Shloka 22
अध्याय २९७ — श्रेयः, धृति, दान-नियमाः
Welfare, Steadfastness, and Norms of Giving
जातमन्वेति मरणं नृणामिति विनिश्चय: । अन्तवन्ति हि कर्माणि सेवन्ते गुणत: प्रजा:,जन्मके साथ ही मृत्यु मनुष्योंके पीछे लगी रहती है। यह विद्वानोंका निश्चय है। समस्त प्रजा सत्त्व आदि गुणोंसे प्रेरित होकर विनाशशील कर्मोका आचरण करती है
jātam anveti maraṇaṁ nṛṇām iti viniścayaḥ | antavanti hi karmāṇi sevante guṇataḥ prajāḥ ||
From the very moment a person is born, death follows close behind—such is the settled conclusion of the wise. And because actions are inherently finite and perishable, living beings, driven by the qualities of nature (sattva, rajas, and tamas), continue to engage in these transient deeds.
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Birth and death are inseparably linked: mortality begins 'from birth' itself. Since all actions are finite and end-bound, people—impelled by the guṇas of prakṛti—keep performing transient deeds. The ethical thrust is toward sobriety, discernment, and reduced attachment to impermanent action and its fruits.
Parāśara is instructing his listener in a reflective, philosophical mode typical of the Śānti Parva: he states a wise certainty about human mortality and explains human behavior through the framework of the guṇas, emphasizing why beings continue to act despite the perishability of actions and life.