Shloka 12
अभिप्रेतामसंश्शलिष्टां कृत्वा चात्महितां क्रियाम् । न याति निरयं कश्चिदिति धर्मविदो विदु:
abhipretām asaṁśliṣṭāṁ kṛtvā cātma-hitāṁ kriyām | na yāti nirayaṁ kaścid iti dharma-vido viduḥ ||
The Nāga said: “When a person performs an action that is truly desired, yet remains untainted by sin and is beneficial to one’s own well-being, no one thereby falls into hell. Such is the understanding of those who know dharma.”
नाग उवाच
Educational Q&A
An action aligned with one’s legitimate desire is not condemnable if it is free from sinful association and genuinely beneficial; moral fault lies in the taint of adharma, not merely in personal preference.
A Nāga speaker states a dharma-principle: performing a personally desired act does not lead to hell when the act is untainted by sin and serves one’s welfare, presenting the view held by dharma-knowers.