Shloka 63
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
यो हि प्रश्न॑ न विब्रूयाद् धर्मदर्शी सभां गतः । अनृते या फलावाप्तिस्तस्या: सो<र्थ समश्षुते,जो धर्मज्ञ पुरुष सभामें जाकर वहाँ उपस्थित हुए प्रश्नका उत्तर नहीं देता, वह झूठ बोलनेके आधे फलका भागी होता है
yo hi praśnaṃ na vibrūyād dharmadarśī sabhāṃ gataḥ | anṛte yā phalāvāptis tasyāḥ so 'rthaṃ samaśnute ||
ผู้ใดรู้เห็นธรรมะแล้วเข้าสู่สภา แต่ไม่ยอมตอบคำถามที่ถูกยกขึ้น ผู้นั้นย่อมมีส่วนรับผลแห่งความเท็จประหนึ่งได้ครึ่งหนึ่งของผลกรรมจากการกล่าวมุสา
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
A dharma-knowing person has a duty to respond truthfully when questioned in an assembly; refusing to answer is morally culpable and is treated as sharing in the demerit/consequence of falsehood—silence can function like a lie.
In the context of counsel and deliberation in the royal assembly, Vidura articulates a norm of sabhā-dharma: those competent to judge right and wrong must not evade questions; withholding guidance in public decision-making is ethically blameworthy.