Shloka 29
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
प्रह्नाद बोले--ब्रह्मन्! मेरे एक ही पुत्र है और इधर तुम स्वयं उपस्थित हो; भला, तुम दोनोंके विवादमें मेरे-जैसा मनुष्य कैसे निर्णय दे सकता है? ।।
prahrāda uvāca—brahman! mamaika eva putraḥ, iha ca bhavān svayam upasthitaḥ; bhala, yuvayor vivāde mama-sadṛśo manuṣyaḥ kathaṃ nirṇayaṃ dātuṃ śaknoti? ||
sudhanvā uvāca—gāṃ pradadyās tv aurasāya, yad dhānyat syāt priyaṃ dhanam; dvayor vivadatos tathyaṃ vācyaṃ ca matimāṃs tvayā ||
Prahlāda berkata: “Wahai Brahmana, aku hanya mempunyai seorang putra, dan engkau sendiri hadir di sini. Dalam sengketa antara kalian berdua, bagaimana mungkin orang sepertiku dapat memberi keputusan?” Sudhanvā menjawab: “Berikanlah sapi itu—dan segala harta lain yang kau sayangi—kepada putramu yang sah, Virocana. Namun dalam perselisihan kami berdua, engkau yang bijaksana harus menyatakan kebenaran dan memberi jawaban yang tepat.”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when personal ties and interests exist, one must not evade truth in judgment. Sudhanvā insists that Prahrāda separate private affection (giving wealth to his own son) from public duty (speaking the factual truth in a dispute).
Prahrāda hesitates to arbitrate because one party is his only son and the other is a respected Brahmin present before him. Sudhanvā answers by allowing Prahrāda to favor his son materially, yet demands that Prahrāda still deliver an accurate, truthful decision regarding the contested matter.