Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
जिसका सर्वस्व छीन लिया गया हो
tāni sarvāṇi duḥkhāni prāpnoti vitathaṃ bruvan | samakṣadarśanāt sākṣī śravaṇāc ceti dhāraṇāt ||
तानि सर्वाणि दुःखानि प्राप्नोति वितथं ब्रुवन् । समक्षदर्शनात् साक्षी श्रवणाच्चेति धारणात् ॥
कश्यप उवाच
False speech—especially in matters involving witnesses and testimony—is treated as a serious breach of dharma, bringing consequences comparable to the greatest human sufferings.
Kaśyapa is explaining the moral gravity of lying: since a witness is grounded in what is directly seen or heard and then upheld as authoritative, speaking untruth in such a context leads to severe karmic and social repercussions.