Shloka 89
Adhyāya 199: Karma–Jñāna Causality and the Nirguṇa Brahman
Manu’s Instruction
विकृत उवाच न मे धारयते किज्चिद् विरूपो5यं नराधिप । मिथ्या ब्रवीत्ययं हि त्वां सत्याभासं नराधिप
vikṛta uvāca | na me dhārayate kiñcid virūpo 'yaṃ narādhipa | mithyā bravīty ayaṃ hi tvāṃ satyābhāsaṃ narādhipa ||
ヴィクリタは言った。「人王よ！ このヴィルーパは、私に対していかなる負債の権利も持たぬ。彼はあなたに偽りを語っている。その言葉は真実の貌を装うのみで、真実そのものではない、人々の支配者よ。」
विकृत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that speech can mimic truth without being true (satyābhāsa). Ethical judgment requires discerning genuine truth from plausible falsehood, especially in matters of accusation or obligation.
Vikṛta addresses a king, denying any obligation or liability connected with the deformed person and asserting that the other party is lying—offering only an appearance of truth to mislead the ruler.