Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.51
अहो अद्भुतमेतन्मे व्यापृतस्यापि नित्यदा ।
न ह्येधन्ते प्रजा नूनं दैवमत्र विघातकम् ॥ ५१ ॥
aho adbhutam etan me
[aho adbhutam etan me]
vyāpṛtasyāpi nityadā
[vyaapritasyaapi nityadaa]
na hy edhante prajā nūnaṁ
[na hy edhante prajaa noonam]
daivam atra vighātakam
[daivam atra vighaatakam]
Word-for-word
aho
—
alas
adbhutam
—
it is wonderful
etat
—
this
me
—
for me
vyāpṛtasya
—
being busy
api
—
although
nityadā
—
always
na
—
does not
hi
—
certainly
edhante
—
generate
prajāḥ
—
living entities
nūnam
—
however
daivam
—
destiny
atra
—
herein
vighātakam
—
against.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aho adbhutam etan me
aho
alas
adbhutam
it is wonderful
etat
this
me
for me
vyāpṛtasyāpi nityadā
vyāpṛtasya
being busy
api
although
nityadā
always
na hy edhante prajā nūnaṁ
na
does not
hi
certainly
edhante
generate
prajāḥ
living entities
nūnam
however
daivam atra vighātakam
daivam
destiny
atra
herein
vighātakam
against.
Brahmā thought to himself: Alas, it is wonderful that in spite of my being scattered all over, there is still insufficient population throughout the universe. There is no other cause for this misfortune but destiny.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
How astonishing! Though I am engaged constantly in creation, the population does not increase. There is certainly some obstacle causing misfortune.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Brahmā realizes that despite his scattered effort, population is insufficient — and concludes destiny is at work. Sometimes we must acknowledge that effort alone does not explain outcomes. Destiny is a real variable.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I attribute outcomes only to effort when destiny is also at work?
- Could naming destiny as a factor free me from self-blame or self-credit?
My note
Source: vedabase.io