Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 88
सत्यं ब्रूयात्प्रियं बूयान्न ब्रूयात्सत्यमप्रियम् । प्रियं च नानृतं ब्रूयादेष धर्मो विधीयते
satyaṃ brūyātpriyaṃ būyānna brūyātsatyamapriyam | priyaṃ ca nānṛtaṃ brūyādeṣa dharmo vidhīyate
সত্য বলিবে, প্রিয় বাক্য বলিবে; অপ্রিয় কঠোর সত্য বলিবে না। আর প্রিয় মনে হলেও মিথ্যা বলিবে না—এই ধর্ম বিধেয়।
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Scene: A forest hermitage (āraṇya) where a teacher instructs a disciple on dharma of speech; calm sages, palm-leaf manuscripts, gentle hand-gesture of instruction (upadeśa-mudrā).
FAQs
Dharma refines speech: truth should be joined with compassion, and pleasantness must never be purchased with falsehood.
No tīrtha is specified; the verse teaches universal dharma of vāṇī (ethical speech).
It prescribes a discipline of speech—truthful, beneficial, and non-harmful communication.