देवलोकादिहाऽऽगत्य लोकद्वयहितं भवेत् । प्राक्तनं पौरुषं तद्वै दैवशब्देन कथ्यते ॥ ३५ ॥
dēvalōkādihā’’gatya lōkadvayahitaṁ bhavēt | prāktanaṁ pauruṣaṁ tadvai daivaśabdēna kathyatē || 35 ||
Translation
Coming here from the world of the gods, the past effort that brings good in both worlds: that indeed is what the word "fate" means.
Word by word
- dēva
- of the gods
- lōkād
- (lokāt) from the world
- iha
- here
- āgatya
- coming
- lōka
- worlds
- dvaya
- in both
- hitaṁ
- good
- bhavēt
- that brings
- prāktanaṁ
- past
- pauruṣaṁ
- effort
- tad
- (tat) that
- vai
- indeed
- daiva
- "fate"
- śabdēna
- by the word
- kathyatē
- is what is meant
Meaning
A concession, with a pun in it: daiva, "fate", sounds like deva, "god". There is one proper sense of the word, says Vasiṣṭha. When a person returns from heaven after enjoying the fruit of merit, what remains of the past effort comes along into the new birth, and it is called daiva, "what comes from the gods". The commentary: the past effort left over from enjoyment in the world of the gods, brought along by the person who has come here, is called "fate". Another commentary agrees. So the word has a real and harmless use. It names the inheritance one was born with, one's gifts and circumstances. To have been given much is no mystery. It is one's own earlier industry, now standing to one's credit.