Shloka 12
Adhyāya 9: Pratiśruta-Dāna
The Duty to Fulfill Promised Gifts
एवमुक्त: प्रत्युवाच शृगालो वानरं तदा । ब्राह्मणस्य प्रतिश्रुत्य न मया तदुपाहृतम्
evam uktaḥ pratyuvāca śṛgālo vānaraṃ tadā | brāhmaṇasya pratiśrutya na mayā tad upāhṛtam ||
ଏପରି କହିବା ପରେ ଶିଆଳଟି ସେତେବେଳେ ବାନରକୁ ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଲା— “ମୁଁ ଜଣେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କୁ ଦେବି ବୋଲି ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞା କରିଥିଲି, କିନ୍ତୁ ସେହି ବସ୍ତୁ ମୁଁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦେଇନଥିଲି।”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A pledge (pratiśruti) made especially to a Brahmin should be honored; breaking one’s promised word is adharma that ripens into suffering and degraded conditions, illustrating karmic consequence and the ethical weight of truthfulness.
In a dialogue framed by Bhīṣma’s instruction, a jackal explains to a monkey that his present miserable condition is the result of having promised an item to a Brahmin and then failing to deliver it; he links his hunger and repulsive sustenance to that prior wrongdoing.