Shloka 5
Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma
यत् कृतं स्याच्छुभं कर्म पापं वा यदि वाश्षुते । तस्माच्छुभानि कर्माणि कुर्याद् वा बुद्धिकर्मभि:,मनुष्य शुभ या अशुभ जैसा भी कर्म करता है उसका फल उसे स्वयं ही भोगना पड़ता है; इसलिये मन, बुद्धि और क्रियाके द्वारा सदा शुभ कर्मोंका ही आचरण करे
yat kṛtaṃ syāc chubhaṃ karma pāpaṃ vā yadi vāśnute | tasmāc chubhāni karmāṇi kuryād vā buddhi-karmabhiḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: Whatever deed a person performs—whether auspicious or sinful—its result is what he himself must inevitably experience. Therefore, with mind, intellect, and outward action, one should consistently choose and practice only auspicious deeds.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person must personally experience the consequences of his own actions; therefore one should deliberately cultivate and perform only wholesome (śubha) actions through thought, discernment, and conduct.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhīṣma continues advising Yudhiṣṭhira by emphasizing personal moral accountability and urging sustained commitment to virtuous action.