Shloka 42
Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris
Udyoga-parva 94
स्थाता न: समये तस्मिन् पितेति कृतनिश्चया: । नाहास्म समयं तात तच्च नो ब्राह्मणा विदु:,“तात! आप हमारे ज्येष्ठ पिता हैं, अत: हमारे विषयमें की हुई अपनी प्रतिज्ञापर डटे रहेंगे (अर्थात् वनवाससे लौटनेपर हमारा राज्य हमें प्रसन्नतापूर्वक लौटा देंगे)--ऐसा निश्चय करके ही हमने वनवास और अज्ञातवासकी शर्तको कभी नहीं तोड़ा है, इस बातको हमारे साथ रहे हुए ब्राह्मणलोग जानते हैं
sthātā naḥ samaye tasmin pite iti kṛtaniścayāḥ | nāhāsma samayaṃ tāta tac ca no brāhmaṇā viduḥ ||
ହେ ତାତ! ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରିତ ସମୟରେ ଆମ ପିତା ନିଜ ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞାରେ ଅଟୁଟ ରହିବେ—‘ସେ ପିତା ପରି ଆଚରଣ କରିବେ’—ଏହି ନିଶ୍ଚୟ କରି ଆମେ କେବେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶର୍ତ୍ତ ଭଙ୍ଗ କରିନାହିଁ; ଆମ ସହ ଥିବା ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ଏହା ସତ୍ୟ ବୋଲି ଜାଣନ୍ତି।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores dharma as fidelity to a sworn agreement: moral authority and rightful claim rest on keeping one’s pledged terms, and public witnesses (here, Brahmins) strengthen the ethical and social legitimacy of that truth.
In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to war, the speaker reports a claim that the exiled party never broke the stipulated conditions of their agreement; they endured the term relying on the expectation that the ‘father’ figure would honor his promise at the appointed time, with Brahmins serving as corroborating witnesses.