This conversation between Draupadi and Yudhishthira occurs in the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata. Yudhishthira tells Draupadi that क्षमा is the highest धर्म (detailed conversation in the link below). Draupadi however is not satisfied and she strongly feels that the bad conduct of the Kauravas cannot go unpunished. And she is worried that by giving higher value to क्षमा, whether Yudhishthira will just sit in the forest and take no action against the Kauravas. Further, Yudhishthira tells her that arguments made by Draupadi are critical of धर्म and even परमेश्वर, which is an expression of atheism and therefore not valid. Draupadi, in her response, defends her comments but more particularly, conveys to Yudhishthira that adherence to non-action by taking recourse of धर्म is not valid and taking action is indeed aligned to धर्म.
How is this conversation relevant to us in the 21st century? The reason this conversation is relevant to us today also are the arguments she uses to praise action oriented-ness and how, many of her arguments are used by us too in our day-to-day lives. One may also see this as a partial elaboration of the Chapter 3 of the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता which is referred to as कर्मयोग
द्रौपद्युवाच
नावमन्ये न गर्हे च धर्मं पार्थ कथंचन । ईश्वरं कुत एवाहमवमंस्ये प्रजापतिम् ।। १ ।।
आर्ताहं प्रलपामीदमिति मां विद्धि भारत । भूयश्च विलपिष्यामि सुमनास्त्वं निबोध मे ।। २ ।।
Says द्रौपदी – O कुन्तीनन्दन! I am neither ignoring or criticizing adherence to धर्म. Given this stance of mine, how can you say that I am criticizing परमेश्वर, who is in fact responsible for taking care of all living beings?
O भारत! You may understand my words as given by one who is unhappy and is ranting since I am aggrieved. I will (in fact) not quieten down and will keep grieving (in front of you). You should keep yourself calm and continue listening to me.
कर्म खल्विह कर्तव्यं जानतामित्रकर्शन । अकर्माणो हि जीवन्ति स्थावरा नेतरे जनाः ।। ३ ।।
यावद्गोस्तनपानाच्च यावच्छायोपसेवनात् । जन्तवः कर्मणा वृत्तिमाप्नुवन्ति युधिष्ठिर ।। ४ ।।
O शत्रुनाशन! Even one who is a ज्ञानी needs to undertake कर्म in this world. (Maybe) non-moving aspects like mountains, trees, etc can survive without doing any कर्म but this does not apply to all other beings.
O महाराज युधिष्ठिर! Even a calf of a cow goes up to her mother to drink milk and takes rest in the shadow (of her mother). Like this, all beings undertake कर्म in order to live in this world.
जङ्गमेषु विशेषेण मनुष्या भरतर्षभ । इच्छन्ति कर्मणा वृत्तिमवाप्तुं प्रेत्य चेह च ।। ५ ।।
O भरतश्रेष्ठ! Among living beings that move, human beings in particular resort to कर्म both in this world and the other world (स्वर्ग, etc) for being able to sustain their lives.
उत्थानमभिजानन्ति सर्वभूतानि भारत । प्रत्यक्षं फलमश्नन्ति कर्मणां लोकसाक्षिकम् ।। ६ ।।
O भारत! The universe is a witness to all beings who understand the idea of progress and also directly (or personally) enjoy (or experience) the फल of their कर्मs.
सर्वे हि स्वं समुत्थानमुपजीवन्ति जन्तवः । अपि धाता विधाता च यथायमुदके बकः ।। ७ ।।
अकर्मणां वै भूतानां वृत्तिः स्यान्न हि काचन । तदेवाभिप्रपद्येत न विहन्यात् कदाचन ।। ८ ।।
Just as a heron sits and concentrates (for catching a fish), all living beings take resort to exertion (labour, activity, etc) to take care of their lives. Even the Creator (ब्रह्मा) and Sustainer (विष्णु) take care of सृष्टि via exertion (meaning, सृष्टि would not have happened if they had taken to inaction).
Those beings who do not undertake any कर्म will not be able to sustain their lives. Thus, never abandon कर्म (by merely accepting everything as an outcome of प्रारब्ध). One must always resort to कर्म (in their lives).
