Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

नासत्यं जायते वाक्यं नागराणां कथंचन । ब्रह्मशालास्थितानां च शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्

Transliteration

nāsatyaṃ jāyate vākyaṃ nāgarāṇāṃ kathaṃcana | brahmaśālāsthitānāṃ ca śubhaṃ vā yadi vā'śubham

Translation

بين الناغارا لا تؤول كلمةٌ قطّ إلى كذبٍ بحال؛ ولا سيّما لمن جلسوا في براهمشالا (Brahmaśālā)، سواءٌ كان الأمرُ ميمونًا أم غيرَ ميمون.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-निपात)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात (negative particle)

• असत्यम्: falsehood, untruth
• असत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जायते: arises, is produced
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• वाक्यम्: speech, statement
• वाक्यम्: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नागराणाम्: of the citizens/people of Nāgara
• नागराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• कथंचन: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् + चन (अव्यय-द्वय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), 'कथम्' + 'चन' = कदाचित्/कथंचित्-भावः

• ब्रह्मशालास्थितानाम्: of those residing in the Brahmaśālā
• ब्रह्मशालास्थितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मशाला + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (ब्रह्मशालायां स्थिताः), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (समुच्चय-निपात)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• शुभम्: auspicious (thing/result)
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (विकल्प-निपात)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• यदि: if
• यदि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• वा: or
• वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (विकल्प-निपात)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• अशुभम्: inauspicious (thing/result)
• अशुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmaśālā (Nāgara-khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside Brahmaśālā, brāhmaṇas seated; a subtle aura of sanctity; words spoken appear as luminous syllables, symbolizing truth that cannot fail.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgarāḥ
• Brahmaśālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech rooted in sacred assembly and dharma is to be guarded as truthful; satya is the foundation of tīrtha-based religious life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Brahmaśālā (a sanctified hall/seat of deliberation) is praised as a dharmic institution within the tīrtha context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse establishes the doctrinal authority and truth-status of pronouncements made in the Brahmaśālā.