Shloka 53
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
राजोवाच एवमुक्ते त्वया विप्र यदवाच्यं भवेदपि । अवश्यमेव वक्तव्यं शृणुष्वैकमना द्विज
rājovāca evam ukte tvayā vipra yad avācyaṃ bhaved api | avaśyam eva vaktavyaṃ śṛṇuṣvaikamanā dvija ||
The king said: “O brāhmaṇa, since you have spoken thus, even if something would ordinarily be unfit to be spoken, it must certainly be spoken now. Therefore, O twice-born one, listen with a focused mind.”
पुरोहित उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes a dharmic commitment to truthful disclosure in a serious inquiry: when guidance is sought in earnest, even difficult or normally unspoken matters should be stated plainly, and the listener should receive them with focused attention.
The king urges the brāhmaṇa (priest/learned advisor) to speak without hesitation—whatever the matter may be—and asks him to listen attentively, setting the tone for frank counsel on a sensitive ethical issue.