स्वकर्म कुरु मा ग्लासीः कर्मणा भव दंशितः । कृतं हि योऽभिजानाति सहस्रे सोऽस्ति नास्ति च ।। ९ ।।
Therefore, you must resort to कर्म too. Put on the armour of कर्म and do not express sadness (about doing कर्म). It is very difficult to know who is a person aware of the best way to undertake कर्म; such a person is possibly one in a thousand (or maybe more than thousand).
तस्य चापि भवेत् कार्यं विवृद्धौ रक्षणे तथा । भक्ष्यमाणो ह्यनादानात् क्षीयेत हिमवानपि ।। १० ।।
उत्सीदेरन् प्रजाः सर्वा न कुर्युः कर्म चेद् भुवि । तथा ह्येता न वर्धेरन् कर्म चेदफलं भवेत् ।। ११ ।।
To increase one’s wealth and to protect oneself, doing कर्म is essential. If all existing wealth is merely spent and one does not have any source of income, even if one possesses wealth as high as the Himalayas, it will keep depleting and get exhausted.
If all beings living in the universe abandon कर्म, then all of them will cease to exist. And if कर्म does not yield any result, then all these beings will never be able to grow (meaning that growth of beings happens since they indulge in कर्म).
अपि चाप्यफलं कर्म पश्यामः कुर्वतो जनान् । नान्यथा ह्यपि गच्छन्ति वृत्तिं लोकाः कथंचन ।। १२ ।।
यश्च दिष्टपरो लोके यश्चापि हठवादिकः । उभावपि शठावेतौ कर्मबुद्धिः प्रशस्यते ।। १३ ।।
(I agree that) We do see people doing unnecessary कर्म but not doing any कर्म will not lead them to be able to take care of their lives.
Both are fools – those who do not undertake any कर्म leaving everything to fate and those who are obstinate in not doing any कर्म thinking that whatever has to come will come on its own (meaning people who think success is an outcome of luck only and nothing else). Only one who is engaged in कर्म is worth praising.
यो हि दिष्टमुपासीनो निर्विचेष्टःसुखं शयेत् । अवसीदेत् स दुर्बुद्धिरामो घट इवोदके ।। १४ ।।
तथैव हठदुर्बुद्धिः शक्तः कर्मण्यकर्मकृत् । आसीत न चिरं जीवेदनाथ इव दुर्बलः ।। १५ ।।
One whose बुद्धि is dented abandons enterprise and sleeps happily putting one’s belief in fate, such a one will get destroyed in the same way as a pot made of raw mud gets destroyed when placed in water.
And those obstinate ones (believers in operation of “luck”) and those with a dented बुद्धि do not resort to कर्म even if they are capable of doing कर्म, and merely sit it out, such ones will not have long life just as those who are physically weak or are orphaned.
अकस्मादिह यः कश्चिदर्थं प्राप्नोति पूरुषः । तं हठेनेति मन्यन्ते स हि यत्नो न कस्यचित् ।। १६ ।।
यच्चापि किंचित् पुरुषो दिष्टं नाम भजत्युत । दैवेन विधिना पार्थ तद् दैवमिति निश्चितम् ।। १७ ।।
There are those in this world who attain wealth from somewhere all of a sudden and people think that such a person obtained such money by a stroke of luck since they are unable to ascribe any particular reason for such a one to attract riches.
O कुन्तीनन्दन! Those who obtain wealth driven by their good fate by the law of destiny, there is no doubt that such obtention of wealth may also be seen as on account of दैव (also understood as प्रारब्ध).
यत् स्वयं कर्मणा किंचित् फलमाप्नोति पूरुषः । प्रत्यक्षमेतल्लोकेषु तत् पौरुषमिति श्रुतम् ।। १८ ।।
स्वभावतः प्रवृत्तो यः प्राप्नोत्यर्थं न कारणात् । तत् स्वभावात्मकं विद्धि फलं पुरुषसत्तम ।। १९ ।।
But when some form of फल (for doing such कर्म) is attained by doing कर्म, one is said to have undertaken पुरुषार्थ – and this is visible (and known) to all.
O नरश्रेष्ठ! Those who are naturally pre-disposed to undertake कर्म and when they obtain धन, such धन obtained is understood as being a natural फल (of such an exertion), and no other reason is ascribed to such an obtention.
