Shloka 21
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
युधन्वोवाच पितरं ते गमिष्याव: प्राणयोर्विपणे कृते । पुत्रस्यापि स हेतोहिं प्रह्ादो नानृतं वदेत्,सुधन्वा बोला--प्राणोंकी बाजी लग जानेपर हम दोनों तुम्हारे पिताके पास चलेंगे। [मुझे विश्वास है कि] प्रह्नाद अपने बेटेके (जीवनके) लिये भी झूठ नहीं बोल सकते हैं
Sudhanvovāca: pitaram te gamiṣyāvaḥ prāṇayor vipaṇe kṛte | putrasyāpi sa hetoḥ hi Prahlādo nānṛtaṁ vadet ||
Sudhanvan dijo: «Una vez puesta la vida como apuesta, iremos ambos ante tu padre. Pues Prahlāda, ni siquiera por la vida de su propio hijo, diría una falsedad».
विरोचन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthfulness is presented as an uncompromising ethical ideal: Prahlāda’s integrity is so firm that he would not utter falsehood even to save his own son’s life.
In a dispute where life itself has been set as the stake, Sudhanvan proposes that both parties go to Virocana’s father, Prahlāda, trusting that Prahlāda will judge or testify truthfully without bias.