Shloka 21

दुष्कृते सुकृते चापि न जन्तुर्नियतो भवेत्‌ । नित्यं मनःसमाधाने प्रयतेत विचक्षण:,विद्वान्‌ पुरुषको जीवनपर्यन्त पाप या पुण्यमें भी आसक्त न होकर अपने मनको परमात्माके ध्यानमें लगानेका प्रयत्न करना चाहिये

duṣkṛte sukṛte cāpi na jantur niyato bhavet | nityaṁ manaḥ-samādhāne prayateta vicakṣaṇaḥ ||

Parāśara sprach: „Ein Lebewesen ist weder durch Unrecht noch durch gute Taten unwiderruflich festgelegt. Darum soll der Einsichtige unablässig danach streben, den Geist in tiefer Versenkung zu sammeln — ohne an Sünde zu haften, ja nicht einmal am Verdienst, und die innere Aufmerksamkeit auf das höchste Selbst zu richten.“

दुष्कृतेin evil deed / in sin
दुष्कृते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootदुष्कृत
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
सुकृतेin good deed / in merit
सुकृते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसुकृत
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
जन्तुःa living being
जन्तुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नियतःfixed/compelled (bound)
नियतः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootनियत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भवेत्would be / should become
भवेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य
मनःसमाधानेin the concentration/settling of the mind
मनःसमाधाने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमनः-समाधान
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
प्रयतेतshould strive/endeavor
प्रयतेत:
TypeVerb
Rootयत्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, प्र
विचक्षणःdiscerning, wise
विचक्षणः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविचक्षण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

पराशर उवाच

पराशर (Parāśara)
जन्तु (living being)

Educational Q&A

One should not regard oneself as permanently determined by past sin or merit; instead, the wise should cultivate steady mental absorption and detachment, orienting the mind toward the Supreme Self rather than clinging to moral credit or guilt.

In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and liberation, the sage Parāśara delivers a reflective teaching: ethical action matters, yet liberation requires going beyond fixation on both demerit and merit through sustained inner concentration.