एवं हठाच्च दैवाच्च स्वभावात् कर्मणस्तथा । यानि प्राप्नोति पुरुषस्तत् फलं पूर्वकर्मणाम् ।। २० ।।
धातापि हि स्वकर्मैव तैस्तैर्हेतुभिरीश्वरः । विदधाति विभज्येह फलं पूर्वकृतं नृणाम् ।। २१ ।।
यद्ध्ययं पुरुषः किंचित् कुरुते वै शुभाशुभम् । तद् धातृविहितं विद्धि पूर्वकर्मफलोदयम् ।। २२ ।।
In this way, when one obtains material objects, these may be seen as having come about on account of luck or on account of दैव (प्रारब्ध) or account of one’s own exertion – but no matter how one sees, people obtain फल only account of कर्म done in the past (whether this life or the previous ones).
Expressions as luck (hard work), etc may be seen as superficial reasons (हेतु), while in reality, परमेश्वर, who is the आधार of this universe, distributes फल to all the living beings as per their previous कर्मs only.
Whatever शुभ or अशुभ कर्म are done by beings, know that even ईश्वर ordains the फल to each living being as aligned to the previous कर्म of such beings only.
कारणं तस्य देहोऽयं धातुः कर्मणि वर्तते । स यथा प्रेरयत्येनं तथायं कुरुतेऽवशः ।। २३ ।।
तेषु तेषु हि कृत्येषु विनियोक्ता महेश्वरः । सर्वभूतानि कौन्तेय कारयत्यवशान्यपि ।। २४ ।।
Know that the body of all beings is to be seen as a mere vehicle to discharge the actions that need to be undertaken as per the कर्म-फल law of ईश्वर. And triggered by the stimulus (or impetus) of ईश्वर, the body is compelled to act as per such triggers.
O कुन्तीनन्दन! It is परमेश्वर who gets all different beings to undertake different actions and compels them to undertake actions as aligned to their respective स्वभाव.
मनसार्थान् विनिश्चित्य पश्चात् प्राप्नोति कर्मणा । बुद्धिपूर्वं स्वयं वीर पुरुषस्तत्र कारणम् ।। २५ ।।
O वीर! But note that people obtain whatever they seek after first conceiving to obtain these in their own minds that then applying their own बुद्धि, they then undertake कर्म only. Therefore, it is the individual (and their कर्म) that remains the key reason.
संख्यातुं नैव शक्यानि कर्माणि पुरुषर्षभ । अगारनगराणां हि सिद्धिः पुरुषहैतुकी ।। २६ ।।
तिले तैलं गवि क्षीरं काष्ठे पावकमन्ततः । धिया धीरो विजानीयादुपायं चास्य सिद्धये ।। २७ ।।
ततः प्रवर्तते पश्चात् कारणैस्तस्य सिद्धये । तां सिद्धिमुपजीवन्ति कर्मजामिह जन्तवः ।। २८ ।।
O नरश्रेष्ठ! One cannot count the numbers of कर्म (people do). Whether one gains a house or a city, etc, know that the individual’s कर्म alone is the reason all these are obtained. The wise people first resolve in their own minds that there is oil within mustard, milk in a cow and fire (or heat) within wood and only then they explore a solution to obtain these (oil, milk, etc).
And after this, using the identified solutions, they undertake the necessary कर्म to obtain what they are seeking. Thus, all beings in this word take resort to the appropriate कर्म to obtain whatever they are seeking.
कुशलेन कृतं कर्म कर्त्रा साधु स्वनुष्ठितम् । इदं त्वकुशलेनेति विशेषादुपलभ्यते ।। २९ ।।
Know that फल is always obtained appropriately when कर्म is undertaken by a capable (deserving) person. Equally, looking at the (poor) nature of outcome, one may easily detect that कर्म has been undertaken by an incapable person.
इष्टापूर्तफलं न स्यान्न शिष्यो न गुरुर्भवेत् । पुरुषः कर्मसाध्येषु स्याच्चेदयमकारणम् ।। ३० ।।
If an individual (meaning the कर्म done by such a one) is not seen as the reason when such a one obtains फल attainable through कर्म, applying such a logic, then there is no meaning in undertaking actions like performing यज्ञ, digging wells, etc. In such a case, no person will take up the role of a disciple or that of a गुरु (if one thinks that doing कर्म is meaningless).
