Strī-satkāra (On honoring women) — Mahābhārata 13.46
नमां कश्चिद् विजानीत इति कृत्वा न विश्वसेत् नरो रहसि पापात्मा पापकं कर्म वै द्विज,ब्रह्मन! पापात्मा मनुष्य एकान्तमें पापकर्म करके ऐसा विश्वास न करे कि कोई मुझे इस पापकर्ममें लिप्त नहीं जानता है
na māṃ kaścid vijānīta iti kṛtvā na viśvaset naro rahasi pāpātmā pāpakaṃ karma vai dvija brahman
毗补罗说道:心怀罪念之人,不可凭恃“无人知我”之想,便在暗处行恶。噢,二次生的婆罗门啊,切莫以为独处所作的过失便能无人知晓;此等自欺,只会使罪业与其果报愈加深重。
विपुल उवाच
Do not rely on the illusion of secrecy to justify wrongdoing. Even if others do not witness an act, the moral law (karma), one’s own conscience, and the larger order of dharma make the deed consequential and ultimately ‘known’ in its results.
Vipula is instructing a Brahmin (addressed as ‘dvija’ and ‘brahman’) in ethical conduct, warning against committing sinful acts in private under the assumption that no one will find out.