Shloka 37
Vidyā–Avidyā and the Twenty-Fifth Principle
Sāṃkhya–Yoga Clarification
क्रियमाणं यदा कर्म नाशं गच्छति मानुषम् । तेषां नान्यदृते लोके तपस: कर्म विद्यते,जब उत्तम कुलमें उत्पन्न, सम्मानित तथा शास्त्रके अर्थको जाननेवाले पुरुषोंका और असमर्थताके कारण कर्म-धर्मसे रहित एवं आत्मतत्त्वसे अनभिज्ञ मनुष्योंका भी किया हुआ लौकिक कर्म नष्ट हो ही जाता है, तब यही निष्कर्ष निकलता है कि जगत्में उनके लिये तपके सिवा दूसरा कोई सत्कर्म नहीं है
kriyamāṇaṃ yadā karma nāśaṃ gacchati mānuṣam | teṣāṃ nānyadṛte loke tapasaḥ karma vidyate ||
Parāśara said: When a human being’s actions—even while being done—come to ruin and yield no lasting fruit, one conclusion stands clear: for such people, in this world there is no truly enduring and purifying deed other than austerity (tapas). Worldly undertakings are fragile and often fail; inner discipline alone remains a reliable means of self-elevation.
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worldly actions are unstable and can become fruitless; therefore, disciplined austerity (tapas)—self-restraint, inner purification, and sustained spiritual effort—is presented as the most dependable ‘good action’ for those whose ordinary karmas do not endure or do not lead to higher realization.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional discourse, the sage Parāśara is teaching a reflective, renunciatory ethic: he contrasts perishable worldly activity with the lasting value of tapas, guiding the listener toward inner discipline as the secure path when external achievements fail.