Shloka 32
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
नगरे प्रतिरुद्ध: सन् बहिद्वरि बुभुक्षित: । अमित्रान् भूयस: पश्येद् यः साक्ष्यमनृतं वदेत्,जो झूठा निर्णय देता है, वह राजा नगरमें कैद होकर बाहरी दरवाजेपर भूखका कष्ट उठाता हुआ बहुत-से शत्रुओंको देखता है
nagare pratiruddhaḥ san bahirdvāri bubhukṣitaḥ | amitrān bhūyaḥ paśyed yaḥ sākṣyam anṛtaṁ vadet ||
Wer falsches Zeugnis ablegt, wird als Folge innerhalb der Stadt festgesetzt und, vom Hunger am äußeren Tor gequält, gezwungen sein, viele Feinde zu erblicken.
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
False testimony (anṛta-sākṣya) is a grave breach of dharma; it corrupts justice and therefore brings painful, socially isolating consequences—symbolized by imprisonment, hunger, and being surrounded by enemies.
In a didactic warning, the speaker describes the fate of one who lies as a witness: he ends up confined in the city and suffers hunger at the outer gate, seeing many enemies—an illustrative consequence meant to deter perjury and uphold righteous judgment.