er, God himself were not the
giver of good and bad fruits, then amongst creatures there would not be
any that was miserable. If the effect of former acts be a myth, then all
purposes for which man would work should be successful. They, therefore,
that regard the three alone (mentioned above) as the doors of all success
and failure in the world, (without regarding the acts of former life),
are dull and inert like the body itself. For all this, however, a person
should act. This is the conclusion of Manu himself. The person that doth
not act, certainly succumbeth, O Yudhishthira. The man of action in this
world generally meeteth with success. The idle, however, never achieveth
success. If success, becometh impossible, then should one seek to remove
the difficulties that bar his way to success. And, O king, if a person
worketh (hard), his debt (to the gods) is cancelled (whether he achieveth
success or not). The person that is idle and lieth at his length, is
overcome by adversity; while he that is active and skillful is sure to
reap success and enjoy prosperity. Intelligent persons engaged in acts
with confidence in themselves regard all who are diffident as doubting
and unsuccessful. The confident and faithful, however, are regarded by
them as successful. And this moment misery hath overtaken us. If,
however, thou betakest to action, that misery will certainly be removed.
If thou meetest failure, then that will furnish a proof unto thee and
Vrikodara and Vivatsu and the twins (that ye are unable to snatch the
kingdom from the foe). The acts of others, it is seen, are crowned with
success. It is probable that ours also will be successful. How can one
know beforehand what the consequence will be? Having exerted thyself thou
wilt know what the fruit of thy exertion will be. The tiller tilleth with
the plough the soil and soweth the seeds thereon. He then sitteth silent,
for the clouds (after that) are the cause that would help the seeds to
grow into plants. If however, the clouds favour him not, the tiller is
absolved from all blame. He sayeth unto himself, 'What others do, I have
done. If, notwithstanding this, I meet with failure, no blame can attach
to me.' Thinking so, he containeth himself and never indulgeth in
self-reproach. O Bharata, no one should despair saying, 'Oh, I am acting,
yet success is not mine! For there are two other causes, besides
exertion, towards success. Whether there be success or failure, there
sho