कुरूद्वह ॥
दैवं प्रमाणं सर्वस्य सुकृतस्येतरस्य वा ॥
अनन्यकर्म दैवं हि जागर्ति स्वपताम् अपि ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na teṣāṃ matipūrvaṃ hi sukṛtaṃ dṛśyate kva cit ||
duṣkṛtaṃ tava vā vīra buddhyā hīnaṃ kurūdvaha ||
daivaṃ pramāṇaṃ sarvasya sukṛtasyetarasya vā ||
ananyakarma daivaṃ hi jāgarti svapatām api ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न तेषाम् मतिपूर्वम् हिna teṣām matipūrvam hinot [in] them premeditated indeed; for [there is not seen] in them anything premeditated
सुकृतम् दृश्यते क्व चित्sukṛtam dṛśyate kva cita good deed is seen anywhere; of a good deed anywhere
दुष्कृतम् तव वा वीरduṣkṛtam tava vā vīra[nor] of misdeed of yours, hero; nor of misdeed of yours, O hero
बुद्ध्या हीनम् कुरूद्वहbuddhyā hīnam kurūdvahadeprived of reason, exalter of the Kurus; devoid of reason, O exalter of the Kurus
दैवम् प्रमाणम् सर्वस्यdaivam pramāṇam sarvasyafate is the measure of all; fate is the measure of all
सुकृतस्य इतरस्य वाsukṛtasya itarasya vāof a good [deed] or another; of a good deed or another
अनन्यकर्म दैवम् हिananyakarma daivam hinot-otherwise-occupied fate indeed; for fate, knowing no other task
जागर्ति स्वपताम् अपिjāgarti svapatām apistays wakeful [even among] the sleeping; stays wakeful even when [people] sleep
Translation
'For there is not seen in them anywhere any premeditated good deed, nor any misdeed of yours, O hero, devoid of reason, O exalter of the Kurus. Fate is the measure of all, of a good deed or another; for fate, knowing no other task, stays wakeful even when [people] sleep.'
Version
c6debb68cc1f · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:31:38 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Karna carries the thought to its limit: fate is the measure of all things, wakeful even when people sleep. It is telling that with this he consoles his friend, lifting from him a share of the blame: not your intent, but destiny. The verse teaches that there is a limit to human understanding before the mystery of fate; and though such resignation must not excuse wrongdoing, the acknowledgment that not everything lies in our hands can soften bitterness and hold back despair — fate stays wakeful even over the sleeping.