Shloka 63
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
यो हि प्रश्न॑ न विब्रूयाद् धर्मदर्शी सभां गतः । अनृते या फलावाप्तिस्तस्या: सो<र्थ समश्षुते,जो धर्मज्ञ पुरुष सभामें जाकर वहाँ उपस्थित हुए प्रश्नका उत्तर नहीं देता, वह झूठ बोलनेके आधे फलका भागी होता है
yo hi praśnaṃ na vibrūyād dharmadarśī sabhāṃ gataḥ | anṛte yā phalāvāptis tasyāḥ so 'rthaṃ samaśnute ||
Vidura sagt: Wer Dharma zu erkennen vermag, in die Versammlung tritt und dennoch die ihm vorgelegte Frage nicht beantwortet, zieht einen Anteil an der Folge auf sich, die der Unwahrheit zukommt—als hätte er die Hälfte der Frucht der Lüge teil.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A dharma-knowing person has a duty to respond truthfully when questioned in an assembly; refusing to answer is morally culpable and is treated as sharing in the demerit/consequence of falsehood—silence can function like a lie.
In the context of counsel and deliberation in the royal assembly, Vidura articulates a norm of sabhā-dharma: those competent to judge right and wrong must not evade questions; withholding guidance in public decision-making is ethically blameworthy.