Shloka 186
Satya–Anṛta Viveka (Discrimination between Truth and Falsehood) | सत्य–अनृत विवेकः
अनुकक््त्वा तत्र ठद्वाच्यं सर्वे तेडनृूतवादिन: । जो कर्जदारको अपने अधीन करके उससे शारीरिक सेवा कराकर धन वसूल करना चाहता है
anukaktvā tatra tad vācyam sarve te 'nṛtavādinaḥ |
Sinabi ni Bhishma: Kung sa gayong kalagayan, ang mga dapat tumestigo ay hindi nagsasabi ng katotohanang nararapat sabihin, kung gayon silang lahat ay nagiging sinungaling. Sa mga usaping gaya ng paniningil ng utang—lalo na kapag nais ng naniningil na pasukuin ang may utang at kunin ang kabayaran sa pamamagitan ng sapilitang paglilingkod ng katawan—ang sinumang saksi na nagkukubli ng katotohanang maaari at dapat sabihin sa patotoo ay nagkakamit ng kasalanan ng kasinungalingan.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
A witness must state the truth that is fit to be spoken; withholding or distorting it makes one an anṛtavādin (liar). Ethical conduct in adjudication depends on truthful testimony.
In Bhishma’s instruction on dharma in the Shanti Parva, he discusses legal-ethical situations such as debt disputes and the role of witnesses, declaring that witnesses who do not speak the proper truth become false speakers.