Shloka 15
Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma
तमेव च यथा दस्युः क्षिप्त्वा गच्छेच्छिवां दिशम् । तथा रजस्तम: कर्माप्युत्सृज्य प्राप्तुयाच्छुभम्
tam eva ca yathā dasyuḥ kṣiptvā gacchec chivāṃ diśam | tathā rajas-tamaḥ karmāpy utsṛjya prāpnuyāc chubham ||
Bhishma sprach: Wie ein Dieb, der, nachdem er die Last der gestohlenen Güter abgeworfen hat, ungehindert in die Richtung geht, in der er Sicherheit und Wohlergehen erwartet, so erlangt auch der Mensch, der von rajas (Leidenschaft) und tamas (Dunkelheit) getriebene Handlungen aufgibt, einen glückverheißenden Zustand und ein höheres Gut.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Cast off rajasic and tamasic actions—those rooted in restless desire, anger, greed, delusion, and inertia—just as a thief discards incriminating loot; once the burden is dropped, one naturally moves toward an auspicious, wholesome end.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, he uses a vivid simile: a robber throws away stolen goods to escape danger and reach safety; likewise, a seeker abandons lower-quality actions (rajas and tamas) to reach śubha-gati, an auspicious destination.