Shloka 33
दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
अश्व॒त्थामा च रामश्न मुनिपुत्रौ धनुर्थरौ । न गच्छत: स्वर्गलोक॑ सुकृतेनेह कर्मणा
aśvatthāmā ca rāmaś ca muniputrau dhanurdharau | na gacchataḥ svargalokaṃ sukṛtenehakarmaṇā ||
Bhishma dijo: «Del mismo modo, Aśvatthāmā y Rāma (Paraśurāma) son ambos hijos de sabios y poderosos arqueros. Aunque realizaron obras meritorias en este mundo, no alcanzaron el reino celestial únicamente por la fuerza de esas obras.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Meritorious acts (sukṛta) alone do not automatically guarantee heaven; the moral quality of one’s overall conduct and its consequences matter in determining spiritual outcome.
Bhīṣma cites Aśvatthāmā and Paraśurāma—both renowned, ṛṣi-born archers—as examples to illustrate that even powerful figures who have performed good deeds may still fail to reach Svarga, emphasizing a nuanced view of karma and ethical accountability.