Mahabharata — Shanti Parva, Shloka 15
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 ||
भीष्म म्हणाले—जसा चोर चोरीच्या मालाचा भार टाकून देऊन ज्या दिशेला त्याला क्षेम व कल्याणाची आशा असते, त्या दिशेला अडथळ्याविना निघून जातो; तसाच मनुष्य राजस व तामस कर्मांचा त्याग करून शुभ गती व परम कल्याण प्राप्त करतो.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.