Shloka 49
उपदेशदोषप्रसङ्गः (Upadeśa-doṣa-prasaṅgaḥ) — The Risk of Misapplied Counsel
भीष्म उवाच बाढमित्येव तं राजा प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिर । यदि ज्ञास्यामि वक्ष्यामि अजानन् न तु संवदे
bhīṣma uvāca | bāḍham ity eva taṃ rājā pratyuvāca yudhiṣṭhira | yadi jñāsyāmi vakṣyāmi ajānan na tu saṃvade ||
भीष्म उवाच—बाढमित्येव तं राजा प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरः। यदि ज्ञास्यामि वक्ष्यामि अजानन् न तु संवदे॥
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should speak only what one knows to be true; when knowledge is lacking, restraint in speech is itself dharma. The verse models integrity: agreement to answer honestly, coupled with refusal to speculate or misrepresent.
In the course of Bhishma’s instruction, Yudhishthira responds to a request or inquiry with assent (“Very well”) and sets a clear condition: he will answer if he knows, and will remain silent rather than speak without knowledge.