Shloka 17
Adhyāya 222 — ब्रह्मस्थानप्राप्ति: मोक्षधर्मे समत्वव्रतम्
Attaining the Brahman-Station: The Vow of Equanimity in Mokṣadharma
यस्तु कर्तारमात्मानं मन्यते साध्वसाधु वा । तस्य दोषवती प्रज्ञा अतत्त्वज्ञेति मे मतिः
yastu kartāram ātmānaṃ manyate sādhv asādhu vā | tasya doṣavatī prajñā atattvajñeti me matiḥ ||
जो आत्म्यालाच शुभ वा अशुभ कर्मांचा कर्ता मानतो, त्याची बुद्धी दोषयुक्त आहे; माझ्या मते तो तत्त्वज्ञ नाही.
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the doctrine of non-doership of the Ātman: attributing moral agency (good or bad action) to the true Self is a philosophical error. True knowledge distinguishes the witnessing Self from actions performed through body-mind and the play of guṇas/causality.
In Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, Prahlāda is presented as giving a reflective teaching on reality (tattva) and right understanding. He critiques the common assumption that the inner Self is the direct doer of actions, framing it as a mark of incomplete spiritual discernment.