Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
युधन्वोवाच यद् धर्ममवृणीथास्त्वं न कामादनृतं वदी: । पुनर्ददामि ते पुत्र॑ तस्मात् प्रह्मद दुर्लभम्,7 कि लक हा ५ खा 4 अर प 90-5० सुधन्वा बोला--प्रह्नाद! तुमने धर्मको ही स्वीकार किया है, स्वार्थवश झूठ नहीं कहा है; इसलिये अब तुम्हारे इस दुर्लभ पुत्रको फिर तुम्हें दे रहा हूँ
sudhanvovāca yad dharmam avṛṇīthās tvaṃ na kāmād anṛtaṃ vadīḥ | punar dadāmi te putraṃ tasmāt prahrāda durlabham ||
Sudhanvā berkata: “Karena engkau memilih dharma dan tidak mengucapkan dusta demi kepentingan diri, maka aku mengembalikan putramu kepadamu, wahai Prahlāda—seorang putra yang demikian sukar diperoleh.”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Choosing dharma and refusing to lie for personal gain is upheld as the highest ethical standard; such integrity brings restoration and reward, symbolized by the return of the son.
Sudhanvan addresses Prahlāda and acknowledges that Prahlāda has chosen righteousness and not spoken untruth out of desire; as a consequence, Sudhanvan returns Prahlāda’s (rare and precious) son to him.