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It has been all along dealt with in Sanskrit literature whether an effort to achieve an end pays or success depends on destiny. The wise are in favour of putting the best effort to achieve an end and leave the destiny later on to play its role.1
The behaviour of a person depicts his character and a man of character denotes his action-action that is the mirror of mind, thought and word. Magha of Śiśupālavadha has depicted men of truly keen intellect, of action, who glorify high families, know not to injure the heart of others, are not violent and are true to their word.2
A man with the highest morality is followed by the fruits of his good deeds.3
Magha has also given due importance to kāla i, e. time. Time is the greatest factor in man's destiny. Sometimes all the efforts of man do not mature but in time.4
The true characteristic of a man is to shun observing evil in others and be a self-critic, but the general nature of man is to praise one's self and to condemn others. Man with perverse mentality nullifies the obedience of others and is destroyed and ruined on account of his own faults.5
Magha has dwelt on the various ways and means of karma in a manifold manner. Generally man blames others for what he does wrongly or for his failures but the principle of action demands from a right man that he should blame himself only and not others. The fire has the innate quality of destroying whatever comes in its way but it is not the responsibility of fire if any thing, say butterflies, come to it and burn themselves in it."
1. Sisupälavadham II-86.
2. Ibid., II.102.
3. Ibid., III.26
4. Ibid., VI.44.
5. Ibid., XVI, 29-30.
6. Ibid., XVI. 35
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