Shloka 59
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
एतस्मात् कारणाद् ब्रह्मन् प्रहसे त्वां द्विजोत्तम | नत्वां परिभवन् ब्रह्मन् प्रहसामि गुरुर्भवान्
etasmāt kāraṇād brahman prahase tvāṁ dvijottama | na tvāṁ paribhavan brahman prahasāmi gurur bhavān ||
Karena itulah, wahai brahmana, wahai yang terbaik di antara para dwija, aku tersenyum menertawakan keadaanmu. Namun, wahai brahmana, aku tidak tertawa untuk menghina—sebab engkau adalah guruku.
पुरोहित उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when correcting or expressing disbelief toward a respected elder, one must avoid paribhava (contempt). Ethical speech preserves reverence for the guru while still allowing truthful admonition.
The priest addresses a Brahmin (called dvijottama) and explains that his laughter is prompted by a specific reason, but it is not meant to demean; he explicitly reaffirms the addressee’s status as his guru.