Shloka 12
Kṛṣṇasya Dvārakā-praveśaḥ — Krishna’s Return to Dvārakā and the Raivataka Festival
उत्तद़्क उवाच प्राहुर्वाकुसंयतं विप्रं धर्मनैपुणदर्शिन: । मित्रेषु यश्चव विषम: स्तेन इत्येव तं विदु:
Uttaṅka uvāca: prāhur vāku-saṁyataṁ vipraṁ dharma-naipuṇa-darśinaḥ | mitreṣu yaś ca vai viṣamaḥ stena ity eva taṁ viduḥ ||
ଉତ୍ତଙ୍କ କହିଲେ—ରାଜନ୍! ଧର୍ମନିପୁଣ ପଣ୍ଡିତମାନେ କହିଛନ୍ତି—ଯେ ନିଜ ବାଣୀକୁ ସଂଯମ କରେ, ସତ୍ୟବାଦୀ ହୁଏ, ସେଇ ନିଜେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ। କିନ୍ତୁ ଯେ ମିତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ବିଷମତା ଓ ପକ୍ଷପାତ କରେ, ସେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଚୋର ବୋଲି ଜଣାଯାଏ।
उत्तद़्क उवाच
Educational Q&A
True nobility (here, the mark of a brāhmaṇa) is ethical self-restraint in speech—truthful, disciplined words—while unfair, biased conduct even toward friends is condemned as theft of trust and righteousness.
Uttaṅka delivers a moral definition: he reports what dharma-experts say about who deserves the title ‘vipra’ and warns that partiality in dealing with friends is tantamount to being a ‘stena’ (thief).