Shloka 9
तस्मिन् वने समीपस्थो मृगो5भूत् सहवासिक: । वचोभिरब्रवीत् सत्यं त्वयेदं दुष्कृतं कृतम्,उस वनमें सत्यका सहवासी एक मृग था, जो वहाँ पास ही रहता था। एक दिन उसने मनुष्यकी बोलीमें सत्यसे कहा--'ब्राह्मण! तुमने यज्ञके नामपर यह दुष्कर्म किया है
tasmin vane samīpastho mṛgo 'bhūt sahavāsikaḥ | vacobhir abravīt satyaṃ tvayedaṃ duṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam |
Di hutan itu, tak jauh, hiduplah seekor rusa, sahabat tetap Kebenaran. Dengan kata-kata manusia ia berkata jujur: “Olehmu perbuatan jahat ini telah dilakukan.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Wrongdoing does not become righteous merely by being associated with a religious label; truth itself (here symbolized by a deer allied with Satya) exposes and condemns harm committed under the pretext of sacrifice.
Nārada narrates that in a forest a deer living close by—described as a companion of Truth—speaks in human language and directly rebukes someone, declaring that the person has committed an evil act (implied to be done in the name of a yajña).