Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma
उत्सीदेरन् प्रजा: सर्वा न कुर्यु: कर्म चेद् भुवि । तथा होता न वर्धेरन् कर्म चेदफलं भवेत्,यदि समस्त प्रजा इस भूतलपर कर्म करना छोड़ दे तो सबका संहार हो जाय। यदि कर्मका कुछ फल न हो तो इन प्रजाओंकी वृद्धि ही न हो
utsīderan prajāḥ sarvā na kuryuḥ karma ced bhuvi | tathā hotā na vardheran karma ced aphalaṃ bhavet ||
ಈ ಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳು ಕರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟುಬಿಟ್ಟರೆ, ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ನಾಶದ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಜಾರುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಕರ್ಮ ಫಲರಹಿತವಾದರೆ, ಯಜ್ಞಕ್ರಮವನ್ನು ಧಾರಣೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಪೋಷಕ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯೂ, ಪ್ರಜೆಯ ವೃದ್ಧಿ-ಸಮೃದ್ಧಿಯೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.
युधिछिर उवाच
Action (karma), especially duty-aligned action, is necessary for the survival and flourishing of society; if actions had no results, the sacrificial and moral economy that sustains prosperity and continuity would collapse.
Yudhiṣṭhira argues against abandoning action by pointing out its societal necessity: without people performing their duties, the world falls into ruin, and if actions were truly fruitless, the institutions and processes that support growth—symbolized by the Hotṛ and sacrifice—would not function.