fate acts indirectly

 

न कालः खड्गमुद्यम्य शिरः कृन्तति कस्यचित्।

कालस्य बलमेतावद्विपरीतार्थ दर्शनम्॥

इन्दिश्चे स्प्रूचे १३४८ शार्ङ्गधरपद्धति

na kālaḥ khaḍgamudyamya śiraḥ kṛntanti kasyacit|

kālasya balametāvadviparītārtha darśanam||

indiśce sprūce 1348 śārṅgadharapaddhati

We often call fate as a great taskmaster, a strict dispenser of punishment. Of course, the vagaries of fate cause great damages, and therefore the striking power of fate is indeed ominous. No dispute over that idea. However, fate never acts direct. If a person commits a serious offence, the society would punish him physically. That is the usual norm.

We know fate also would punish the wrongdoer with befitting quantum of sufferings and pains. Whereas the executioner of the State would take out a sword, and strike it hard on the neck of a murderer and cut off his head, such direct action will never be apparent when fate, the greatest executioner is in action. The fate clouds the mind of the wrongdoer, clamps physical disabilities and limitations on him, and thus the offender loses his capacity to look at things in the right perspective, and with due diligence. He commits errors that would bring miseries for him eternally. The punishment by fate is very severe and tough, but we cannot see the act of fate directly.

This is a very tough situation. If a fellow has done something wrong, he can at least know what punishment is in store for him. He can defend himself, argue in legal forums and beg for pardon and so on. However, when fate clouds the power capacity of the person to think, the wrongdoer has no other choice but to suffer

kva

A quote from Shaarngadhara padhati

(I have to point out here that the interpretations and comments given above are after understanding the literary meaning and message contained in the subhashitam, as I could understand to the best of my capacity. I give the word-by-word meaning in simple language below. That would help students of Sanskrit)

कालःthe fate, the lord and master of fate खड्गम् the sword उद्यम्य brandishing कस्यचित् of any person शिरः head न कृन्तति does not cut off विपरीतार्थ meaning of interpretation in the wrong way, opposite interpretation, clouded judgement दर्शनं showing of एतद् this हि indeed कालस्य of fate, of time बलं strength वर्तते is