Shloka 4
अग्निशाप-प्रसंगः
Agni’s Curse and the Restoration of Ritual Order
यश्न कार्यार्थतत्त्वज्ञो जानानोडपि न भाषते । सो<पि तेनैव पापेन लिप्यते नात्र संशय:,“इसी प्रकार जो किसी कार्यके वास्तविक रहस्यका ज्ञाता है, वह उसके पूछनेपर यदि जानते हुए भी नहीं बतलाता--मौन रह जाता है तो वह भी उसी पापसे लिप्त होता है; इसमें संशय नहीं है
yaḥ na kāryārtha-tattva-jñaḥ jānann api na bhāṣate | so 'pi tenaiva pāpena lipyate nātra saṃśayaḥ ||
Wika ni Śaunaka: Ang sinumang tunay na nakauunawa sa tunay na diwa at panloob na simulain ng isang bagay—kapag tinanong ngunit nananatiling tahimik at hindi nagsasalita kahit alam—siya man ay nadudungisan ng gayon ding kasalanan; walang alinlangan dito.
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
A knower of the true purport of a matter has a moral responsibility to speak when asked; remaining silent despite knowing can make one share in the same sin that arises from the other’s ignorance or misdeed.
In Śaunaka’s discourse, a principle of dharma is being stated: not only the direct wrongdoer, but also the informed person who withholds needed truth when questioned becomes ethically implicated.