Shloka 8
Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Ātma-saṃyama (Marks of Social Conduct and Self-Restraint) | वर्णलक्षणम् एवं आत्मसंयमः
सुशीघ्रमपि धावन्तं विधानमनुधावति । शेते सह शयानेन येन येन यथा कृतम्
suśīghram api dhāvantaṃ vidhānam anudhāvati | śete saha śayānena yena yena yathā kṛtam ||
آدمی چاہے کتنی ہی تیزی سے دوڑے، اس کے اعمال کا مقررہ انجام اس کے پیچھے دوڑتا ہے۔ جس نے جیسے عمل کیے، ویسا ہی پھل اسے لگاتار ساتھ رہتا ہے؛ وہ لیٹے تو وہ بھی اس کے ساتھ لیٹ جاتا ہے۔
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A person cannot outrun the consequences of their actions: the moral order (vidhāna) ensures that karma’s results accompany the doer in all states—waking, moving, or sleeping—manifesting according to what was done.
In Shanti Parva’s instruction, Bhishma is teaching about dharma and moral causality. He uses vivid imagery—running and sleeping—to show that karmic consequence remains inseparably attached to the agent.