32. Válmíki said:—After the sage had said these sayings, the day passed away, and the sages went to bathe after taking leave of the assembly, where they joined again with the rising beams of the sun dispelling the gloom of night.
CHAPTER VI.
Refutation of Fatalism.
Vasishtha resumed saying:—
Now fate being no other than the result of our actions of the former state of our existence, it is possible to leave it at a distance, and to extricate one’s self (from its fetters) by betaking himself to good company and study of moral Sástras.
2. Whatever one attempts to do, he readily meets with its reward: this being the effect of exertion. Fate is no other but the same thing.
3. Men laboring hard, are heard to exclaim “O how painful it is”: so men suffering under fate cry out “O hard is fate!” (so the one is as bad as the other).
4. Thus then fate being no other than a name for our past actions, it is as easily overcome (by present acts) as a boy (is subdued) by an adult youth.
5. As some bad conduct of yesterday is corrected by proper behaviour of the present day, so the anterior fate is removed by (posterior) acts.
6. Those carnal minded libertines who do not try the means (of reforming their fate), but depend upon the favor of fortune, are perverted in their nature and marked for misery.
7. Thus if the acts of manliness are capable of forefending one’s misfortunes, it must be acknowledged that manliness which destroys the other, is the mightier of the two.