Shloka 18
Adhyāya 283: Varṇa-vṛtti, Nyāya-ārjana, and the Decline-and-Restoration of Dharma (वर्णवृत्तिः न्यायार्जनं च)
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्व मे न च वक्ष्ये कदाचन । देवतानामृषीणां च मध्ये सत्यं ब्रवीम्पहम्,“मैंने पहले कभी झूठ नहीं कहा है और आगे भी कभी झूठ नहीं कहूँगा। इन देवताओं तथा ऋषियोंके बीचमें मैं सच्ची बात कह रहा हूँ
anṛtaṃ noktapūrvaṃ me na ca vakṣye kadācana | devatānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca madhye satyaṃ bravīmy aham ||
«Nunca antes he pronunciado falsedad, ni la pronunciaré jamás. Aquí, en medio de estos dioses y sabios, declaro la verdad.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds satya (truthfulness) as a foundational dharmic virtue: one’s speech gains moral authority when grounded in a consistent lifelong commitment to truth, especially when speaking before revered witnesses.
The speaker (Vaiśampāyana) asserts that he has never lied and will never lie, and he proclaims that what he is stating is true, invoking the presence of gods and sages as solemn witnesses to strengthen the credibility and ethical weight of his declaration.