Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 15
शुकस्य योगसिद्धिः (Śuka’s Yogic Attainment and Ascent)
द्रष्टा स्वर्गस्थ को5न्यो5स्ति तथैव नरकस्य च । आगरमांस्त्वनतिक्रम्य दद्याच्चैव यजेत च
draṣṭā svargastha ko 'nyo 'sti tathaiva narakasya ca | āgamānstv anatikramya dadyāc caiva yajeta ca ||
Bhishma berkata: “Siapa lagi, selain pelaku perbuatan itu sendiri, yang akan melihat dan mengalami surga, dan demikian pula neraka? Karena itu, tanpa melanggar ketetapan śāstra, hendaklah orang terus bersedekah dan melaksanakan yajña serta perbuatan-perbuatan baik lainnya.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The doer alone experiences the fruits of actions—heaven for good deeds and hell for bad—so one should adhere to scriptural injunctions and persist in meritorious acts like charity and sacrifice.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Bhishma advises the listener that personal responsibility for karma is inescapable, and therefore recommends sustained righteous conduct (dāna, yajña) in accordance with śāstra.