Even those who do not believe in righteousness are unsettled by the sight of a man who has fallen from truth and virtue, much as one is disturbed by an angry, venomous serpent. How much more troubled, then, must the believer be! If a father, having begotten a son in his own likeness, turns away from him in contempt, the gods themselves destroy his prosperity, and misfortune swiftly enters his life. Misfortune comes quickly to those who are unworthy, untruthful, impure, irreligious, wicked in deed, or of poor conduct—but not to those who walk the path of righteousness. A fool, upon hearing the words of others—whether noble or ignoble—always chooses the ignoble, just as a pig seeks out filth. But a wise man, hearing the same, selects the virtuous, as a swan separates milk from water. One who knows his own wicked nature, troubled and low, recognizes in others those qualities that match their own nature and duty. The lowly, burning with envy at another's fame, unable to reach such heights themselves, resort to slander. Just as the virtuous are pained when slandered, the wicked feel joy when they themselves slander others. Fools delight in slander, whereas the virtuous never devote themselves to it. As a virtuous man feels satisfaction after greeting his elders, so too does a fool feel contentment after insulting a good person. Those ignorant of faults live happily, while fools who obsessively search for faults find no happiness. As people speak of the virtuous, so too are others spoken of in similar ways. There is nothing more laughable in this world than when the wicked call the virtuous wicked, while they themselves are steeped in wickedness. Without doubt, sorrow comes from the harsh afflictions of the world. The ancestors spoke to their sons about the importance of preserving the family lineage. Therefore, among all duties, the son should never be abandoned—especially those born of one’s own wife and raised according to proper agreements. Manu declared that sons born of purchased wives and maidens are heirs; six inherit by kinship, and six by inheritance. Sons carry out religious duties for their fathers, increase their joy, and are born as lifeboats of righteousness, rescuing their fathers from hell. Thus, O tiger among kings, you must not abandon your son; protect both your son and truth. Guard both yourself and the law of truth. Speak no falsehood, O king; preserve yourself and the law of truth, and bear not deceit. A pond is better than a hundred wells, a sacrifice better than a hundred ponds, a son better than a hundred sacrifices, and truth is better than a hundred sons. If a thousand horse sacrifices and truth are weighed together, truth surpasses a thousand horse sacrifices. The study of all the Vedas and bathing in all holy places do not equal even a sixteenth part of truth, O king. There is no duty equal to truth, nor anything higher than truth; there is no sin more intense in this world than falsehood. Truth is the highest duty, O king, and agreement is higher than truth. Do not violate your agreement; let truth be joined with you. He who, having committed a sinful act, does not recognize it—there is no greater sin in this world than falsehood. Since your heart knows both truth and falsehood, you should act righteously, seeking what is beneficial. He who does not transgress out of desire, anger, or enmity, whether toward friend or foe, is truly the highest person. If you are inclined toward falsehood, and believe it, or do not believe it yourself, I wish to go to the hermitage; there can be no companionship with one like you. If you doubt your son’s lineage, examine it with your intellect: lineage, voice, memory, character, conduct, knowledge, and valor. When the qualities of courage and nature, the whorls of hair, and the arrangement of body hair are equal in someone, then he is certainly the son of that person. A likeness has been drawn out from your body, O lord of men; do not speak in vain to one who calls you ‘father.’ Except for the milk of a she-donkey, my son will drink milk; except for you, O Duṣyanta, and the mountain-crowned queen, my son will rule this earth. O Śakuntalā, your son will become a universal emperor; thus spoke the great Indra, and it will not be otherwise. Many witnesses have been named by me—divine messengers and others—but they neither speak the truth in this way nor utter falsehood. Without a witness and unfortunate, I will depart as I came. Having spoken thus, Śakuntalā turned to leave. The fire of anger, with smoke, was seen upon her head. Restraining the fire of anger burning within her limbs, the flawless-bodied woman departed with her son into the forest. Then, in the sky, a bodiless voice addressed Duṣyanta, who was surrounded by priests, preceptors, teachers, and ministers. “Just as a bellows is the mother and the son is born from the father, so he is indeed the same. Accept your son, O Duṣyanta, Śakuntalā has spoken the truth. A son is born directly from all the limbs; the self is called ‘son’ for this reason, O Paurava. Having placed yourself in him, protect this son; wait for the one who is not another, do not disregard Śakuntalā.” Thus, the divine voice affirmed the truth and urged the king to honor both his son and the sacred promise.