Shloka 21
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
युधन्वोवाच पितरं ते गमिष्याव: प्राणयोर्विपणे कृते । पुत्रस्यापि स हेतोहिं प्रह्ादो नानृतं वदेत्
Sudhanvovāca: pitaram te gamiṣyāvaḥ prāṇayor vipaṇe kṛte | putrasyāpi sa hetoḥ hi Prahlādo nānṛtaṁ vadet ||
সুধন্বাই ক’লে—প্ৰাণৰ পণ ধৰা হ’লে আমি দুয়ো তোমাৰ পিতাৰ ওচৰলৈ যাম। কিয়নো প্ৰহ্লাদে নিজৰ পুত্ৰৰ বাবেও অসত্য নকয়।
विरोचन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthfulness is presented as an uncompromising ethical ideal: Prahlāda’s integrity is so firm that he would not utter falsehood even to save his own son’s life.
In a dispute where life itself has been set as the stake, Sudhanvan proposes that both parties go to Virocana’s father, Prahlāda, trusting that Prahlāda will judge or testify truthfully without bias.