Shloka 13
Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)
अप्रवृत्तेरमर्त्यत्वं मर्त्यत्वं कर्मण: फलम् । अशुभस्याशुभं विद्याच्छुभस्य शुभमेव च । एतयोश्लोभयो: स्यातां शुभाशुभतया तथा
apravṛtter amartyatvaṁ martyatvaṁ karmaṇaḥ phalam | aśubhasyāśubhaṁ vidyāc chubhasya śubham eva ca | etayoḥ ślokabhyoḥ syātāṁ śubhāśubhatayā tathā
Вьяса сказал: от невовлечённости в действие (аправритти) рождается бессмертие; от действия (кармы) — смертность как его плод. Знай: зло приносит зло, а добро приносит лишь добро. Так этими двумя шлоками утверждается и закон благих и неблагих последствий.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two paths and their outcomes: withdrawal from action (apravṛtti) is associated with deathlessness (amartyatva), while continued action binds one to mortality (martyatva). Ethically, it affirms moral causality: harmful deeds yield harmful results, and beneficial deeds yield beneficial results.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and the means to peace and liberation after the war, Vyāsa states a doctrinal summary: action leads to continued mortal consequence, whereas cessation/renunciation points toward freedom; and in either case, deeds bear results according to their moral quality.