Shloka 28
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
प्रह्माद उवाच पुत्र एको मम ब्रह्म॑ंस्त्वं च साक्षादिहास्थित: । तयोर्विवदतो: प्रश्न कथमस्मद्विधो वदेत्
Prahmāda uvāca: putra eko mama brahman tvaṁ ca sākṣād ihāsthitaḥ | tayor vivadatoḥ praśna katham asmad-vidho vadet ||
Prahlāda berkata: “Anakku, di satu pihak berdiri putraku sendiri, dan di pihak lain engkau, seorang Brāhmaṇa, hadir di sini secara langsung. Bila keduanya berselisih dan sebuah pertanyaan diajukan di antara mereka, bagaimana orang sepertiku dapat berani memberi jawaban?”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint and humility: when higher authorities or revered figures are in dispute, a person of lesser standing should be cautious about asserting an opinion, recognizing limits of competence and the weight of competing loyalties.
Prahmāda addresses someone as “son” and points out that two authoritative presences—his own revered Brahman and the person addressed, who is present directly—are at odds. Faced with their dispute, he questions how someone like himself can appropriately answer the contested question.