कर्तृत्वादेव पुरुषः कर्मसिद्धौ प्रशस्यते । असिद्धौ निन्द्यते चापि कर्मनाशात् कथं त्विह ।। ३१ ।।
Only those people are praised who are seen as doers (of कर्म) and have obtained success and when such a success is not obtained, then such doers (of कर्म) are criticized. If कर्म does not exist at all, then what does one mean when one talks about success (or failure)?
सर्वमेव हठेनैके दैवेनैके वदन्त्युत । पुंसः प्रयत्नजं केचित्त्रैधमेतन्निरुच्यते ।। ३२ ।।
People in general talk about three reasons (or contributors) for success – luck, दैव (or प्रारब्ध) or पुरुषार्थ (individual कर्म or action).
न चैवैतावता कार्यं मन्यन्त इति चापरे । अस्ति सर्वमदृश्यं तु दिष्टं चैव तथा हठः ।। ३३ ।।
Some other people believe that there is no reason for anyone to make any effort at all (or undertake any कर्म at all) – as per them, there are only two reasons for success – the unseen दैव (प्रारब्ध) or luck.
दृश्यते हि हठाच्चैव दिष्टाच्चार्थस्य संततिः । किंचिद् दैवाद्धठात् किंचित् किंचिदेव स्वभावतः ।। ३४ ।।
पुरुषः फलमाप्नोति चतुर्थं नात्र कारणम् । कुशलाः प्रतिजानन्ति ये वै तत्त्वविदो जनाः ।। ३५ ।।
This is because it is often seen (or it appears often) that success is indeed obtained either by luck or on account of one’s प्रारब्ध. Those who are तत्त्वज्ञ or capable – they stated with a fair amount of confidence that people obtain some फल on account of दैव, some on account of luck and some on account of their own स्वभाव (of doing कर्म). One must therefore note that beyond these three, there is no fourth reason (that can be attributed to success).
तथैव धाता भूतानामिष्टानिष्टफलप्रदः । यदि न स्यान्न भूतानां कृपणो नाम कश्चन ।। ३६ ।।
This is because of ईश्वर does not grant फल that are either liked and disliked by all beings, then in such case, there should be no beings who are poor (miserable, destitute, etc) (since no one will like being poor or destitute).
यं यमर्थमभिप्रेप्सुः कुरुते कर्म पूरुषः । तत्तत् सफलमेव स्याद् यदि न स्यात् पुरा कृतम् ।। ३७ ।।
If the प्रारब्ध that one possesses on account of one’s own previous कर्म does not create impediments, then every being would have obtained success in all their endevaours by making efforts towards seeking such outcomes.
त्रिद्वारामर्थसिद्धिं तु नानुपश्यन्ति ये नराः । तथैवानर्थसिद्धिं च यथा लोकास्तथैव ते ।। ३८ ।।
Therefore, those people who do not ascribe attaining अर्थ or not attaining अर्थ to these three – दैव, luck और self-effort (of doing कर्म), their state is similar to those who are ignorant (illiterate).
कर्तव्यमेव कर्मेति मनोरेष विनिश्चयः । एकान्तेन ह्यनीहोऽयं पराभवति पूरुषः ।। ३९ ।।
However, Manu expressed a सिद्धान्त that कर्म has to be undertaken and one who abandons कर्म and remains inactive will always attain defeat or loss.
कुर्वतो हि भवत्येव प्रायेणेह युधिष्ठिर । एकान्तफलसिद्धिं तु न विन्दत्यलसः क्वचित् ।। ४० ।।
असम्भवे त्वस्य हेतुः प्रायश्चित्तं तु लक्षयेत् । कृते कर्मणि राजेन्द्र तथानृण्यमवाप्नुते ।। ४१ ।।
O महाराज युधिष्ठिर! Note clearly that only one who performs कर्म is the only one who attains success. One who is lazy and one who does not discharge one’s duty clearly, such a one will never attain success in attaining कर्मफल.
