Shloka 15
Adhyāya 290: Sāṃkhya-vidhi, Deha-doṣa, Guṇa-vicāra, and Mokṣa-gati
Bhīṣma–Yudhiṣṭhira Dialogue
इसके उत्तरमें यह कहा जा सकता है कि मरकर गये हुए प्राणी पूर्वजन्ममें किये हुए कर्मोको सदैव याद नहीं रख सकते। किंतु जब किसी पूर्वकृत कर्मका फल प्राप्त होता है तब वे ही लोग सदा (मन
lokayātrāśrayaś caiva śabdo vedāśrayaḥ kṛtaḥ | śāntyarthaṃ manasas tāta naitad vṛddhānuśāsanam, tāta ||
Sinabi ni Parāśara: “Maaaring sagutin ito nang ganito: ang nilalang na namatay na ay hindi laging makaaalala ng mga ginawa sa nakaraang kapanganakan. Ngunit kapag dumating ang bunga ng dating karma, sila rin ang umaalala na ang gawa ay may apat na anyo—sa isip, sa salita, sa paningin, at sa kilos—at nagsasabing: ‘Marahil may nagawa ako noon kaya ganito ang naging bunga.’ May mga mapag-alinlangan ding nagsasabi na ang mga salita ng Veda ay tinatanggap lamang upang itaguyod ang pamumuhay sa daigdig at payapain ang isip; ngunit, anak ko, hindi ito ang aral ng matatandang pantas.”
पराशर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Parāśara rejects the view that Vedic injunctions are merely pragmatic tools for livelihood or psychological comfort. He affirms that the Veda is upheld by the wise as genuine authority, consistent with moral causality: actions have real consequences, not merely consolatory narratives.
In the Śānti Parva’s didactic setting, Parāśara addresses a listener (“tāta”) and counters nāstika-style skepticism. He insists that the elders’ tradition does not reduce Vedic teaching to social utility or mental pacification, but treats it as a serious guide to dharma and karmic order.