Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 106
Dāna–Tapaḥ Praśaṃsā and Gṛhastha-Upadeśa
Maitreya
धर्मलोपभयं ते स्यात् तस्माद् धर्म चरोत्तमम् | धर्मज्ञ! मनुष्य जैसा पाप करता है
dharmalopabhayaṃ te syāt tasmād dharma carottamam | dharmajña! manuṣya yathā pāpaṃ karoti, tadanusāreṇaiva tasya phalaṃ bhoktavyaṃ bhavati | ataḥ bhūtapūrva kīṭa! adhunā tvaṃ mṛtyubhayena kathaṃcid api vyathito mā bhūḥ | hā, te dharmalopasya bhayam avaśyaṃ bhavitavyam, tasmād uttama-dharmam ācaran tiṣṭha ||
Sinabi ni Vyāsa: “Ang dapat mong katakutan ay ang pagkalagas ng dharma; kaya isabuhay mo ang pinakamataas na dharma. O nakaaalam ng dharma, ang tao’y kailangang danasin ang bunga ayon sa kasalanang kanyang ginawa. Kaya, O ikaw na dating uod, huwag kang mabagabag sa anumang paraan dahil sa takot sa kamatayan. Sa halip, ang dapat mong katakutan ay ang paghina ng dharma—kaya magpatuloy kang mamuhay sa pinakamabuti at pinakamarangal na asal.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not be ruled by fear of death; the proper fear is the fear of losing dharma. Since actions inevitably yield corresponding results, the wise response is to uphold the highest righteous conduct rather than panic about mortality.
Vyāsa addresses a listener described as having once been a ‘worm’ (kīṭa), reassuring him not to be distressed by death. He frames the situation through karmic causality—sins bring matching consequences—and urges steadfast adherence to dharma as the true safeguard.