नेता यस्य बृहस्पतिः प्रहरणं वज्रं सुराः सैनिकाः
स्वर्गो दुर्गमनुग्रहः खलु हरेरैरावतो वारणः ।
इत्यैश्वर्यबलान्वितोऽपि बलभिद्भग्नः परैः संगरे
तद्व्यक्तं ननु दैवमेव शरणम् धिग्धिग्वृथा पौरुषम् ॥
netA yasya bRuhaspatiH praharaNaM vajraM surAH sainikAH
svargo durgamanugrahaH Kalu harerairAvato vAraNaH ।
ityaiSvaryabalAnvito&pi balaBidBagnaH paraiH saMgare
tadvyaktaM nanu daivameva SaraNam dhigdhigvRuthA pauruSham ॥
His adviser was Bruhaspati (the most learned man in the entire three worlds). He had the best weapons like the thunder bolt. His soldiers were none other than gods. His fortress was the heaven. He had the blessings of Vishnu. He had Airavata (divine white elephant) as his war machine. In spite of all these, fate had it in such a way that he had to suffer defeat and humiliation at the hands of his opponents (the rakshasas). Truly, when fate alone is all pervasive. Valor is useless when fate is facing otherwise.
भग्नाशस्य करण्डपीडिततनोर्म्लानेन्द्रियस्य क्षुधा
कृत्वाखुर्विवरं स्वयं निपतितो नक्तं मुखे भोगिनः ।
तृप्तस्तत्पिशितेन सत्वरमसौ तेनैव यातः पथा
लोकाः पश्यत दैवमेव हि नृणां वृद्धौ क्षये कारणम् ॥
BagnASasya karaNDapIDitatanormlAnendriyasya kShudhA
kRutvAKurvivaraM svayaM nipatito naktaM muKe BoginaH ।
tRuptastatpiSitena satvaramasau tenaiva yAtaH pathA
lokAH paSyata daivameva hi nRuNAM vRuddhau kShaye kAraNam ॥
The snake was confined bamboo box (by a snake charmer). Its reflexes were slow and body weakened due to prolonged confinement. In such a state, a mouse thought the bamboo box was a food store and bore a hole in it at night and fell right into the snake’s mouth. The snakes, hunger was satisfied by the meal, and it made its get away from the confinement using the same hole drilled by the mouse. Countrymen, observe carefully!! A person may prosper or get destroyed – all of which is controlled by fate.
खल्वाटो दिवसेश्वरस्य किरणैः सन्तापितो मस्तके
वाञ्छन्देशमनातपं विधिवशात्तालस्य मूलं गतः ।
तत्राप्यस्य महाफलेन पतता भग्नं सशब्दं शिरः
प्रायो गच्छति यत्र भाग्यरहितस्तत्रैव यान्त्यापदः ॥
KalvATo divaseSvarasya kiraNaiH santApito mastake
vA~jCandeSamanAtapaM vidhivaSAttAlasya mUlaM gataH ।
tatrApyasya mahAPalena patatA BagnaM saSabdaM SiraH
prAyo gacCati yatra BAgyarahitastatraiva yAntyApadaH ॥
A bald headed man felt the heat on his scalp and wanted refuge from the sun. So he went and stood below a palm tree. But misfortune followed him there also. A huge fruit fell on his head and broke his head with a loud bang. It is general wisdom that when fate is crossed with you, you will meet misfortune where ever you go.
शशिदिवाकरयोर्ग्रहपीडनं
गजभुजङ्गमयोरपि बन्धनम् ।
मतिमतां च विलोक्य दरिद्रतां
विधिरहो बलवानिति मे मतिः ॥
SaSidivAkarayorgrahapIDanaM
gajaBujaNgamayorapi bandhanam ।
matimatAM ca vilokya daridratAM
vidhiraho balavAniti me matiH ॥
When I see the mighty sun and the moon being devoured by the planets, strong and capable animals like elephants and snakes captured and tamed, highly intelligent people being poor – I tend to think that fate alone decides how fortunate / unfortunate are you.
सृजति तावदेशेषगुणाकरं पुरुषरत्नमलङ्करणं भुवः ।
तदपि तत्क्षणभङ्गि करोति चेदहह कष्टमपण्डितता विधेः ॥
sRujati tAvadeSeShaguNAkaraM puruSharatnamalaNkaraNaM BuvaH ।
tadapi tatkShaNaBaNgi karoti cedahaha kaShTamapaNDitatA vidheH ॥
The creator makes a man full of virtues and who is adored in all the three worlds. But in the next moment, he destroys him in a second. Alas!! Is this foolishness (on part of the providence) or what?
अयममृतनिधानं नायकोऽप्योषधीनां
शतभिषगुनुयातः शम्भुमूर्धोऽवतंसः ।
विरहयति न चैनं राजयक्ष्मा शशाङ्कं
हतविधिपरिपाकः केन वा लङ्घनीयः ॥
ayamamRutanidhAnaM nAyako&pyoShadhInAM
SataBiShagunuyAtaH SamBumUrdho&vataMsaH ।
virahayati na cainaM rAjayakShmA SaSANkaM
hatavidhiparipAkaH kena vA laNGanIyaH ॥
He holds a huge stock of elixir. He is the leader of all medicines. The doctors all over the world worship him. His place (in mythology) is above Lord Shiva’s head. Still, the moon is not spared from going through lean phases in his life. Clearly, nobody can control his own fate.
दैवेन प्रभुणा स्वयं जगति यद्यस्य प्रमाणीकृतं
तत्तस्योपनमेन्मनागपि महान्नैवाश्रयः कारणम्म् ।
सर्वाशापरिपूरके जलधरे वर्षत्यपि प्रत्यहं
सूक्ष्मा एव पतन्ति चातकमुखे द्वित्राः पयोबिन्दवः ॥
daivena praBuNA svayaM jagati yadyasya pramANIkRutaM
tattasyopanamenmanAgapi mahAnnaivASrayaH kAraNamm ।
sarvASAparipUrake jaladhare varShatyapi pratyahaM
sUkShmA eva patanti cAtakamuKe dvitrAH payobindavaH ॥
What is bound to come to you by fate, will come to you (by whatever means). Also, you will not get anything more. Association with something more powerful than yourself is not going to change. Even though the great clouds shower rain on the entire world all day, only a few (2-3) drops do fall into the mouth of the chataka bird.