Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 134
Puṣkara-Śapatha Itihāsa (Agastya–Indra Dispute at the Tīrthas) | पुष्कर-शपथ-आख्यानम्
शुन:सख उवाच न्यस्तमद्यं न पश्यदूभिर्यदुक्तं कृतकर्मभि: । सत्यमेतन्न मिथ्यैतद् बिसस्तैन्यं कृतं मया
śunaḥsakha uvāca: nyastam adyaṁ na paśyadbhir yad uktaṁ kṛtakarmabhiḥ | satyam etan na mithyaitad bisastainyaṁ kṛtaṁ mayā ||
शुनःसख ने कहा—आप लोग कर्म में लगे थे और देख नहीं पा रहे थे, इसलिए जो कहा है वह सत्य है, असत्य नहीं। मृणालों की चोरी मैंने ही की है।
शुन:सख उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds satya (truthfulness) as an ethical duty: wrongdoing is acknowledged without evasion. Confession becomes the first step toward restoring dharma after a lapse such as theft.
Śunaḥsakha admits that he himself stole the lotus-stalks that had been set aside, doing so while others were occupied with ritual acts and not watching. He affirms that the accusation against him is correct and not false.