दैव–पुरुषकार-प्रश्नः
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Inquiry: Fate and Human Effort
शुभेन कर्मणा सौख्यं दु:ःखं पापेन कर्मणा । कृतं फलति सर्वत्र नाकृतं भुज्यते क्वचित्
bhīṣma uvāca | śubhena karmaṇā saukhyaṁ duḥkhaṁ pāpena karmaṇā | kṛtaṁ phalati sarvatra nākṛtaṁ bhujyate kvacit |
நல்ல செயலில் இன்பம்; பாவச் செயலில் துன்பம் உண்டாகும். செய்தது எங்கும் பலன் தரும்; செய்யாததின் பலன் எங்கும் அனுபவிக்கப்படாது.
भीष्म उवाच
Bhishma teaches the principle of karma: virtuous actions lead to happiness and sinful actions lead to suffering. Only performed actions produce results; one cannot experience the fruit of an action never done. This underscores ethical accountability and the inevitability of moral consequences.
In Anushasana Parva, Bhishma instructs Yudhishthira on dharma and right conduct. Here he states a general moral law about how actions inevitably yield corresponding results, reinforcing the ethical framework guiding a king and society.