Shloka 27
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 34 — Vidura’s Counsel on Deliberation, Speech-Discipline, and Dharmic Kingship
युधन्वोवाच उदकं मधुपर्क च पथिष्वेवार्पितं मम । प्रह्मद त्वं तु मे तथ्यं प्रश्न॑ प्रत्रूहि पृष्छत: । कि ब्राह्मणा: स्विच्छेयांस उताहो स्विद् विरोचन:
Sudhanvā uvāca—udakaṁ madhuparkaṁ ca pathiṣv evārpitaṁ mama | Prahrāda tvaṁ tu me tathyaṁ praśnaṁ prabrūhi pṛcchataḥ | kiṁ brāhmaṇāḥ svic chreyāṁsa utāho svid Virocanaḥ ||
Wika ni Sudhanvā: “Prahlāda, ang tubig at madhuparka ay naihandog na sa akin sa daan. Ngunit ikaw, sagutin mo nang tapat ang tanong ko: sino ang nakahihigit—ang mga Brāhmaṇa, o si Virocana?”
प्रह्माद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds satya (truth) and dharmic discernment: ritual hospitality is acknowledged, but the decisive issue is a truthful judgment about who deserves higher honor—measured not by power or lineage alone, but by dharmic standards.
Sudhanvā addresses Prahrāda, noting that the customary guest-offerings (water and madhuparka) have already been given, and presses him to answer a pointed question: whether Brahmins are superior or Virocana is.