Shloka 14
मृत्युकारणप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Cause and Designation of Death
यत् करोत्यनभिसंधिपूर्वक॑ तच्च निर्णुदति तत् पुराकृतम् । न प्रियं तदुभयं न चाप्रियं तस्य तज्जनयतीह कुर्वत:
yat karoty anabhisaṃdhi-pūrvakaṃ tac ca nirṇudati tat purākṛtam | na priyaṃ tad ubhayaṃ na cāpriyaṃ tasya taj janayatīha kurvataḥ ||
Vyāsa berkata: Apa pun yang dilakukan seseorang di sini tanpa niat terdahulu atau maksud tersembunyi, perbuatan itu meniadakan dampak perbuatan masa lampau. Bagi pelaku seperti itu, dua hasil—menyenangkan dan tidak menyenangkan—tidak muncul sebagai ikatan; ketika ia bertindak demikian, tiada yang manis maupun pahit terlahir baginya dari tindakan itu.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions performed without ulterior motive or premeditated self-interest do not generate binding pleasant or unpleasant results; such motive-free action is said to neutralize the force of prior deeds (purākṛta), pointing toward karmic purification through detached conduct.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and the workings of karma, Vyāsa explains a principle of ethical causality: the inner intention behind action determines whether it binds the agent to future pleasure and pain, or instead becomes a means of diminishing past karmic burden.