Shloka 25
Sanatsujāta-Āhvāna (Summoning Sanatsujāta) — Vidura’s Invocation and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Doubt
गत्वोभयं कर्मणा युज्यते<स्थिरं शुभस्य पापस्य स चापि कर्मणा । धर्मेण पापं प्रणुदतीह विद्वान् धर्मो बलीयानिति तस्य सिद्धि:,इस प्रकार पुण्य और पापके जो स्वर्ग-नरकरूप दो अस्थिर फल हैं, उनका भोग करके वह (इस जगत्में जन्म ले) पुनः तदनुसार कर्मोमें लग जाता है; किंतु कर्मोंके तत्त्वको जाननेवाला पुरुष निष्कामधर्मरूप कर्मके द्वारा अपने पूर्वपापका यहाँ ही नाश कर देता है। इस प्रकार धर्म ही अत्यन्त बलवान् है। इसलिये निष्कामभावसे धर्माचरण करनेवालोंको समयानुसार अवश्य सिद्धि प्राप्त होती है
gatvobhayaṁ karmaṇā yujyate 'sthiraṁ śubhasya pāpasya sa cāpi karmaṇā | dharmeṇa pāpaṁ praṇudatīha vidvān dharmo balīyān iti tasya siddhiḥ ||
Having experienced both outcomes—those unstable fruits of merit and sin (heaven and hell)—a person is born again in this world and, in accordance with those results, becomes engaged once more in action. But the wise one who understands the truth of action drives away former sin here itself through dharma performed without selfish motive. Thus dharma is the stronger power; therefore, for those who practice dharma in a desireless spirit, success is surely attained in due course.
सनत्सुजात उवाच
Educational Q&A
Heaven and hell are impermanent results of merit and sin; after exhausting them one returns to worldly action. The wise person, however, uses desireless dharma to eradicate sin here and now—showing that dharma is ultimately more powerful and leads to assured attainment in time.
In the Sanatsujata discourse within the Udyoga Parva, Sanatsujata explains to his listener that ordinary beings cycle through the fruits of karma (including heaven/hell) and return to rebirth, whereas the knower practices dharma without selfish desire to overcome prior sin and progress toward true success.