Akṣara–Kṣara Viveka: Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda (अक्षर-क्षर विवेकः)
स्वयं कृत्वा तु यः पापं शुभमेवानुतिष्ठति । प्रायश्षित्तं नर: कर्तुमुभयं सो$श्ुते पूृथक्
svayaṃ kṛtvā tu yaḥ pāpaṃ śubham evānutiṣṭhati | prāyaścittaṃ naraḥ kartuṃ ubhayaṃ so 'śnute pṛthak ||
Seseorang yang dengan sadar melakukan dosa, lalu menjalankan perbuatan baik demi penebusan, akan mengalami buah keduanya secara terpisah—buah baik sebagai baik, dan buah jahat sebagai jahat.
पराशर उवाच
Expiatory good deeds do not erase the causal fruit of a knowingly committed sin; rather, the agent receives the merit of the good act and also separately undergoes the demerit of the sinful act.
In Parāśara’s instruction on dharma and expiation, he explains how karma operates: after committing wrongdoing, a person may perform auspicious acts as prāyaścitta, yet the outcomes of the two kinds of actions remain distinct and are experienced accordingly.