Shloka 15
Adhyāya 9: Pratiśruta-Dāna
The Duty to Fulfill Promised Gifts
वानर उवाच सदा चाहं फलाहारो ब्राह्मणानां प्लवड्भम: । तस्मान्न ब्राह्मणस्वं तु हर्तव्यं विदुषा सदा । सम॑ विवादो मोक्तव्यो दातव्यं स प्रतिश्रुतम्
vānara uvāca | sadā cāhaṃ phalāhāro brāhmaṇānāṃ plavaṅgamaḥ | tasmān na brāhmaṇasvaṃ tu hartavyaṃ viduṣā sadā | samaṃ vivādo moktavyo dātavyaṃ sa pratiśrutam ||
بندر نے کہا—میں ہمیشہ برہمنوں کے پھل چرا کر کھایا کرتا تھا؛ اسی گناہ کے سبب میں بندر بنا۔ اس لیے دانا آدمی کو کبھی برہمن کا مال نہیں چرانا چاہیے۔ برہمنوں سے کبھی جھگڑا نہیں کرنا چاہیے؛ اور ان کے لیے جو چیز دینے کا وعدہ کیا گیا ہو، وہ ضرور ادا کرنی چاہیے۔
वानर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches restraint and reverence in social-ethical conduct: never steal a Brahmin’s property, avoid disputes with Brahmins, and faithfully fulfill any promise made to them—presented as dharma reinforced by the speaker’s own karmic downfall.
A monkey speaks in a didactic context, confessing that he used to steal and eat fruit belonging to Brahmins and that this wrongdoing led to his degraded state. Using his experience as a warning, he instructs the listener on proper conduct toward Brahmins and on honoring commitments.