Shloka 64
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
यः पुनर्वितथं ब्रूयाद् धर्मदर्शी सभां गत: । अनृतस्य फल कृत्स्नं सम्प्राप्रोतीति निश्चय:
yaḥ punar vitathaṃ brūyād dharmadarśī sabhāṃ gataḥ | anṛtasya phalaṃ kṛtsnaṃ samprāpnotīti niścayaḥ ||
Vidura erklärt: Wenn jemand, der das Rechte kennt, in die königliche Versammlung tritt und dennoch Unwahres spricht—ein falsches Urteil in einer Sache fällt—, so zieht er gewiss die volle Folge der Unwahrheit auf sich.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthful speech is a binding duty in the public assembly; a dharma-knowing person who still speaks falsely—especially in judgment—incurs the full moral and punitive consequence of untruth.
Vidura is instructing the court on standards of righteous conduct in the sabhā, warning that false testimony or a dishonest decision in an official setting brings complete culpability.