Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः
स्वकर्मफलनिभक्षेपं विधानपरिरक्षितम् । भूतग्राममिमं काल: समनन््तात् परिकर्षति
svakarmaphalanibhakṣepaṁ vidhānaparirakṣitam | bhūtagrāmam imaṁ kālaḥ samanantāt parikarṣati ||
Wika ni Bhishma: “Ang bunga ng sariling gawa ay parang isang ipon na itinabi at iningatan sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng kaayusang kosmiko. Kapag dumating ang nararapat na pagkakataon, hinihila ng Panahon ang naimbak na bungang iyon patungo sa buong sangkatauhan ng mga nilalang—at inihaharap ang bawat isa sa kinita ng kanyang mga gawa.”
भीष्म उवाच
Karmic results are not lost: each person’s deeds leave a preserved ‘deposit’ of consequences, safeguarded by cosmic order, and Time inevitably delivers those results when conditions mature.
In the Shanti Parva’s instruction on dharma and right understanding, Bhishma explains to the listener that the unfolding of pleasure and pain in beings is governed by karma, with Time acting as the force that brings stored results to fruition.