Adhyāya 272: Vṛtrasya Dharmiṣṭhatā, Indrasya Mohaḥ, Vasiṣṭha-upadeśaḥ
Vṛtra’s dharmic stature; Indra’s disorientation; Vasiṣṭha’s counsel
पापं चिन्तयते चैव प्रत्रवीति करोति च । उसका राग और मोहजनित तीन प्रकारका अधर्म बढ़ता है। वह मनसे पापकी ही बात सोचता है, वाणीसे पाप ही बोलता है और क्रियाद्वारा पाप ही करता है ।।
pāpaṃ cintayate caiva prabravīti karoti ca | tasya adharmapravṛttasya doṣān paśyanti sādhavaḥ ||
Bhīṣma berkata: “Dia memikirkan dosa, menuturkannya, dan melakukannya dengan perbuatan. Pada orang yang demikian condong kepada adharma, orang-orang saleh melihat jelas kecelaannya; tetapi mereka yang berwatak sama-sama berdosa akan bersahabat dengannya. Orang seperti itu tidak menemui kebahagiaan walau di dunia ini—maka bagaimana pula di alam kemudian?”
भीष्म उवाच
Wrongdoing grows when it occupies all three channels—mind (thought), speech (words), and body (deeds). The virtuous can detect such moral decline, while like-minded sinners form companionship; and a life rooted in adharma cannot yield happiness here or hereafter.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on righteous living, Bhīṣma advises Yudhiṣṭhira by describing the behavioral pattern of an unrighteous person and the social and karmic consequences that follow—loss of true esteem, association with the corrupt, and absence of well-being.