भूतानां बलवद्भूतं यन्न दैवमिति स्थितम् । तत्तेषामप्यधिष्ठातृ सतामेतत्स्फुटं मिथः ॥ १५ ॥
bhūtānāṁ balavadbhūtaṁ yanna daivamiti sthitam | tattēṣāmapyadhiṣṭhātṛ satāmētatsphuṭaṁ mithaḥ || 15 ||
Translation
Among beings, it is the stronger being that is established, not fate. That one rules even over those: this is plain to all who exist, one among another.
Word by word
- bhūtānāṁ
- among beings
- balavad
- (balavat) the stronger
- bhūtaṁ
- being
- yan
- (yat) that
- na
- not
- daivam
- fate
- iti
- so
- sthitam
- is established
- tat
- that one
- tēṣām
- over those
- api
- even
- adhiṣṭhātṛ
- rules
- satām
- to all who exist
- ētat
- this
- sphuṭaṁ
- plain
- mithaḥ
- one among another
Meaning
An argument from general experience. Among living things, the matter is settled (sthitam) by the stronger one. Above each strong one stands one still stronger, who governs him. The commentary follows the ladder: besides those capable people there are others more capable, and they rule over them, so among present beings it is effort that is seen, and nothing else is seen. It is "plain, one among another" (sphuṭaṁ mithaḥ): nobody needs scripture to know it, because everyone lives it each day in the home, the office and the street. Wherever we look for the hand of fate, what we actually find is a chain of agents, each pressing on the next.