Prahlāda–Indra Saṃvāda: Kartṛtva (Agency) and Svabhāva (Nature) in the Causation of Karma
तमेव च यथा दस्युः क्षिप्त्वा गच्छेच्छिवां दिशम् । तथा रजस्तम: कर्माप्युत्सृज्य प्राप्तुयाच्छुभम्
tam eva ca yathā dasyuḥ kṣiptvā gacchec chivāṃ diśam | tathā rajas-tamaḥ karmāpy utsṛjya prāpnuyāc chubham ||
ビーシュマは言った。「盗人が盗品の重荷を投げ捨てたのち、安穏と無事を望む方角へ妨げなく進むように、人もまた、ラジャス(激情・欲動)とタマス(昏暗・無知)に駆られた行為を捨てれば、吉祥なる境地とより高き善に到達する。」
भीष्म उवाच
Cast off rajasic and tamasic actions—those rooted in restless desire, anger, greed, delusion, and inertia—just as a thief discards incriminating loot; once the burden is dropped, one naturally moves toward an auspicious, wholesome end.
In Bhishma’s instruction in the Shanti Parva, he uses a vivid simile: a robber throws away stolen goods to escape danger and reach safety; likewise, a seeker abandons lower-quality actions (rajas and tamas) to reach śubha-gati, an auspicious destination.