युधिष्ठिर उवाच किं कर्तव्यं मनुष्येण लोकयात्राहितार्थिना। कथं वै लोकयात्रां तु किंशीलश्च समाचरेत्॥
Yudhishthira said What should a man do in order to pass happily through this and the other world. How, indeed, should one act? What practices should one follow with this view?
भीष्म उवाच कार्येन त्रिविधं कर्म वाचर चापि चतुर्विधम्। मनसा त्रिविधं चैव दशकर्मपथांस्त्यजेत्॥
Bhishma said One should avoid the three deeds which are done with the body, the four which are done with words, the three which are done with the mind, and the ten roads of action.
प्राणातिपात: स्तैन्यं च परदारानथापि च। त्रीणि पापानि कायेन सर्वतः परिवर्जयेत्॥
The three deeds which are done with the body and should be wholly avoided are the destruction of the lives of other creatures, theft or misappropriation of others properties, and the enjoyment of other people's wives.
असत्प्रलाप पारुष्यं पैशुन्यमनृतं तथा। चत्वारि वाचा राजेन्द्र न जल्पेन्नानुचिन्तयेत्॥
The four acts which are done with words, O king, and which should never be done or even thought of, are evil conversation, harsh words, giving other people's faults, and falsehood.
अनभिघ्या परस्वेषु सर्वसत्त्वेषु सौहृदम्। कर्मणां फलमस्तीति त्रिविधं मनसा चरेत्॥
Coveting the possessions of others, doing harm to others, and disbelief in the Vedas, are the three deeds done with the mind which should always be avoided.
तस्माद् वाक्कायमनसा नाचरेदशुभं नरः। शुभाशुभान्याचरन् हि तस्य तस्याश्नुते फलम्॥
Hence, one should never do any evil deed in speech, body, or mind. By doing good and evil deeds, one is sure to enjoy or reap the just consequences thereof. Nothing can be more certain than this.