Chapter 2: Sudarśana Upākhyāna — Atithi-Dharma and the Conquest of Mṛtyu
Gṛhastha-Vrata
निःसंदिग्धं॑ यथा वाक्यमेतन्मे समुदाह्ृतम् । तेनाहं विप्र सत्येन स्वयमात्मानमालभे
niḥsaṃdigdhaṃ yathā vākyam etan me samudāhṛtam | tenāhaṃ vipra satyena svayam ātmānam ālabhe |
“ब्राह्मण! मी हे वचन निःसंशय उच्चारले आहे. म्हणून या सत्याची सिद्धता करण्यासाठी मी स्वतःच्या देहास स्पर्श करून शपथ घेतो.”
भीष्म उवाच
The verse upholds satya (truth) as an ethical foundation: a righteous speaker should stand behind his words, even to the point of taking a solemn oath, emphasizing accountability and integrity in speech.
Bhishma, addressing a brahmin, asserts that his prior statement is beyond doubt and then reinforces its credibility by invoking truth and performing a formal oath-like act upon his own person.