Shloka 17
Akṣara–Kṣara Viveka: Vasiṣṭha–Karāla-Janaka Saṃvāda (अक्षर-क्षर विवेकः)
कृतानि यानि कर्माणि दैवतैर्मुनिभिस्तथा । न चरेत् तानि धर्मात्मा श्रुत्वा चापि न कुत्सयेत्,देवताओं और मुनियोंद्वारा जो अनुचित कर्म किये गये हों धर्मात्मा पुरुष उनका अनुकरण न करे; और उन कर्मोंको सुनकर भी उन देवता आदिकी निन्दा भी न करे
kṛtāni yāni karmāṇi daivatair munibhis tathā | na caret tāni dharmātmā śrutvā cāpi na kutsayet ||
Walaupun ada perbuatan tertentu yang pernah dilakukan oleh para dewa dan para resi, seorang yang berjiwa dharma tidak patut meniru perbuatan itu (apabila ia tidak wajar). Dan meskipun hanya mendengarnya, dia juga tidak patut terjerumus ke dalam mencela para dewa atau resi tersebut.
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not treat the actions of exalted beings as automatic permission for oneself: a dharmic person must use moral discernment and avoid imitating improper deeds, while also maintaining reverence and restraint by not maligning gods or sages upon hearing such accounts.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Parāśara gives a guideline for ethical judgment: stories about deities and ṛṣis may include questionable acts, but the listener should neither copy them nor turn that knowledge into blame or contempt toward those revered figures.