Shloka 21
राजधर्मः, दण्डनीतिः, कर्तृत्व-विचारः च
Royal Duty, Lawful Discipline, and the Question of Agency
तथापि लोके कर्माणि समावर्तन्ति भारत । शुभाशुभफल चैते प्राप्तुवन्तीति मे मति:
tathāpi loke karmāṇi samāvartanti bhārata | śubhāśubhaphalaṃ caite prāptuvantīti me matiḥ ||
Vyāsa disse: “Ainda assim, ó Bhārata, as ações continuam a retornar no mundo; e as pessoas de fato vêm a obter seus resultados — tanto auspiciosos quanto inauspiciosos. Tal é a minha opinião.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even if one accepts that worldly action is unavoidable and keeps recurring, one should recognize that actions inevitably yield consequences—good and bad. The ethical implication is to act with discernment, avoiding deeds that generate harmful results.
Vyāsa addresses a Bharata/Kuru listener in the Śānti Parva’s instructional setting, stating a principle of karmic continuity: people keep acting in the world and accordingly experience the fruits of their actions.