Shloka 14
Prāyaścitta-vidhāna: Tapas, Dāna, Vrata, and Proportional Expiation (प्रायश्चित्तविधानम्)
“वैदिकी अप्रवृत्ति (निवृत्ति-धर्म)-का फल है अमृतत्व (मोक्ष) और वैदिकी प्रवृत्ति अर्थात् सकाम कर्मका फल है जन्म-मरणरूप संसार। लौकिकी अप्रवृत्ति और प्रवृत्ति--ये दोनों यदि अशुभ हों तो उनका फल भी अशुभ समझे तथा शुभ हों तो उनका फल भी शुभ जानना चाहिये; क्योंकि ये दोनों ही शुभ और अशुभरूप होती हैं ।।
vaidikī apravṛttiḥ (nivṛtti-dharma) phalaṃ amṛtatvam (mokṣaḥ), vaidikī pravṛttiḥ tu sakāma-karmaphalaṃ janma-maraṇa-rūpaḥ saṃsāraḥ. laukikī apravṛttiḥ pravṛttiś ca—ete ubhe yadi aśubhe syātāṃ tadā phalam api aśubhaṃ vijānīyāt; yadi śubhe syātāṃ tadā phalam api śubhaṃ vijānīyāt; yataḥ ete ubhe śubhāśubha-rūpe bhavataḥ. daivaṃ ca daiva-saṃyuktaṃ prāṇaś ca prāṇadaś ca; apekṣā-pūrva-karaṇāt aśubhānām api śubhaṃ phalam.
毗耶娑阐明：吠陀之“退隐之道”（尼缚栗底法）以不死为果——即解脱；而吠陀之“趋行之道”（普拉缚栗底），若为欲求所驱的有愿之业（萨迦摩业），其果便是生死轮回。于世间亦然，退隐与趋行二者皆可为善亦可为不善；故其结果亦当随其善恶而判定，因为两种方式都容纳吉与凶的形态。又若行事能顾念神明，遵循与圣典相应之仪轨，敬重生命之气（普拉那）及赐生者，则即便本可能染污之举，亦能结成善果。
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vyāsa distinguishes two Vedic orientations: nivṛtti (withdrawal) leading to mokṣa, and pravṛtti (engaged action), which when desire-driven leads to saṃsāra. He adds an ethical principle: worldly withdrawal/engagement yield results according to their moral quality, and actions done with due regard for the divine order and the sanctity of life can transform outcomes toward the good.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction on dharma, Vyāsa is teaching—rather than narrating an event—by classifying paths of life and their fruits, and by explaining how intention, sacred alignment, and reverence for life affect the moral and karmic result of actions.