Shloka 73
Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
संश्रुत्य यो न दित्सेत याचित्वा यश्च नेच्छति । उभावानृतिकावेतौ न मृषा कर्तुमहसि
saṁśrutya yo na ditsed yācitvā yaś ca necchati | ubhāv ānṛtikāv etau na mṛṣā kartum arhasi ||
He who, after having promised, does not give, and he who begs but then refuses to accept when it is granted—both are guilty of falsehood. Therefore, you should not render either your own word or mine untrue.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthfulness is violated both by breaking a promise to give and by refusing a gift after requesting it; ethical speech requires consistency between one’s word, request, and action.
A brāhmaṇa admonishes the listener that reneging on a pledged gift or declining what one has asked for both amount to falsehood, urging the other person to keep words and actions aligned so neither party’s statement becomes untrue.