Shloka 25
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
वियेचन उवाच न मे सुधन्वना सख्यं प्राणयोर्विपणावहे । प्रह्माद तत्त्वं पृच्छामि मा प्रश्नमनृतं वदे:,विरोचन बोला--पिताजी! सुधन्वाके साथ मेरी मित्रता नहीं हुई है। हम दोनों प्राणोंकी बाजी लगाये आ रहे हैं। मैं आपसे यथार्थ बात पूछता हूँ। मेरे प्रश्नका झूठा उत्तर न दीजियेगा
Virocana uvāca: na me Sudhanvanā sakhyaṁ prāṇayor vipaṇāv ahe. Brahmādad tattvaṁ pṛcchāmi; mā praśnam anṛtaṁ vadeḥ.
ବିରୋଚନ କହିଲା—ପିତାଜୀ! ସୁଧନ୍ୱା ସହ ମୋର ମିତ୍ରତା ହୋଇନାହିଁ; ଆମେ ଦୁଇଜଣ ପ୍ରାଣକୁ ପଣ ରଖି ଆସୁଛୁ। ମୁଁ ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ସତ୍ୟ କଥା ପଚାରୁଛି—ମୋ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନର ଉତ୍ତର ମିଥ୍ୟା ଦିଅନ୍ତୁ ନାହିଁ।
वियेचन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Truthfulness is treated as a binding ethical demand, especially when the stakes are grave. The speaker insists that an answer must align with tattva (reality) and not be distorted by fear, favoritism, or self-interest.
Virocana declares that he is not acting as a friend of Sudhanvan; they are engaged in a life-and-death contest. He therefore presses his interlocutor to give an uncompromisingly truthful reply, invoking the authority of primordial tradition (“from Brahmā”).