Shloka 14
मृत्युकारणप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Cause and Designation of Death
यत् करोत्यनभिसंधिपूर्वक॑ तच्च निर्णुदति तत् पुराकृतम् । न प्रियं तदुभयं न चाप्रियं तस्य तज्जनयतीह कुर्वत:
yat karoty anabhisaṃdhi-pūrvakaṃ tac ca nirṇudati tat purākṛtam | na priyaṃ tad ubhayaṃ na cāpriyaṃ tasya taj janayatīha kurvataḥ ||
Wika ni Vyāsa: Anumang gawin ng tao rito nang walang paunang layon o lihim na hangarin, ang gawang iyon ay nagpapawi (o nagtataboy) sa nagawa noong nakaraan. Sa gumagawa nang gayon, ang dalawang bunga—kaaya-aya at di-kaaya-aya—ay hindi sumisibol bilang mga bungang nagbubuklod; habang kumikilos siya sa ganitong paraan, hindi nalilikha para sa kanya ng gawa ang alinman sa kanais-nais o di-kanais-nais.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Actions performed without ulterior motive or premeditated self-interest do not generate binding pleasant or unpleasant results; such motive-free action is said to neutralize the force of prior deeds (purākṛta), pointing toward karmic purification through detached conduct.
In Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma and the workings of karma, Vyāsa explains a principle of ethical causality: the inner intention behind action determines whether it binds the agent to future pleasure and pain, or instead becomes a means of diminishing past karmic burden.