duḥkhaṁ sukhaṁ vā guṇa-karma-saṅgāt

duḥkhaṁ sukhaṁ vā guṇa-karma-saṅgāt

āsthāya tat tad yad ayuṅkta nāthaś

cakṣuṣmatāndhā iva nīyamānāḥ

O Priyavrata! Accepting with faith whatever the master gives us, like blind men led by a man with sight, we must accept the happiness and distress given by the Lord, since it arises from our actions in the guṇas.

We are dependent even in enjoying the results of karma. O Priyavrata (aṅga)! We receive happiness and distress as given by the Lord. But this is not some fault in the Lord. It arises from our attachment to actions connected to the guṇas. Among all oxen which are equal as far as common characteristics are concerned, according to the amount of good or bad actions, their master gives them rice with milk and ghee and puts them the best stables, or gives them rough chick peas and dhal, or grass and corn. Or he may put them outside in the mud and sun without food, beat them and scold them, and feed them straw and leaves. In what manner should we accept these results? Whatever the master gives as good or bad results, only according to our good and bad qualities, we should accept (āsthāya). What fault is there in the master? We should accept this with faith. One should see this as a good quality in the Lord. An example is given. Will the blind man scold the man with vision who, while leading him on the path, takes him on the path full of burning sun instead of on the shady path because he sees thorns on the shady path? The man with sight is the well-wisher of the blind man. The person with faith will praise the Lord.

 

|| 5.1.16 ||

mukto 'pi tāvad bibhṛyāt sva-deham

ārabdham aśnann abhimāna-śūnyaḥ