If despite doing कर्म, one does not attain the कर्मफल, such a one must resolve that there must be some reason as to why one did not obtain the कर्मफल. Such a one must then drive their attention to undertake the necessary प्रायश्चित्त (that will resolve the दोष of not attaining the कर्मफल). O राजेन्द्र! One who undertakes कर्म comprehensively becomes उऋण (meaning without any दोष).
अलक्ष्मीराविशत्येनं शयानमलसं नरम् । निःसंशयं फलं लब्ध्वा दक्षो भूतिमुपाश्नुते ।। ४२ ।।
अनर्थाः संशयावस्थाः सिद्ध्यन्ते मुक्तसंशयाः । धीरा नराः कर्मरता ननु निःसंशयाः क्वचित् ।। ४३ ।।
One who succumbs to laziness and goes to sleep, such a one attains loss of prosperity while one is capable in action will no doubt attain desired फल and enjoys prosperity.
Success will always elude one who is doubtful as to whether doing कर्म will enable one to attain success or otherwise but one who is not doubtful, they will certainly attain success. One must however note that people who are कर्म oriented and stay away from doubt (as to the efficacy of कर्म) are rare to find.
एकान्तेन ह्यनर्थोऽयं वर्ततेऽस्मासु साम्प्रतम् । स तु निःसंशयं न स्यात् त्वयि कर्मण्यवस्थिते ।। ४४ ।।
अथवा सिद्धिरेव स्यादभिमानं तदेव ते । वृकोदरस्य बीभत्सोर्भ्रात्रोश्च यमयोरपि ।। ४५ ।।
As of now, since we are experiencing a calamity in the form of the theft of our kingdom, if you get into action mode with full enthusiasm, we will then definitely be able to get relief from this calamity.
If therefore we succeed in attaining success from taking action, then it will be of special benefit to yourself, भीम, अर्जुन as well as नकुल and सहदेव
अन्येषां कर्म सफलमस्माकमपि वा पुनः । विप्रकर्षेण बुध्येत कृतकर्मा यथाफलम् ।। ४६ ।।
Seeing the kind of फल that is earned at the end by the doer of the कर्म, one can assess whether it is our कर्म that fructified or that of the other.
पृथिवीं लाङ्गलेनेह भित्त्वा बीजं वपत्युत । आस्तेऽथ कर्षकस्तूष्णीं पर्जन्यस्तत्र कारणम् ।। ४७ ।।
वृष्टिश्चेन्नानुगृह्णीयादनेनास्तत्र कर्षकः । यदन्यः पुरुषः कुर्यात् तत् कृतं सफलं मया ।। ४८ ।।
तच्चेदं फलमस्माकमपराधो न मे क्वचित् । इति धीरोऽन्ववेक्ष्यैव नात्मानं तत्र गर्हयेत् ।। ४९ ।।
A farmer breaks open the earth on the field (or mows the field), places seeds into it and then sits back quietly since a successful produce can come about with the help of the clouds (meaning it rains properly). If the rains do not come about, we do not ascribe blame to the farmer. The farmer then contemplates that I have done exactly what other successful farmers have done earlier – and if the output does not come about, this cannot be seen as the fault of the farmer – analysing in this manner, an intelligent farmer does not castigate oneself if the farming output does not come about.
कुर्वतो नार्थसिद्धिर्मे भवतीति ह भारत । निर्वेदो नात्र कर्तव्यो द्वावन्यौ ह्यत्र कारणम् ।। ५० ।।
O भारत! In this way, if you undertake पुरुषार्थ but despite doing so, if a successful outcome does not come about, one need not castigate oneself since successful outcome is contingent upon not just पुरुषार्थ (or कर्म) but also प्रारब्ध and ईश्वरकृपा
सिद्धिर्वाप्यथवासिद्धिरप्रवृत्तिरतोऽन्यथा । बहूनां समवाये हि भावानां कर्म सिद्ध्यति ।। ५१ ।।
गुणाभावे फलं न्यूनं भवत्यफलमेव च । अनारम्भे हि न फलं न गुणो दृश्यते क्वचित् ।। ५२ ।।
O महाराज! It is not proper that you refuse to indulge in कर्म by inculcating doubts if your कर्म will give you success or failure. This is because one must note that multiple causes have to come together for attaining success by doing any कर्म.
