Shloka 17

Adhyaya 8 — Harishchandra’s Trial: Truth, the Sale of Family, and Bondage to a Chandala

Sanskrit

त्यज चिन्तां महाराज स्वसत्यमनुपालय ।

श्मशानवद् वर्जनीयो नरः सत्यबहिष्कृतः ॥

Transliteration

tyaja cintāṃ mahārāja svasatyam anupālaya |

śmaśāna-vad varjanīyo naraḥ satya-bahiṣkṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Tinggalkanlah kegelisahan, wahai raja agung; tegakkanlah kebenaranmu sendiri. Orang yang tersingkir dari kebenaran patut dijauhi—seperti tanah pembakaran mayat.

Speakers

• Unspecified in input (didactic address to a king: “mahārāja” indicates counsel given to a ruler within the narrative frame)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Satya (truthfulness)
• Raja-dharma (ethics of kingship)
• Social conduct and discernment