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A STUDY IN KARMA
strengthen us. The fact that we can nearly do a thing means that we have worked for it in the past, and the accumulated strength of those past efforts is within us. That we can do a little means the power of doing more; 'and even if we fail, the power put forth to the utmost 'passes into the reservoir of our forces, and the failure of to-day means the victory of to-morrow.
When circumstances are adverse, the same thing holds good; we may have reached the point where one more effort means success. Therefore did Bhishma counsel effort under all conditions, and utter the encouraging phrase : “Exertion is greater than destiny." The result of many past exertions is embodied in our karma, and the presen't exertion added to them may make our force adequate for the achievement of our aim.
There are cases where the force of the karma of the past is so strong
