Vasiṣṭha on Saṃsāra, Guṇas, and Misattributed Agency
Mahābhārata 12.292
अनहश्नाहतां प्राप्ता: सन्त: स्तुत्वा तमेव ह । नतु वृद्धिमिहान्विच्छेत् कर्म कृत्वा जुगुप्सितम्
anahaśnāhatāṁ prāptāḥ santaḥ stutvā tameva ha | na tu vṛddhim ihānvicchet karma kṛtvā jugupsitam ||
ປາຣາຊະຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: “ແມ່ນແຕ່ຜູ້ທີ່ບໍ່ຄວນໄດ້ຮັບການນັບຖື ກໍຍັງກາຍເປັນສັນຕະບຸລຸດຜູ້ຄວນບູຊາ ໂດຍການສັນລະເສີນພຣະອົງນັ້ນເອງ (ພຣະວິສະນຸ) ແລະໄດ້ເຖິງພຣະອົງ. ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ໃນໂລກນີ້ ບໍ່ຄວນຫວັງຄວາມເຈຣິນງອກງາມ ຫຼືຄວາມຮຸ່ງເຮືອງ ໂດຍການກະທຳທີ່ນ່າຕຳໜິ ແລະນ່າລັງກຽດ.”
पराशर उवाच
Devotion and sincere praise of Viṣṇu can elevate even those previously unworthy, but one should not expect genuine prosperity or spiritual uplift by engaging in reprehensible conduct; ethical action is essential.
Parāśara is instructing his listener within the Śānti Parva’s dharma-discourse: he cites the transformative power of praising Viṣṇu, then draws a moral conclusion that blameworthy actions cannot be a means to true advancement.