Shloka 15
Adhyāya 9: Pratiśruta-Dāna
The Duty to Fulfill Promised Gifts
वानर उवाच सदा चाहं फलाहारो ब्राह्मणानां प्लवड्भम: । तस्मान्न ब्राह्मणस्वं तु हर्तव्यं विदुषा सदा । सम॑ विवादो मोक्तव्यो दातव्यं स प्रतिश्रुतम्
vānara uvāca | sadā cāhaṃ phalāhāro brāhmaṇānāṃ plavaṅgamaḥ | tasmān na brāhmaṇasvaṃ tu hartavyaṃ viduṣā sadā | samaṃ vivādo moktavyo dātavyaṃ sa pratiśrutam ||
वानर उवाच—सदा चाहं फलाहारो ब्राह्मणानां फलानि चोरयित्वा भुक्तवान्; तेन पापेन वानरोऽभवम्। तस्माद् विदुषा सदा ब्राह्मणस्वं न हर्तव्यम्। ब्राह्मणैः सह विवादो न कर्तव्यः; यच्च तेषां प्रति प्रतिश्रुतं तत् नूनं दातव्यम्।
वानर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches restraint and reverence in social-ethical conduct: never steal a Brahmin’s property, avoid disputes with Brahmins, and faithfully fulfill any promise made to them—presented as dharma reinforced by the speaker’s own karmic downfall.
A monkey speaks in a didactic context, confessing that he used to steal and eat fruit belonging to Brahmins and that this wrongdoing led to his degraded state. Using his experience as a warning, he instructs the listener on proper conduct toward Brahmins and on honoring commitments.