Shloka 9
कृतघ्ननिन्दा तथा सुग्रीवप्रबोधनम्
Condemnation of Ingratitude and Admonition of Sugriva
शतमश्वानृते हन्ति सहस्रं तु गवानृते।आत्मानं स्वजनं हन्ति पुरुषः पुरुषानृते।।।।
śatam aśvānṛte hanti sahasraṃ tu gavānṛte |
ātmānaṃ svajanaṃ hanti puruṣaḥ puruṣānṛte ||
अश्वविषयेऽनृते शतहत्यादोषः, गोविषयेऽनृते सहस्रहत्यादोषः; पुरुषविषये तु अनृते पुरुषः स्वात्मानं स्वजनं च हन्ति।
'If a man tells a lie about a horse, he commits the sin of killing a hundred horses. If one tells a lie about a cow, he shares the sin of killing a thousand cows. If one tells a lie about a man, it is equal to the sin of killing oneself and his own people.
FAQs
Falsehood escalates in moral gravity with its object; lying about persons and commitments corrodes society and rebounds upon one’s own community.
Lakṣmaṇa uses a graded teaching on the sin of falsehood to warn Sugrīva against betrayal of his pledged word.
Reverence for satya (truth) as the foundation of social order and alliance—especially binding upon kings.