When some part of कर्म is undertaken partially, the outcome may also be partial. Equally, it is possible that one may not attain any success at all. But if one does not even start undertaking कर्म at all, then neither will one attain success nor will anyone can witness any positive गुण of the doer (owing to inaction).
देशकालावुपायांश्च मङ्गलं स्वस्तिवृद्धये । युनक्ति मेधया धीरो यथाशक्ति यथाबलम् ।। ५३ ।।
An enterprising person will work upon a course of action of undertaking साम, दाम, etc, with the intent of seeking auspicious benevolent growth and using one’s own बुद्धि, evaluates one’s own strength and capability and the appropriateness of time and place (for taking the appropriate course of action).
अप्रमत्तेन तत् कार्यमुपदेष्टा पराक्रमः । भूयिष्ठं कर्मयोगेषु दृष्ट एव पराक्रमः ।। ५४ ।।
Be alert and undertake कर्म keeping in mind the time and place (for doing such a कर्म). Courage is key here. Among all aspects (relevant for doing any कर्म), courage is seen as most essential (or the highest virtue).
यत्र धीमानवेक्षेत श्रेयांसं बहुभिर्गुणैः । साम्नैवार्थं ततो लिप्सेत् कर्म चास्मै प्रयोजयेत् ।। ५५ ।।
व्यसनं वास्य काङ्क्षेत विवासं वा युधिष्ठिर । अपि सिन्धोर्गिरेर्वापि किं पुनर्मर्त्यधर्मिणः ।। ५६ ।।
When a wise person cognizes that the strength of the enemy is superior, in such a situation, recourse to साम नीति is taken and entering into a peace agreement, etc may be considered as a valid course of action and such action will then be undertaken.
O महाराज युधिष्ठिर! Or one may wait for the enemy to experience a serious crisis or wait for the enemy to come out of their own kingdom – this is since even if the enemy is (as high as a) mountain or (as deep as an) ocean, one must always wish that the enemy faces some form of crisis.
उत्थानयुक्तः सततं परेषामन्तरैषणे । आनृण्यमाप्नोति नरः परस्यात्मन एव च ।। ५७ ।।
One must always keep studying (or working upon) how to destroy the enemy. If one does not do so, the world may regard the enemy as not having any दोष (meaning enemy is seen as blemish-less if one ignores the bad conduct of the enemy or gives an enemy).
न त्वेवात्मावमन्तव्यः पुरुषेण कदाचन । न ह्यात्मपरिभूतस्य भूतिर्भवति शोभना ।। ५८ ।।
No person must disrespect one’s own self – never think of oneself as small. One who disrespects one’s own self, such a one will never attain any form of prosperity.
एवं संस्थितिका सिद्धिरियं लोकस्य भारत । तत्र सिद्धिर्गतिः प्रोक्ता कालावस्थाविभागतः ।। ५९ ।।
O भारत! In this world, this is how कार्यसिद्धि (success in any endeavour) is obtained – this is how कार्यसिद्धि is organized. Making suitable assessment of appropriateness of time and situation of the enemy, identifying when the enemy becomes weak becomes a key aspect for attainment of success (in defeating the enemy).
ब्राह्मणं मे पिता पूर्वं वासयामास पण्डितम् । सोऽपि सर्वामिमां प्राह पित्रे मे भरतर्षभ ।। ६० ।।
नीतिं बृहस्पतिप्रोक्तां भ्रातॄन् मेऽग्राहयत् पुरा । तेषां सकाशादश्रौषमहमेतां तदा गृहे ।। ६१ ।।
स मां राजन् कर्मवतीमागतामाह सान्त्वयन् । शुश्रूषमाणामासीनां पितुरङ्के युधिष्ठिर ।। ६२ ।।
O भरतश्रेष्ठ! In the past, my father had called an intelligent ब्राह्मण to my palace who taught this complete नीति as taught by बृहस्पति to all my brothers. During such a time, sitting close to my bothers, even I learnt the wisdom from the ब्राह्मण.
O महाराज युधिष्ठिर! For some reason, I had visited by father’s palace and becoming eager to listen to the wisdom, सत् into the lap of my father. During this time, the ब्राह्मण instructed this नीति to me too.
ॐ तत् सत्
Adhyatma Writings 